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WORKFORCE PIPELINE
A MONTHLY FEATURE ABOUT TRAINING, EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Making the Future Through Collaborative Training
I
n the rural town of Greenfield, MA, near
the Vermont border, a precision machining training program is building a robust
pipeline of skilled manufacturing workers.
The secret of the program’s success is the
strong collaboration between local educators,
employers, and government.
In order to design and manufacture parts of
the future, area employers need a highly skilled
workforce. That’s especially true as their existing workforce ages and business grows.
Just a few years ago, manufacturing was
viewed as a “sunset industry” in Massachusetts and across America. Today, according
to a recent report published by the Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development on
students. The FCTS Machine Fund, a 501C organization
Employment and Wages, more than 7000 Massachusetts
founded by local precision manufacturer, Steve Capshaw,
manufacturers employ over 250,000 people.
President of VSS Inc., raised $217,000 from local businesses
With more than 250 manufacturing businesses in Franklin
which was matched by the Massachusetts Executive Office
and Hampshire Counties, and with nearly 15% expected
of Housing and Economic Development and various grants
industry growth in the area by 2020, finding, recruiting and
to ensure students are now instructed on state-of-the-art
developing qualified employees is a top priority.
CNC mills, CNC lathes, CNC grinders, metrology tools,
To address this need, the Franklin-Hampshire Regional
Employment Board in collaboration with Greenfield Community College (GCC), Franklin County Technical School (FCTS)
Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) programs.
Many businesses have been heavily involved in the local
and a consortium of area manufacturers created the Middle
effort to build the skilled worker pipeline. Local support has
Skills Manufacturing Initiative (MSMI) training for entry-level
come from more than 20 companies including VSS, Bete
CNC operators. The program is targeted to unemployed and
Fog Nozzle, Hassay Savage Co., DuMONT Co., Sisson
under-employed workers in Franklin and Hampshire Counties
Engineering, Poplar Hill, Applied Dynamics Corp, Quabbin
with funding from a Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund
Inc., Mayhew Steel, Small Corp., Amherst Machine, Hillside
grant through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Execu-
Plastics, Judd Wire, Production Tool & Grinding, Kennam-
tive Office of Labor and Workforce Development adminis-
etal, Cohn & Company, Greenfield Co-Operative Bank and
tered by Commonwealth Corporation.
Greenfield Savings Bank. L.S. Starrett Company donated
Concurrent with the development of the MSMI training
precision tools, gages and instruments and Air Compres-
program, significant investments were made to modernize
sor Engineering Co. Inc., and Haas Automation Inc. also
the equipment at FCTS which is used by both day and night
provided the in-kind funding.
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Many of these employers also provide instructors who
last summer and worked with area manufacturers such as
partner with teachers from the vocational school. This is im-
VSS, Hillside Plastics, Hassay-Savage and New England Natu-
portant since the skills required for manufacturing jobs have
rals to pilot online classes for their incumbent workers.
changed dramatically as companies have incorporated new
technologies into their operations.
The MSMI training includes blueprint reading, math for
Since the collaborative training programs began, 29
students have graduated from the MSMI program and found
employment across 13 area manufacturers. Eighty-nine stu-
manufacturing, metrology, CAD and CAM instruction, with a
dents have enrolled in Tooling U-SME courses, completing
significant portion of the current 220-hour training dedicated
nearly 4000 classes.
to hands-on applications in a lab/shop setting. The training is
Local average overall wages in the Manufacturing sector
project-based and reinforces the use of applied skills needed
are $47,372, above the region’s average annual salary of
in workplace situations.
$37,000. The Spring cohort of 14 MSMI graduates were all
placed into employment with salaries ranging from $13 to
Tooling U-SME Supports Program
Students also have additional online assignments to demonstrate their mastery of the topics learned in class. Green-
$19 per hour to start and averaging $15.50 with opportunities for continued advancement and training.
Advanced manufacturing is booming in Massachusetts and
field Community College partnered with Tooling U-SME,
the collaborative manufacturing training programs underway
a division of SME, a leader in manufacturing training and
will continue to be expanded to provide a range of options that
development. Subscriptions to the Tooling U-SME courses
meet the needs of students. Greenfield Community College
were funded by the Massachusetts Community College and
is one of the 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges funded
The Middle Skills Manufacturing Initiative (MSMI) trains entry-level
CNC operators and was created through a collaboration
between educators, employers and government.
Workforce Development Transformations Agenda (MC-
by TAACCCT grants to address the training and educational
CWDTA), which is fully funded through a $20 million Trade
needs of workers and employers statewide with a focus on
Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career
articulated pathways to careers in high-growth STEM sec-
Training (TAACCCT) grant from the US Department of Labor
tors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) as well as
Employment and Training Administration.
advanced manufacturing and healthcare.
Instructors and area businesses collaborated on the
Improving the perception of manufacturing is critical to en-
specific Tooling U-SME classes to supplement the hands-on
courage students and potential workers to choose manufac-
training. Once the required courses were completed, stu-
turing education and careers. The MassDevelopment Office’s
dents were encouraged to continue to take online classes to
“AMP It Up!” campaign showcases how advanced manufac-
build their skills and work with their employers to customize a
turing careers can put Massachusetts and its workers on the
training program upon hire.
path to success through creative, highly skilled, and well-
The MSMI program, launched in Fall 2013, has quickly
paying jobs. As our local billboard profiling two of our MSMI
received very positive feedback. More than 100 people ap-
graduates states, advanced manufacturing provides “Great
plied for the 15 training slots in that initial class and Tooling
careers and strong futures.”
U-SME online subscriptions were provided to 12 “runnerup” applicants to build their skills until the next training. This
approach successfully allowed students to showcase their
Alyce Stiles is the Director
of Workforce Development
at Greenfield Community in
Greenfield, MA.
motivation, willingness to learn new skills and be on the top
of the recruitment list for the next training.
To further help develop skilled workers, Greenfield Community College developed a Foundational Manufacturing Training
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