Last fall a small group of Northwest Indiana employers met to discuss the mutual workforce needs of the manufacturing sector. With staffing support from the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board, the group has expanded its participation and identified initial priorities for meeting, hiring, and training needs in the sector. The result has been the creation of a Manufacturing Consortium as an ongoing platform to guide training and employment programs and initiatives, and to engage employers in forming connections to schools to ensure that a reliable talent pipeline will be maintained.
A recent article by Joel Simon of the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) in Chicago zeros in on the value of engaging employers in planning on an industry sector basis to look below the official labor market data to gain insights that can only come from talking directly with employers. By doing so in an organized and ongoing manner, we can better align programs and funding sources for maximum impact.
SKILL UP!- Think about upskilling your current workforce
In February of 2016, the Department of Workforce Development announced that the Northwest Indiana Manufacturing Consortium was awarded over $400,000 to train under-skilled and incumbent workers. The consortium built foundational coursework that employers agree are most critical for new employees. The long-term goal is to have entry level workers demonstrate proficiency in these foundational skills when seeking any manufacturing job open in Northwest Indiana.
Read more about our plans and goals for the SKILL UP Grant
The program has openings for incumbent workers to participate in upcoming classes in November and January. Contact Allison Bertl 219-462-2940, ext. 41 or abertl@gotoworkonenw.com
What do we manufacture in NWI?
There’s a good reason that Northwest Indiana is known for its steel mills: 40% of regional manufacturing jobs are producing metal. That means that the other 60%—a strong majority—is producing other goods entirely. What else do we make in NWI? This month’s infographic has the answer.
Manufacturing Day 2016- Inspiring the next generation
Manufacturing Day℠ is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Although Manufacturing Day officially occurs on the first Friday in October—this year is
October 7, 2016—any day can be a Manufacturing Day.
American Licorice's, Steve Nunberg, Human Resource Manager, discusses their collaboration with WorkOne and Ivy Tech to offer the CPT Program to advance their employee's work skills.
