Leadership: Time to Engage with Workforce Development

  • Date: July 28, 2017
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Ask any industry leader if a commitment to human capital drives manufacturing competitiveness, and the response will be overwhelmingly positive. Yes! Well-trained employees support customer satisfaction. Yes! They reduce downtime and safety issues. Yes! They increase productivity, allowing a company to grow.

So when we asked attendees at tuX, our annual event focused on building a high-performance workforce, about leadership engagement in workforce development we were a bit surprised at the answers. Read More.

Forming Strong Alliances to Build High-Performers

  • Date: July 20, 2017
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Over the past several months, SME has announced some important partnerships with leading manufacturing organizations to not only accelerate the development of advanced technologies but, these alliances will also strengthen the workforce.

The latest in this growing list of strategic pacts is Tooling U-SME’s recent announcement about partnering with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI). As part of a new agreement with the IACMI, our organizations – along with members of the IACMI – will collaborate to expand the availability of advanced training for the composites manufacturing workforce. Together, we will leverage the progress of composites technology to understand the needs of this sector fully. Read More.

tuX Polling #2: Industry Gaps in Training & Development

  • Date: July 18, 2017
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

The feedback we received from manufacturers attending tuX, our annual event focused on building a high-performance workforce, provides important insights on industry workforce trends.

In previous posts, we looked at polling results around The Skills Gap, as well as Formalizing, Standardizing and Measuring Training. Today, we are exploring polling results related to gaps in training and development programs.

Through various questions throughout the event, we tested our hypothesis that manufacturers need help formalizing and standardizing training programs. Read More.

tuX Polling #1: Manufacturers Need Help With Formalizing Training

  • Date: July 13, 2017
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Back in May, we gathered manufacturers together from across the country at tuX, our annual event focused on building a high-performance workforce.

To get a pulse on industry workforce trends, we polled attendees onsite. We’d like to share some of those insights in a two-part series.

Today’s topic is around formalized, standardized training and development programs and measuring their return-on-investment (ROI). Read More.

Partnership Strengthens Workforce Development Initiatives

  • Date: July 06, 2017
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

At Tooling U-SME, we believe that stronger partnerships provide higher-quality results for all stakeholders. That’s why we’re pleased to be part of the new National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) Advisory Council, which brings training programs in line with high-demand skills and knowledge in today’s manufacturing environment. Specifically, our partnership with NIMS aligns Tooling U-SME’s competency-based workforce education with manufacturing industry-driven certifications. Joining the council from Tooling U-SME are Chad Schron, Senior Director, and Gretchen Schultz, Director of Workforce Development.

Working together, Tooling U-SME and NIMS are better able to bridge the gap between both organization’s workforce development initiatives. Read More.