Tooling U-SME Blog

Increasing the Manufacturing Talent Pipeline with Pre-Apprenticeships

Date: February 13, 2020
Posted by:Conrad Mercurius, Coordinator of Advanced Manufacturing Tech, Raritan Valley Community College

Today we welcome Conrad Mercurius, Coordinator of Advanced Manufacturing Tech at Raritan Valley Community College, who joins us to discuss how to attract young talent to the manufacturing workforce and engage them in exciting careers. Read More.

Part II: Ask These Questions Before Launching an Elearning Program

Date: February 04, 2020
Posted by:Katie Strand, Client Success Manager, Tooling U-SME

Recently, we posted the first installment of our two-part series about the essential questions you should ask before launching an elearning program. This is a subject that stirs up a lot of conversation. Read More.

SME Education Foundation Scholarships Available

Date: January 29, 2020
Posted by:Rob Luce, Vice President, SME Education Foundation

Today we welcome Rob Luce, Vice President of the SME Education Foundation, for insights into the Foundation’s crucial role in addressing the manufacturing skills gap. Read More.

Part I: Ask These Questions Before Launching an Elearning Program

Date: January 21, 2020
Posted by:Katie Strand, Client Success Manager, Tooling U-SME

Leadership has green-lighted a new elearning program, and you are excited to roll it out. You smile thinking about the productivity gains which will lead to cost savings. You know offering this training benefit will motivate your teams and build loyalty. Read More.

Manufacturing Training On the Go

Date: January 07, 2020
Posted by:John Hindman, Director of Learning Services, Tooling U-SME

Recently, Tooling U-SME launched a new mobile app for manufacturing training – and it’s quickly picking up steam. Users — especially the younger generations — love that they can complete training anywhere.

Here’s a quick overview. For Android and Apple mobile devices, including phones and tablets, the app allows you to: Read More.

2019: Wrapping up a Productive Year at Tooling U-SME

Date: December 28, 2019
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME

Everything we do at Tooling U-SME is intentional. We exist to build the skills of the manufacturing workforce and fill the industry's pipeline with highly qualified talent. Our primary goal is to enhance the capabilities of the very people who will help their companies drive quality, improve efficiency, increase productivity, expand innovation and ultimately gain profitability. Read More.

Addressing the Future of Manufacturing at WESTEC

Date: December 04, 2019
Posted by:Greg Surtman, Workforce Development Strategist, Tooling U-SME

I was fortunate enough to not only attend WESTEC this year, but also participate as a panelist and moderator, serve as emcee and lead an interactive Knowledge Bar session. WESTEC has been the leading California manufacturing event for over 56 years. More than 8,000 manufacturers from the aerospace, medical, industrial machinery, automotive and fabricated metal industries come together to participate in world-class exhibits, industry-led education sessions, and networking events. The show spanned 91,000 square feet and hosted 425+ exhibiting companies. Read More.

New Report: Balancing Operations and Training

Date: November 12, 2019
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME

Implementing a comprehensive, consistent learning and development program can seem daunting. But it doesn’t need to be.

We hear from a lot of manufacturers who are at risk. They need training to move their organizations forward, reduce quality errors, meet customer demands, and grow — but they resist taking teams away from the day-to-day operations for this training because they don’t have enough people. Read More.

Building an Industry 4.0 Career Pathway

Date: October 29, 2019
Posted by:Sue Mueller, Senior Workforce Development Strategist, Tooling U-SME

Recently I attended the 31^st annual National Coalition of Advanced Technology Center (NCATC) conference, “Moving Industry 4.0 Forward: Models for Competency-Based Credentialing and Career Pathways.” Read More.

Opening the World of Manufacturing to Kids

Date: October 04, 2019
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME

Tooling U-SME has been an advocate of Manufacturing Day since the program’s inception in 2012. Over the years, we have supported academic programs and provided high schools, community colleges and universities with curriculum to prepare the next-generation workforce for successful and fulfilling careers in manufacturing. We do this because we believe in the strength of the industrial sector and the resilience of its people. Read More.