MSSC wins award for best U.S. national manufacturing workforce program

Under its “Talented Workforce Initiative,” the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council has announced that the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) was selected as the “Best U.S. National Program” for workforce development.

The Council created this Initiative to identify the “most imaginative and effective solutions for building the region’s pool of manufacturing talent.”

“It is an honor to receive this prestigious recognition from the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council,” said Leo Reddy, CEO of the MSSC. “We are encouraged by the growing adoption of MSSC’s Certified Production Technician (CPT) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) training and credentialing programs throughout the Great Lakes region which represents the world’s fourth largest economy.”

The long-term goal of the GLMC’s “Talented Workforce Initiative” is to share the best ideas and approaches for resolving the critical workforce shortage issue that threatens nearly all manufacturers and communities in the bi-national Great Lakes economy. Characteristics of the successful and promising initiatives included their ability to: recruit or attract talented workers, train or educate new workers, retrain incumbent workers, and retrain displaced workers.

“The Manufacturing Skill Standards Certification is a highly-regarded, industry-recognized and valuable career asset for Hoosiers, seeking to enter and advance with the major local manufacturing companies,” said Ivy Tech president (IN) Thomas J. Snyder. “The Great Lakes Manufacturing Council award recognizes MSSC’s leadership and proactive engagement with Ivy Tech as a key success partner. The unique Benchmark for Talented Workforce Initiative combines flexible training programs and industry-recognized certifications with employer networks, linked employment opportunities and support resources that will certainly advance the Midwest as ‘The Center of the Universe’ for competitive manufacturing, technology and logistics initiatives.”

“At Cincinnati State, we know that manufacturing is back because the demand for graduates with the appropriate skills is so strong,” said Dr. O’dell M. Owens, M.D., MPH, president of Cincinnati State. “The MSSC credentialing standards have been huge in helping us meet employer workforce demands, because we have reliable, industry-established benchmarks to guide our educational programming decisions.”

“Credentials like those developed by MSSC are critically important in today’s advanced manufacturing environment,” says Greg Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “They assure entry level competency for those applying for jobs in manufacturing and logistics, and form a solid foundation for earning additional credentials throughout one’s career. For Illinois manufacturers, MSSC is a key ingredient to closing the skills gap.”

“Gateway Technical College is a proud partner with MSSC in the alignment of curriculum, training and certification in the manufacturing and logistics industries. MSSC is recognized as the industry leader in certifying America’s manufacturing workforce,” said Bryan Albrecht, president of Gateway Technical College (WI).

“Matching the right people with good-paying jobs and meeting the talent needs of employers is among the top challenges faced by all of us in higher education,” said James Jacobs, president of Macomb Community College (MI). “The Manufacturing Skill Standards Certification is an important tool for achieving those goals. It creates a competitive advantage for workers and employers alike.”

“MSSC’s industry certification system is making a significant impact on our national effort to increase industry specific credentials and meet the needs of manufacturers throughout the nation,” said Dr. Annette Parker, president of South Central College (MN) and member of the MSSC Leadership Council and President Obama’s National Advanced Manufacturing Steering Committee. “In the State of Minnesota in particular, we are utilizing industry certification as a basis for our Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Pilot.”

“The Manufacturers Alliance of New York is assisting the State University of New York in incorporating the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Skills Certification System into the curricula of the states’ community colleges. As a key building block in the NAM System, the MSSC’s Certified Production Technician Certification is helping to raise the skill level of the state’s workforce,” said Randy Wolken, president, Manufacturers Alliance of New York.

“Harrisburg Area Community College’s (HACC) Workforce Training has recognized the need for stackable, industry recognized credentials, and has made MSSC an integral part of our training programs,” said Daniel Wagner P.E., managing director of workforce training. “Using MSSC’s CPT and CLA curriculum, HACC, has been able to provide students with nationally recognized industry certifications in both the production and logistics areas. HACC has used the CPT’s Quality Practices and Measurement to build the skills of students in a wide range of training from welding to CNC machining. The CLA module is used to enhance the hands-on training students receive in our logistics technician course. The skills and certifications provided by this training help the students gain employment.”

The awards ceremony took place at the annual “Big M” conference at the Cobo Convention Center in Detroit. A business-led organization, the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council represents the eight Great Lakes States plus the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec.