Manufacturers

Workforce Systems and Management

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership recognizes the impact that people, culture, and skills have on the competitive abilities of manufacturers in the United States. NIST MEP works with its centers across the country to provide expert advice and service to manufacturers seeking improved company performance through use of an integrated approach to transformation, including consideration of the "people issues" at each stage of the engagement.  Whether you’re interested in lean, quality, or growth services, your company’s likelihood of success is enhanced by effectively aligning hiring and retention practices, employee development and rewards systems, and other policies and practices affecting workers and the workplace with the strategic direction of the company.

In addition, MEP centers work with numerous partners to enhance the educational pipeline of people interested in manufacturing careers.  This can include advising educators and policy makers on the skill needs of manufacturers, contributing to efforts to reform curriculum and teaching methods, participating in awareness campaigns in support of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and manufacturing careers, and providing opportunities for increased teacher and student exposure to the manufacturing workplace.

WIRED

The US Department of Labor launched an ambitious initiative known as Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) that focuses on the role of talent development in driving regional economic competitiveness, increased job growth and new opportunities for American workers.  Awards were made to 13 regions [$15M for a 3-year period, total of $195M], with a second round of 13 regions receiving $5 million over three years.

http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/WIRED Fact Sheet.pdf

DOL Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration, Emily DeRocco, has enlisted the assistance of the MEP program in conducting pilot programs in eight of the WIRED regions.  The objective of these pilots is to develop and assess best practices for integrating technology transfer/transition and innovation into each of the WIRED region partnership networks.  These best practices will be shared with the other WIRED regions, as well as the entire MEP center system.  These pilots closely align with the Next Generation MEP strategy focused on implementing innovation and technology in small manufacturers and the development of the workforce to support this strategy.

Potential collaborative technology transfer and transition activities for pilot regions’ partnerships include:

• Identification and establishment of broader partnership opportunities
• Implementation, validation, and documentation of exemplary practices
• Contribution to development of regional asset maps
• Evaluation of company-specific technology transfer or transition readiness
• Development and delivery of training/workshops
• Project implementation assistance
• Documentation of successful implementations by manufacturer(s) in region

WIRED Pilot Locations

National Lean Enterprise Certification Program

Based upon the extensive lean manufacturing expertise of the MEP system, the Dept. of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration awarded the 360vu Research and Education Foundation just over $2M for the development of a lean manufacturing certification program and the pilot training and certification of 1,900 workers. This program involves collaborative partnerships with the MEP centers, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), and the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing in developing the certification program. 

To date, 18 different MEP Centers and state have been involved in providing training and certification to more than 900 employees at 70 different manufacturing organizations.  With more than 500 of these participants having successfully completed the training and achieved certification, the program is being met with great success and there is an ongoing commitment to continue the efforts.

Contact: Mark Troppe