MSCC to Host Manufacturing Institute Education Council Meeting

         The Manufacturing Institute’s Education Council will convene at Mid-South Community College on Thursday, April 11, for its semiannual meeting. This will mark the second time the group has met outside of Washington, D.C.

         “We’re excited and honored to host this prestigious event,” said MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter, a charter member of the Council and the lone representative from Arkansas. “We’re setting a precedent for a community college to host this meeting and are looking forward to the opportunity.”

“The Manufacturing Institute has facilitated a significant portion of our institution’s evolution. Much of the $63 million that has been brought into the ADTEC region can find its way back to this core group of people. Their assistance has been invaluable in our efforts to create a world-class workforce, and we continue to work with them on a variety of projects that are vital to our nation’s future.”

“The Manufacturing Institute formed the National Manufacturing Education Council to assist in developing national strategies to expand and enhance our manufacturing workforce,” said Jennifer McNelly, president, The Manufacturing Institute. “The Education Council represents leaders in manufacturing education who are helping to create the skilled workforce manufacturers need to stay competitive and grow.”

         The Manufacturing Institute, the non-partisan 501(c) (3) affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, is the authority on the attraction, qualification, and development of world-class manufacturing talent. The Institute studies the critical issues facing manufacturing and then applies that research to develop and identify solutions that are implemented by companies, schools, governments, and organizations across the country. 

The Education Council includes educators and officials representing K-12, community and technical colleges, and colleges and universities in 26 states.

Dr. Fenter has served on the Education Council since its creation in October 2008.  At the time, he was one of only 25 education leaders nationwide asked to participate in the effort.

         Thursday’s meeting at MSCC will include sessions on Institute Strategic Framework for Growth – Leveraging Council Support for Successful Implementation, Federal Express Dialogue on Partnerships and Workforce, and Manufacturing Roadmap for Education and Supporting Policies at the Federal, State, and Local Level.

The day’s activities will also include a roundtable discussion, a networking break, and a tour of MSCC’s Marion Berry Renewable Energy Center and Workforce Technology Center.

MSCC and The Manufacturing Institute have been working together for several years to facilitate deployment of the National Association of Manufacturers-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System in Arkansas.

The partnership has been supported by a grant from Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis-based private foundation dedicated to expanding access to and success in education beyond high school. Lumina Foundation supports projects nationwide that help increase the proportion of Americans with college degrees and the necessary credentials to enter the workforce.

Through the alignment of educational and career pathways, this large-scale effort is helping to prepare students and working learners for high-quality jobs in manufacturing.

         In 2012 , The Manufacturing Institute helped MSCC secure a three-year, $2.5 million grant through President Barack Obama’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) initiative. The program promotes skills development and employment opportunities in fields such as advanced manufacturing, science, technology, and engineering.

The Manufacturing Institute has developed the Manufacturing Skills Certification System (SCS), endorsed by NAM, a system with a proven track record for student outcomes and a model for accelerating student learning and credential attainment.

On June 8, 2011, when President Obama announced key steps toward building the educated and skilled workforce U.S. manufacturers need to successfully compete in the 21st century economy, he cited The Manufacturing Institute’s efforts.

The NAM-Endorsed SCS results from an ongoing collaborative effort involving industry, education, and credentialing bodies, that began in 2009 and has been sustained by the Gates, Lumina, Joyce, and Alcoa foundations.

         For more information about The Manufacturing Institute’s priorities, projects, and research, see http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/. For more information about MSCC’s efforts to develop a highly-skilled workforce, see www.midsouthcc.edu.