Deploying Dream It . Do

I t . for Success and Sustainabi l i ty

A QUICK START GUIDE FOR

ACTION

Dr eam ! t . Do ! t . ( D I D I ) i s m anaged by The M anu f ac t u r i ng I ns t i t u t e ( I ns t i t u t e ) , t he 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) a f f i l i a t e o f t he Na t i ona l Assoc ia t i on o f M anu f ac t u r e r s ( NAM ) . We a r e p leased t o p r ov ide t h i s gu ide t o ass i s t new m em ber o r gan iza t i ons i n im p lem en t i ng t he p r og r am w i t h in t he i r coun t ies , r eg ions , o r s t a t es . A t p r esen t , t wen t y D I D I i n i t i a t i ves a r e ope r a t i ng t h r oughou t t he coun t r y— a l l w i t h d i f f e r en t app r oaches and s t r a t eg ies t ha t ca t e r t o l oca l needs . Th i s f l ex ib i l i t y t o add r ess l oca l dem ogr aph i cs , econom ies , and educa t i ona l s ys t em s i s a key s t r eng t h o f t he p r og r am . The D I D I p r og r am p r ov ides a na t i ona l b r and , i n f r as t r uc t u r e , suppo r t , m essag ing , and r esea r ch t o t he b r oade r r o les and i n i t i a t i ves o f each s i t e , whe t he r D I D I i s used as a ca r ee r awa r eness s t r a t egy, a p la t f o r m f o r m anu f ac t u r ing educa t ion r e f o r m , o r a d r i ve r o f r eg iona l econom ic deve lopm en t .

 

I n l i gh t o f va r i a t i on am ong dep loym en t m ode ls , t he I ns t i t u t e has i den t i f i ed com m on bes t - p r ac t i ces t ha t w i l l gu ide you in t he p r ocess o f im p lem en t i ng D I D I i n you r a r ea . Th i s gu ide , when used in com b ina t i on w i t h t he I ns t i t u t e ’s expe r i ence - based consu l t a t i ve se r v i ces and o t he r asse t s and r esou r ces p r ov ided t o ou r m em ber s , w i l l enab le you r o r gan iza t i on t o success f u l l y and exped i t i ous l y m ove f o r wa r d on t he im p lem en t a t i on o f i t s own D I D I i n i t i a t i ve . The I ns t i t u t e l ooks f o r wa r d t o wo r k ing w i t h you on t h i s exc i t i ng , cha l l eng ing and c r i t i ca l l y im po r t an t oppo r t un i t y.

 

Dr eam I t . Do I t . - Purpose and V i s i on

As o lde r wo r ke r s depa r t t he wo r kp lace , bus inesses g r ow, and r equ i r ed sk i l l s advance , m anu f ac t u r e r s f ace s ign i f i can t cha l l enges i n f i nd ing and a t t r ac t i ng sk i l l ed and educa t ed qua l i t y wo r ke r s . Con t r i bu t i ng t o t he p r ob lem o f r ec r u i t i ng and r e t a in ing em p loyees i s t he f ac t t ha t young peop le , t he i r pa r en t s , and educa t o r s o f t en have an ou t da t ed , i naccu r a t e pe r cep t ion o f m ode r n m anu f ac t u r ing as a ca r ee r op t i on . The D I D I p r og r am a im s t o r eve r se t h i s t r end by p r om o t ing t he r ea l im age o f m ode r n m anu f ac t u r ing : i nnova t i on - d r i ven , h igh - t ech , h igh - sk i l l ed , and c r i t i ca l t o ou r econom ic and na t i ona l secu r i t y. The D I D I p r og r am f ocuses on c r ea t i ng awar eness am ong young peop le o f t he va luab le ca r ee r oppo r t un i t i es t ha t ex i s t i n m anu f ac t u r i ng t oday, and p r ov ides r e f e r r a l s ys t em s f o r t hem t o pu r sue t he i r d r eam s and am b i t i ons t h r ough access ib le academ ic and ca r ee r pa t hways . I t i s des igned t o he lp f i l l l oca l m anu f ac t u r i ng wo r k f o r ce needs and t o ass i s t i n m ak ing m anu f ac t u r i ng a p r e f e r r ed ca r ee r op t i on . I n t he a r eas a r ound t he coun t r y whe r e t he p r og r am i s m os t success f u l , i t se r ves as a ca t a l ys t f o r pos i t i ve changes t ha t a r e occu r r i ng i n educa t i on , t r a i n ing and wo r k f o r ce deve lopm en t sys t em s as we l l as r eg iona l econom ic deve lopm en t .

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Ins t i tu te and DIDI Execu t ive Commi t tee members have iden t i f ied the fo l low ing gu id ing p r inc ip les tha t have war ran ted good resu l t s ac ross the ne twork o f D IDI p rog rams:

  Par tne rsh ips c rea ted th rough th is in i t ia t i ve rep resen t i t s t rue

power. When par t i c ipa t ing o rgan iza t ions share in fo rmat ion , b lend resources and th ink g loba l l y abou t poss ib i l i t i es , reg ions move fo rward .

Loca l ownersh ip and invo lvement a re keys to success in a l l j u r i sd ic t ions . They p romote innova t ive ideas , approaches and sus ta inab i l i t y.

Ready, a im, f i re . Deve lopment o f p rog ram in fo rmat ion , in f ras t ruc tu re and p re l im ina ry p lans in advance o f p romot ing the in i t ia t i ve to a b roader pub l i c i s impor tan t .

GETTING STARTED

Imp lementa t ion o f D IDI i s a p rocess , no t an even t . Focus on deve lop ing a so l id co re o f ac t i v i t ies tha t can be bu i l t on ove r t ime as the p rog ram matu res . Success fu l in i t ia t i ves a re con t inua l l y add ing new p rog ram d imens ions .

Susta inab i l i t y o f the p rog ram over t ime is a key i ssue . As p lans a re pu t in to p lace , ava i lab le resources and fundra is ing s t ra teg ies mus t be cons ide red to p romote deve lopment o f a las t ing p rog ram.

PATHWAYS

TO SUCCESS

1. I den t i f y a sm a l l consor t i um o f a rea l eaders w ho a r e com m i t t ed t o a p r o - m anuf ac t ur i ng and r e l a t ed bus i ness agenda and a re w i l l i ng t o cham pi on t he e f f o r t .

• They shou ld be capab le o f r a l l y i ng o t he r s t o suppo r t t he cam pa ign p r og r am m at i ca l l y and f i nanc ia l l y.

• G a r ne r t he ac t i ve pa r t i c i pa t i on and suppo r t o f key a r ea m anu f ac t u r e r s and bus iness l eade r s on t he f r on t end o f t he i n i t i a t i ve . These m anu f ac t u r e r s can cu t ac r oss s t a t e bo r de r s .

• Cons ide r i nc lud ing l eade r s f r om a va r i e t y o f o t he r a r eas such as educa t i on , econom ic deve lopm en t , wo r k f o r ce deve lopm en t , and t he po l i t i ca l a r ena a long w i t h o t he r bus iness and t r ade o r gan i za t i ons .

• To t he ex t en t poss ib le , l e t t he p r i va t e sec t o r d r i ve t he i n i t i a t i ve .

 2 . De f i ne and descr i be t he scope o f t he reg i on encom passed by your D I D I i n i t i a t i ve .

• Com p le t e a dem ogr aph i c p r o f i l e o f t he r eg ion ( e . g . , a r ea desc r ip t i on and m ap , cu r r en t popu la t i on , p r o jec t ed popu la t i on g r ow t h , c i v i l i an l abo r f o r ce , unem p loym en t r a t e , l abo r f o r ce pa r t i c i pa t i on r a t e , ave r age week l y wage f o r m anu f ac t u r ing vs . a l l o t he r sec t o r s , educa t i ona l a t t a i nm en t ) .

• Com p le t e a r eg iona l m anu f ac t u r i ng ana lys i s ( e . g . , num ber and t ype o f m anu f ac t u r i ng com pan ies and j obs , l a r ges t m anu f ac t u r e r s , i nnova t i ve m anu f ac t u r e r s , em p loym en t t r ends , s k i l l s gaps , t r a i n ing needs , capac i t y o f t he r eg ion t o t r a in wo r ke r s ) .

• M uch o f t h i s i n f o r m a t ion m ay be r ead i l y ava i l ab le a t l i t t l e o r no cos t t h r ough va r i ous sou r ces i nc lud ing r eg iona l and s t a t e wo r k f o r ce o f f i ces , p lann ing and deve lopm en t d i s t r i c t s , r eg iona l and s t a t e econom ic deve lopm en t o f f i ces and s t a t e i ns t i t u t i ons o f h ighe r l ea r n ing .

 3 . Pr oduce an Asse t M ap

• Take i nven t o r y o f ex i s t i ng r ec r u i t m en t and engagem en t s t r a t eg ies t ha t can be l eve r aged o r acce le r a t ed t o suppo r t im p lem en t a t i on .

• Take i nven t o r y o f ex i s t i ng pa r t ne r sh ips t ha t m ay suppo r t t he r o l l ou t o f D r eam I t . Do I t .

• O u t l i ne t he r eg ion ’s o r s t a t e ’s connec t i ons w i t h na t i ona l o r gan i za t i ons t ha t can p r ov ide gu idance and suppo r t .

• Resea r ch t he f ounda t i on , gove r nm en t , o r p r i va t e f und ing l andscape o f you r r eg ion o r s t a t e t o de t e r m ine channe ls t o pu r sue f i s ca l suppo r t .

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

4 . Address o rgan i za t i on an d m anagem ent cons i dera t i ons .Con f i rm t he o rgan i za t i on t ha t w i l l se rve as f i sca l agent and l ega l en t i t y f o r t he i n i t i a t i ve .

• De t e r m ine t he m os t e f f ec t i ve and e f f i c i en t op t i on f o r s t a f f i ng , o f f i ce f ac i l i t i e s and equ ipm en t . I n m os t i ns t ances , a ded i ca t ed expe r ienced p r o f ess iona l w i t h l im i t ed c le r i ca l suppo r t i s needed t o success f u l l y l aunch a p r og r am . The p r og r am d i r ec t o r can be r egu la r pa id s t a f f , a qua l i f i ed con t r ac t o r o r consu l t an t , o r a l oaned execu t i ve . Rec r u i t t h i s i nd i v i dua l ea r l y i n t he p r ocess .

• Es t ab l i sh a p r e l im ina r y budge t es t im a t e f o r s t a r t up o f t he i n i t i a t i ve .

• Ra i se i n i t i a l seed cap i t a l t o beg in p r og r am ac t i v i t i es .

• Secu r e you r Web URL .

• Cons ide r f o r m ing a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) o r a f f i l i a t i ng w i t h a w i l l i ng pa r t ne r o r gan i za t i on t o enab le r ece ip t o f cha r i t ab le con t r i bu t i ons .

 5 . Deve l op your s t ra t eg i c p l an .

• B r oad l y de f i ne you r p r og r am ’s v i s i on , goa ls , and m e t r i c s .

• Th i s desc r i p t i on shou ld be sho r t , t o t he po in t and de f i ne t he b r oad ob jec t i ves o f t he p r o jec t . A m or e de t a i l ed p r og r am o f wo r k w i l l be deve loped l a t e r by you r r eg iona l pa r t ne r sh ip based on t he pa r am e t e r s se t he r e .

• Deve lop an execu t i ve b r i e f t ha t can be used as a m ar ke t i ng docum en t con t a in ing sum m ar y i n f o r m a t i on ga t he r ed i n s t eps 1 - 5 o f t h i s G u ide t o ass i s t i n r ec r u i t i ng add i t i ona l s t akeho lde r s .

• Cons ide r po t en t i a l t a r ge t g r oups and uses f o r you r f unds .

• De t e r m ine whe t he r you r p r og r am w i l l se r ve t he en t i r e r eg ion o r be im p lem en t ed on a m or e l im i t ed p i l o t bas i s a t f i r s t .

• Adop t a gene r a l t im e l i ne f o r com p le t i ng you r p r og r am o f wo r k .

 6 . Co ns i der ho l d i ng a “so f t l aunch” t o announce p r ogram t o key s t akeho l ders .

• A “ so f t l aunch ” can be used as a m ar ke t i ng t oo l t o gene r a t e i n t e r es t i n and r a i se t he v i s ib i l i t y o f t he p r og r am .

• Cons ide r send ing ou t a p r ess r e lease t o l oca l m ed ia t ha t pos i t i ons t he p r og r am as a so lu t i on t o econom ic and wo r k f o r ce deve lopm en t cha l l enges , as we l l as a ca l l t o ac t i on t o suppo r t m anu f ac t u r ing com pe t i t i veness .

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

7 . For m a dynam i c , b road b ased r eg i ona l pa r t nersh i p .

• De t e r m ine you r wo r k ing com m i t t ee s t r uc t u r e , r espons ib i l i t i e s , l eade r sh ip and m em ber sh ip . The r e a r e essen t ia l l y t wo s ides o f t he equa t ion t ha t m us t be dea l t w i t h i n es t ab l i sh ing t he s t r uc t u r e t ha t w i l l wo r k bes t f o r you r r eg ion - p r og r am deve lopm en t and im p lem en t a t i on , and f und r a i s ing . Som e r eg ions have t aken a s t r a igh t f o r wa r d app r oach and f o r m ed one o r t wo com m i t t ees t o add r ess t hese b r oad a r eas . I n ce r t a in i ns t ances t hey have a l so f o r m ed subcom m i t t ees t o add r ess m a jo r t op i cs such as a com m un ica t i ons s t r a t egy. O t he r r eg ions have es t ab l i shed an expanded com m i t t ee s t r uc t u r e w i t h an ove r a l l s t ee r i ng com m i t t ee . I n cons ide r i ng t he s t r uc t u r e t ha t w i l l wo r k bes t i n you r l oca le , r em em ber t ha t m o r e com m i t t ees m ay lead t o m or e p r ocess as we l l as l og i s t i ca l and com m un ica t i ons i s sues .

• Ca r e f u l l y cons ide r and r ec r u i t l eade r s t o gu ide t hese a r eas . Em phas is shou ld be p laced on r ec r u i t i ng com m i t t ee l eade r sh ip f r om t he p r i va t e sec t o r.

• I den t i f y and r ec r u i t pa r t ne r o r gan i za t i ons and i nd i v i dua ls i nc lud ing m anu f ac t u r e r s , educa t i on , econom ic deve lopm en t , wo r k f o r ce deve lopm en t and po l i t i ca l l eade r s a long w i t h o t he r bus iness and t r ade o r gan i za t i ons ( f o r exam p le , m anu f ac t u r e r s assoc ia t i ons , f i nanc ia l i ns t i t u t i ons , ad agenc ies , a r ea cham ber s o f com m er ce and o t he r s ) . App r oach m anu f ac t u r e r s f i r s t t o de t e r m ine t he i r i n t e r es t and w i l l i ngness t o pa r t i c i pa t e w i t h t he p r og r am . Pe r sona l v i s i t s t o l ead ing m anu f ac t u r e r s and key pa r t ne r o r gan i za t i ons w i l l pay s ign i f i can t f u t u r e d i v i dends .

 8 . Co nduct a par t n er sh i p m eet i ng t o k i ck o f f your p rogr am and engage and m ot i va t e yo ur par t ners .

• Cons ide r i nv i t i ng r espec t ed l eade r ( s ) f r om you r r eg ion o r s t a t e ’s pub l i c and p r i va t e sec t o r t o key no t e t he even t . I ns t i t u t e l eade r sh ip w i l l be p r esen t t o ex t end a na t i ona l we lcom e and endo r sem en t t o t he r eg ion on r eques t .

• De t e r m ine i f m ed ia shou ld be p r esen t and , i f so , p r epa r e a m ed ia k i t w i t h t a r ge t ed m essag ing f o r d i s t r i bu t i on t o t hem a t t he even t .

• P r e - ass ign pa r t ne r s t o spec i f i c com m i t t ees i n advance o f t he k i c k o f f m ee t i ng .

• M ake su r e t ha t a l l pa r t ne r s beg in w i t h a com m on know ledge base . P r ov ide an ove r v iew o f D I D I , you r r eg ion ’s p r og r am , b r oad goa ls , t im e f r am e , p r og r ess t o da t e and com m i t t ee s t r uc t u r e and l eade r sh ip .

• B r eak ou t i n t o i nd i v i dua l com m i t t ee m ee t ings . Rev iew com m i t t ee goa ls and ac t i ons t o be pe r f o r m ed , t im e f r am e f o r com p le t i on o f wo r k , and se t f u t u r e m ee t i ng da t es . As t im e pe r m i t s , beg in de l i be r a t i ons and i npu t ga t he r ing .

PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

• S t r ess t he va lue you p lace on you r pa r t ne r s ’ t im e , se t expec t a t i ons f o r t he num ber o f m ee t i ngs t ha t w i l l be r equ i r ed , and em phas i ze t he im po r t ance o f t he i r cons i s t en t pa r t i c i pa t i on .

9 . Based on i nput rece i ved i n s t eps 1 - 7 , deve l op and i m p l em ent your de t a i l ed p rogr am o f w or k .

• Th i s shou ld be done based on i npu t r ece ived t h r ough you r pa r t ne r sh ip com m i t t ee p r ocess , a r ev iew o f I ns t i t u t e r esou r ces , and in f o r m a t i on acqu i r ed on bes t p r ac t i ces o f o t he r D I D I i n i t i a t i ves a r ound t he coun t r y. Rem em ber t ha t t h i s i s a beg inn ing , no t an end , t o p r og r am deve lopm en t . You a r e a t t em p t i ng t o l ay a so l i d f ounda t i on f o r t he p r og r am t ha t w i l l evo l ve and becom e s t r onge r ove r t im e .

• Key e lem en t s o f you r p r og r am o f wo r k shou ld i nc lude 1 ) ac t i ons you w i l l t ake t o i n t e r es t and i n f o r m you r t a r ge t popu la t i on ( s ) ( and t hose who i n f l uence t hem ) abou t advanced m anu f ac t u r i ng ca r ee r oppo r t un i t i es ; 2 ) how you r p r og r am w i l l wo r k t o suppo r t and enhance sys t em s f o r connec t ing peop le w i t h i n f o r m a t i on , educa t i on , t r a i n ing and j ob oppo r t un i t i es i n advanced m anu f ac t u r ing ; 3 ) a f und r a i s ing and sus t a inab i l i t y s t r a t egy ; 4 ) a com m un ica t i ons p lan t o suppo r t i t em s one t h r u t h r ee ; 5 ) a dep loym en t s t r a t egy and t im e l i ne ; 6 ) a budge t t o suppo r t t he p r og r am ; and 7 ) a m e t hod f o r m easu r ing and m on i t o r i ng r esu l t s .

 10 . Reeva l ua t e and i m p rove

• Le t you r p r og r am evo l ve acco r d ing t o i den t i f i ed m e t r i c s o f success and chang ing needs .

• Use ne t wo r k and na t i ona l asse t s and gu idance t o r ev i se and en r i ch you r p r og r am .

Al l D ID I s i t es opera te under a par t ne rsh ip ag reement w i t h t he I ns t i t u te , and an I ns t i t u te consu l t an t i s ava i lab le t o rev iew a l l aspec ts o f t h i s ag reement w i t h your o rgan iza t ion . The Ins t i t u te p rov ides a va r ie t y o f se rv i ces and suppor t t o i t s member o rgan iza t ions :

• Members bene f i t by be ing par t o f a success fu l na t iona l e f f o r t t ha t has a co l l ec t i ve reach to near l y 100 ,000 manufac tu re rs . D ID I i s a na t iona l b rand , one tha t i s i nc reas ing ly recogn ized as t he p rogram grows and more s i t es par t i c ipa te . D ID I and i t s reg iona l pa r tne rs rece ive recogn i t i on t h rough a number o f I ns t i t u t e pub l i ca t ions , commun ica t ions , and ou t reach .

• You w i l l have access t o p ro fess iona l l y -deve loped c rea t i ve mate r ia l des igns and co l la t e ra l , g rounded in over 10 years and $1 m i l l i on in research . Co l la te ra l mate r ia l s i nc lude b rochures , a r t work , pho tographs , adver t i sements , bus iness ca rds , l ogos , l e t t e rhead , and o ther marke t ing t emp la tes . These can be cus tomized by your o rgan iza t ion t o meet t he requ i rements o f your l oca l manu fac tu re rs and ta rge t popu la t ions and advance the b rand o f your own DIDI p rog ram.

• You w i l l be a par t o f a na t iona l l y recogn ized web s i t e (www.d reami t -do i t . com) and have access t o consu l t an t se rv i ces t o ass is t you in es tab l i sh ing a p re l im inary webs i t e p resence fo r your reg ion . A webs i t e t emp la te , URL, and l im i t ed t echn ica l ass is tance i s ava i lab le t o exped i t e t he deve lopment o f you r web p resence . D ID I a l so rece ives s ign i f i can t exposure t h rough the I ns t i t u te ' s webs i t e .

• The Execu t i ve Commi t t ee , compr i sed o f a l l D ID I member o rgan iza t ions ’ l eadersh ip , mee ts tw ice a year. The Execu t i ve Commi t t ee mee t ings p rov ide oppor tun i t i es t o share bes t p rac t i ces , cha l lenges and accomp l i shments on bo th a f o rma l and in fo rma l bas is . The Execu t i ve Commi t t ee a lso p rov ides inpu t t o I ns t i t u t e s ta f f t ha t i s used t o shape and improve D ID I a t t he na t iona l l eve l .

• The D IDI ne twork t h r i ves as a h igh ly co l l abora t i ve lea rn ing commun i t y t ha t l everages asse ts and ideas among members t o s t reng then the p rog ram as a who le . I nnova t i ve p rogram ideas , t oo ls and c rea t i ve mate r ia l s deve loped by o ther member reg ions a re made ava i lab le t o t he en t i r e ne twork v ia t he D ID I webs i t e .

• There i s accompany ing research , o rgan iza t iona l , and commun ica t ions t emp la tes and gu ides t ha t can be used in con junc t ion w i t h t h i s Qu ick S ta r t Gu ide t o f ac i l i t a te t he ro l l ou t o f you r D ID I p rogram.

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