Putting Southeast Wisconsin’sUnderemployed and Unemployed Back to Work

in High-Tech, High-Skilled Jobs

Presented at

2007 Best Practices in Career and Technical Education Conference

September 28, 2007 Oklahoma City, OK

CNC Boot Camp

Melissa Hennessy

Employment ConsultantRacine County Workforce Development CenterRacine, WI

melissa.hennessy@goracine.org

Ed KnudsonExecutive DirectorWorkforce and Economic Development DivisionGateway Technical CollegeKenosha, WI

Knudsone@gtc.edu

Presented by:

Workforce Development Area

Numbers as of December 2006. Population is 2005 estimate, source: Wisconsin DWD.

Racine County

193,239 pop.WalworthCounty

98,496 pop.Kenosha County

158,219 Pop.

Kenosha County employer base• Number of businesses: 3,068• Number of employees: 78,648

Racine County employer base• Number of businesses: 4,134• Number of employees: 94,026

Walworth County employer base• Number of businesses: 2,697• Number of employees: 53,718

Gateway District in Workforce Development Area

Elkhorn Campus

CATI

Burlington Campus

Racine Campus

Bioscience CenterKenosha CampusHorizon CenterLakeview ATC

Kenosha County

Kenosha Campus• 27 Associate Degree programs• Health career labs

Center for Bioscience and Information Technology• Biomedical/pharmacology • Telecommunications/computer technology • IBM I Series• Assessment Center

LakeView Advanced Technology Center• Automated Manufacturing • Industrial Mechanical Tech• Certificate programs

Horizon Center For Transportation Technology • Opened Fall 2007• Automotive programs• Aeronautics

Racine County

Burlington Campus Center• Health Careers

Racine Campus• Cosmetology • Machine Tool Technician • Health Information Technology • Nursing • Engineering • Auto Shop

Center For Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI)• Business Development• Workforce Development • Technology Innovation

Walworth County

Elkhorn Campus

• 13 associate degree programs

• Alternative High School

• Walworth County Job Center

• Walworth County Economic Development Alliance

Unemployment By County

KenoshaCounty

RacineCounty

WalworthCounty

2006 4,472 5,709 2,307

2005 4,672 5,885 2,318

2004 4,618 6,548 2,188

2003 5,089 7,629 2,464

2002 5,867 8,278 2,596

All figures are average monthly. Wisconsin DWD.

For Workforce Development Area:

Employment in Manufacturing

As of December 2005

# Manufacturing employers: 758

# Employed in manufacturing: 38,346

DWD March 2007

For Workforce Development Area:

All figures are estimates. Wisconsin DWD.

Number of CNC jobs: 630

Number of CNC jobs in

surrounding counties: 2,480

Projected annual increase: 3%

CNC Employment For Workforce Development Area:

Employers

Workforce DevelopmentCenters

Gateway

Skilled worker shortage

Job seekers

CNCprogramchanges

CNCCNCBOOTBOOTCAMPCAMP

Building a Strong Employee Base

Bill McReynoldsRacine County ExecutiveRacine, WI

Planning the Boot Camp

Advanced Manufacturing

Network

TrainingTechnology Innovation

Workforce Development

Business Development

Workforce & Economic Development Division

Advanced Technology Centers

Promoting Economic Growth

Needs Analysis

• Machine Tool program closed

• Employment remains flat

• Area demand for CNC operators

• Focus group

• Demand-driven training

• Skills set requirements

• Establishing competencies

Employer Outreach

Boot Camp Synergy

EmployersEmployersEmployersEmployers

Employer outreach

Recruitment

Pre-assessments

Case management

Job placement

Job retention

Curriculum development

Instruction

Skills standards testing

Focus group

Completion ceremony

Community Collaboration

Bryan AlbrechtPresident, Gateway Technical CollegeKenosha, WI

Workforce Development Center

Promotion Recruitment Assessment Funding

Promotion

• Notification to caseworkers and staff

• Postings at job centers• Gateway Technical College

website and brochures• Press releases and newspaper

articles• Word-of-mouth

Recruitment

• Orientation

• Interview

• Self-screening

• Adult skills tutoring

Assessment

• Basic skills assessment• TABE testing for minimum math

and reading skills• NOCTI pre-test

Funding

Adult or dislocated worker • $2,200 per student

Available funding• VA• WIA• TAA• Vocational Rehab.• Community Development Block Grants• Federal Financial Aid• Self-pay• Employer-funded• Community benefactors

Surviving Boot Camp

John GomezStudent

Program Design

Curriculum Development

• Employer input• Change from on-campus program• Boot Camp is dynamic:

• Added metric measurements• Added team concepts• Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC)

credentialing• Student support time built in• Added Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS)

CNC Intro/Support Equipment Basics

CNC Machine Tool Operation

CNC Offsets and Operations

Gauging/Inspection

Introduction to Manufacturing Excellence

Manufacturing Shop Safety

Blueprint Reading

Applied Mathematics

Boot Camp Curriculum

Boot Camp Program Structure

• 14 weeks/5 days a week• 8 hours per day• 495 hour program• Simulate work environment

On the Job

Craig MaeschenInstructor Gateway Technical College

Skills Validation

• National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Precision Machining assessment

• NOCTI score on student’s certificate

Precision Machining Assessment

Organization and Shop Practices

Measurement/Inspection

Drill Presses

Lathes

Metallurgical Processes and Heat Treating

Blueprint Interpretation and Process Planning

Layout and Bench work

Band Saw Machines

CNC Programming, Preparation, Operations

CNC Programming Using a CAM System

Vertical Milling Machines

Precision Grinding Machines

Competency categories assessed:

The NOCTI score report includes both a composite score and category scores for the assessment. Baseline skills and growth are measured in each of the categories listed above.

Average NOCTI Scores Boot Camps 4-7

72.50

59.15

40.97

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00

National Avg.

Post-test Score

Pre-test Score

N=60

• Pre-test scores were 31.53 points below the national average

• Post-test scores were 13.35 points below the national average

• Participants increased their scores by 18.18 points after 14 weeks of CNC Boot Camp

Boot Camp Enrollments

0

5

10

15

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Boot Camp

# st

uden

ts

Enrolled Finished

Students enrolled compared to students finishing Boot Camp:

Boot Camps 1 - 7

Total enrollments: 120Total finishing program: 107

Employment Consultant

• Value-added approach starts with enrollment/orientation

• Identify and assist students with barriers to success

• Track attendance

• Assumes many roles

Defining The Participants

• Who (participant needs) drives EC role (width and depth)

• Broad range = challenges and opportunities• Age• Race• Education• Life and work experiences

Supporting Student Success

Employment Consultant serves as:• Mentor• Coach• Cheerleader• Enforcer and Reinforcer• Drill Sergeant (shared w/GTC Lead

Instructor)• Mother Confessor

Employment Consultant Value

• Is it really necessary? • Program design challenges for the

Employment Consultant• Value added approach starts with

enrollment/orientation• Communication – constant throughout

process• Recognizing the ‘teachable moments’

Contingency Planning

• Something for everyone to learn

• Introduced early

• Another tool to prepare participants for the workplace

Identifying Barriers To Success

• Transportation• Child care• Personal/family health• AODA• Shelter• Probation/parole required meetings• Reporting requirements from other

agencies• Behavioral issues

Minimizing Barriers

• Identify individual’s needs • Match to appropriate community

resources• Homeless shelter/meal programs• Department of Corrections• Health Care Network• Women’s Resource Center• Racine Vocational Ministries• Public Defender

Academic Barriers

• Time away from classroom

• Lack of study skills

• Lack of study environment

• Learning disabilities

Employment Preparation

• Job search/interviewing skills workshop

• One-on-one resume assistance• Mock interviews• Business Services Team marketing

efforts

Post-Boot Camp

Job Retention/Follow-Up

• Employment Consultant role does not end with employment

• Job search coaching continues

• Some require high level of support and involvement

• Locate resources for employment barriers: transportation, child care, community programs and resources and others

Post-Boot Camp Employment

• Employment figures reflect those participants that respond to post-Boot Camp tracking

• Reasons for non-employment in CNC… layoffs, job change, etc.

Unknown20%

Employed Other5%

Employed in CNC75%

For Boot camps1-5

Workforce Development Centers Support Employers

• Develop a qualified applicant pool• Coordinate employment interviews at

completion ceremony• Provide placement services

• Resume booklet• Direct employer contact

Program Value to Employers

• Employees with technical skills

• Employees with soft skills

• Improved work habits for new hires

• Improved employee retention

Program Value to Employers

Skills assessments:

• Value of NOCTI as a standard for skills assessment

• Value of Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) credentialing

• Value of Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS) skills certificate

Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) Credentialing

• Creation of a safe workplace

• Environmental safety inspections

• Emergency drills

• Correction of unsafe conditions

• Safety orientation training

• Safety equipment use

www.msscusa.org

• Work environment safety

• Safety-related maintenance

• Equipment monitoring for safety

• Operator safety

• Communication of safety

problems

Safety Assessment Competencies:

Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS)

• Developed by the Wisconsin Technical College System and area manufacturers as part of the Advanced Manufacturing Solutions initiative

• Focus on necessary skills in current manufacturing environment in four key areas:

• Productivity• Problem Solving• Teamwork• Adaptability

Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS)

• Integrated into Boot Camp through coursework and exercises

• Certificate awarded for score of 90% or higher

• Of Boot Camp 7 participants:

• 68% attained certificate• 25% achieved a perfect score

For more information:

http://www.wtcsystem.edu/initiatives/advmfg/mfg_skills.htm

Current and Future State

Program Status

• On-campus program reinstated in Fall 2006 - program parallels Boot Camp curriculum

• Challenge of supply vs. demand and resources

• Program model applied to Welding Boot Camp and future other occupational Boot Camps

2005 2006 2007

Machine Tool Program Closed

Program receives state recognition

at 2006 GWDC, Appleton, WI

Program receives

Sustainable Racine Award

Boot Camp 1Jan. 3 - April 15, 200514 students

Boot Camp 2May 2 - August 5, 200515 students

Boot Camp 3 Sept. 12 - Dec. 16, 200518 students

Boot Camp 4 March 6 - June 9, 200615 students

Boot Camp 6 Nov. 7 - Feb. 16, 200713 students

Boot Camp 5 Sept. 13 - Dec. 15, 200618 students

Boot Camp 7May 7- Aug. 10, 200714 students

Program receives national recognition

at NAWB Forum 2005 Conference

Washington, DC Boot Camp Program resumes in response to area employer demand

CNC Boot Camp Program TimelineCNC Boot Camp Program Timeline

Lessons Learned

• Working with accelerated timelines

• Need for status meetings

• Value of the Employment Consultant

• Necessity of student tutoring

• Equipment availability

• What didn’t work: non-compliance with program policies

www.gtc.edu/cncbootcamp 262-564-2990