Building Today’s Manufacturing Workforce: Skills That Matter

by with No Comment 1si NewsMetro Manufacturing Alliance

Submitted by Ivy Tech Community College

Manufacturing is evolving faster than ever—and so are the skills required to succeed in today’s industrial environment. At Ivy Tech Community College, we are committed to meeting this moment by delivering high-impact training and strong career connections that prepare employees and students for the growing demands of modern manufacturing.

While technical expertise remains essential, employers consistently tell us that professional skill development is in higher demand than ever. Leadership, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and project management skills are no longer “nice to have”—they are critical to productivity, safety, and long-term growth on the shop floor and beyond.

Ivy Tech removes the barriers that often prevent employers from launching effective training initiatives. We bring the training to you, customize curricula to meet your organization’s specific needs, and work with your team to schedule training at the most convenient times. Professional development offers long-term value by helping organizations level-set new managers and prepare employees for greater responsibility—making it a vital component of strategic workforce planning.

In parallel, Ivy Tech continues to deliver industry-relevant technical training aligned with the needs of today’s manufacturers. Our hands-on programs cover a wide range of in-demand disciplines, including:

  • Electrical and industrial electrical systems
  • Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
  • Hydraulics and pneumatics
  • Welding and other core manufacturing technologies

These programs are developed in collaboration with industry partners and emphasize applied learning that translates directly to workplace performance.

Beyond training, Ivy Tech serves as a key career connection hub for Indiana manufacturers. We connect employers with students for job placement, internships, and apprenticeships—helping companies build talent pipelines early and efficiently. Employers are also encouraged to visit our Advanced Manufacturing campus to see students in action, meet our Dean and instructors, and learn how our programs align with real-world workforce needs. Building relationships early is one of the most effective ways to secure local talent and keep it in the region.

Ivy Tech also offers tools to help employers fill immediate workforce needs. Through our HIRE IVY network, employers can post job opportunities reaching more than 205,000 current Ivy Tech students statewide, along with a broad alumni network.

As manufacturing continues to modernize, success depends on a workforce that combines technical expertise, leadership capability, and adaptability. Ivy Tech Community College is a trusted partner for Indiana manufacturers, and we are eager to support your workforce needs—today and into the future.

Take the next step and partner with Ivy Tech to build the workforce your business needs to thrive.

CLICK HERE:   Ivy Tech Workforce/Career Interest Form

Employer Consultants:

Delana Roederer  (droederer1@ivytech.edu)

Christy Ralston (cralston20@ivytech.edu)

Weber Group logo

Weber Group announces a new business partner, David Nofsinger

by 1si NewsMember NewsMetro Manufacturing Alliance

Sellersburg, Indiana, April 1, 2022 – Weber Group Inc. is proud to announce the addition of David Nofsinger as a Partner of the company. He joins the existing leaders and partners of the company, which includes Max Weber, CMO; Adam McIntyre, CCC; Paul Ohlin, CFO + COO: and Jim Doiron, CTO. The Partners of Weber Group are taking over ownership from the founders and current owners, Donny Weber and Barbara Weber.

David has been with Weber Group for 14 years and will continue his Associate Director of Construction duties. “David has a been a vital member of our construction management team and we are elated to announce him becoming a partner at Weber Group. His pedigree and vast knowledge in commercial and multifamily construction is essential in our continued growth in our traditional construction department.”

Weber Group Inc. was established in 1983 and specializes in the design, construction, and custom fabrication. The company maintained a diverse client base with a strong resume in construction and themed entertainment environments. Entertainment projects include Amusement Parks, Waterparks, Zoos, Museums, Botanical Gardens, Aquariums, and Science Centers. Commercial Construction projects include destination resorts, mixed-use developments, multi-family housing, senior living, retail and commercial.

For more information, contact:
Kathryn Giles
Director of Marketing
kathryngiles@webergroupinc.com
www.webergroupinc.com

CRG-Automation-logo

CRG Automation Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2022

by 1si NewsMember NewsMetro Manufacturing Alliance

CRG Automation joins the ranks of Canva, Microsoft, SpaceX, and more

Louisville, KY (March 8, 2022) — CRG Automation has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022.

This year’s list honors businesses that are making the biggest impact on their industries and culture as a whole—ultimately thriving in today’s ever-changing world. These companies are creating the future today with some of the most inspiring accomplishments of the 21st century. In addition to the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, 528 organizations are recognized across 52 categories.

CRG Automation’s engineers teamed up with the Department of Defense to overhaul the destruction of a stockpile of the Army’s chemical weapons, creating a more efficient and safe process. CRG Automation helped design an automated system utilizing eight industrial robots and six autonomous mobile robots to process more than 25 warheads per hour. Additional improvements to the process increased safety by identifying and handling leaking rockets, as well as reducing in-person maintenance requirements, lowering the risk of injury.

“As a past member of the military, this project took on a special importance for me,” said CRG

Automation President James DeSmet. “The perplexing engineering problems to solve, the rapidly approaching deadline and the severity of the chemical agents involved all added up to a challenge we wanted to tackle. We’ve often talked here at CRG about how our engineers like the kind of problems that leave other R&D teams scratching their heads or banging them against the wall. We knew this was an opportunity unlike any other, and, even staring down the pandemic, we knew we could do it.”

Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the most groundbreaking businesses across the globe and industries. They also judged nominations received through their application process.

CRG Automation
1700 Watterson Trail
Louisville, KY 40299
502-499-4921
www.crgautomation.com

 

CRG Automation is a Metro Manufacturing Alliance member of One Southern Indiana.

Southern-Indiana-Works-logo

Southern Indiana Works (SIW) Offers “Skillful Talent Series”

by 1si NewsMember NewsMetro Manufacturing Alliance

Southern Indiana Works (SIW) understands that hiring the right employee is now more important than ever and is pleased to offer the “Skillful Talent Series,” a four-part virtual series where CEO’s, Human Resource Professionals, and Directors will learn how to best hire the right employees. Skillful, a non-profit initiative of the Markle Foundation, is dedicated to enabling all Americans – particularly those without a four-year degree – to secure good jobs in a changing economy. In partnership with Microsoft and others, Skillful is developing skills-based training and employment practices in collaboration with state governments, local employers, educators, and workforce development organizations.

Through Skillful, companies have learned and adopted hiring techniques that has increased their retention by up to 65% and improved overall staff performance.

The SIW Business Service Team will offer multiple sessions of Skillful sessions 101 – 104 through July 8th. It is recommended that you start with session 101 and continue with the series, as they build on one another. These webinars are free to attend! Each session is valid for a total of 1.0 PDC for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®

If you were not able to attend the Skillful 101 session, you are still encouraged to register and attend Skillful 102 as there will be a brief review of the content covered in the 101 session.

101: Attract the Right Talent

  • Learn skills-based hiring practices
  • Design job descriptions around competencies needed for the job
  • Broaden your talent pools
  • Reduce hidden bias in your process
  • Source and recruit the right talent for your needs

102: Candidate Evaluation

  • Avoid losing out on qualified talent in the screening process
  • Create interview questions to uncover candidates’ hard and soft skills
  • Select and design an assessment to accurately evaluate candidates’ skills

Next session:
May 6, 2021 1:00 PM   REGISTER NOW

103: Selection and Onboarding

  • Create an efficient and balanced selection process
  • Identify skills gaps in new hires
  • Design an effective onboarding program to decrease new hire training time
  • Provide opportunities for development for new hires

Two sessions available:
May 25, 2021 10:00 AM    REGISTER NOW
June 3, 2021 1:00 PM   REGISTER NOW

104: Employee Retention

  • Understand skills-based people management
  • Understand the cost of employee turnover and improve retention through career advancement
  • Create a career map of your organization

Two sessions available:
June 29, 2021 10:00 AM    REGISTER NOW
July 8, 2021 1:00 PM   REGISTER NOW

If you have questions about the Skillful Talent Series contact Carrie Baylor, Community Engagement Manager at 812-941-6443.

Attracting Diverse Talent in Manufacturing

by 1si NewsMetro Manufacturing Alliance

Submitted by Southern Indiana Works

Attracting diverse candidates has been and continues to be a challenge for many companies and addressing the gender gap is no exception. Manufacturing, industrial, and related sectors tend to struggle the most in attracting women to their companies. Even though women make up about half of all overall workers, they account for less than one-third of manufacturing workers.

Overall, about 1 in 4 local manufacturing workers are women. Our local region’s manufacturing sector is 28% female, which is on par with the national rate of 29%. Some manufacturing sectors have higher rates of female employment. Among those sectors are household appliance manufacturing (35%), plastics product manufacturing (36%), and printing and related support activities (41%).

Bridging the gender gap and attracting more diverse talent really comes down to reshaping the way people think about manufacturing jobs. This  includes educating individuals on the types of jobs that are available in the industry and helping them get the required qualifications to fill those open positions. Manufacturing is currently in an exciting phase. With new products, methods, and technology on the table and more on the horizon, women will be an important and critical part of the future of manufacturing.  Women represent one of the largest pools of talent that continues to go untapped. Unless the gender gap is addressed, companies’ abilities to innovate and expand will be limited.

Various initiatives and organizations have been developed to spearhead the campaign to bridge the gender gap allowing for a more diverse and robust talent pipeline, feeding into the manufacturing industry. Southern Indiana Works (SIW) and our partners Ivy Tech, One Southern Indiana, and Prosser Career Education Center have worked together to develop the Southern Indiana Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline (AMP) initiative. AMP is designed to build a pipeline of qualified skilled workers prepared to enter and advance in a manufacturing career.

AMP begins with assessing candidates for basic skills and employment barriers and matches them with a Workone Career Coach. From there, candidates are provided with remediation to ensure they have reached a level of employability skills that will allow them to be successful in a full-time manufacturing job. These skills are validated by the ACT WorkKeys exam. Following the WorkKeys National Career Readiness certificate, candidates will enter a short-term certification course that will result in a Certified Production Technician certification, providing them with a number of manufacturing essential skills.

The final phase of the AMP program places the skilled candidate into an Earn and Learn opportunity at one of our regional employer partners where they will be trained to the specific needs of the employer and provided a career path.

Learn more about Southern Indiana AMP or how to become and Employer Partner on April 13th during the MMA General Meeting at 11am*.

*Only Metro Manufacturing Alliance (MMA) members of 1si are allowed to attend the General MMA Meetings.  If you are a manufacturer and would like information on becoming an MMA member, contact Steven Cabezas or Mary Jo Wallin-Orlowski