Mid-South Good Works

Some of what I am discussing in this post may be old news to regular readers of this blog. When I read press releases, I do not always take them at face value. I oftentimes conduct my own research in order to process information for my own understanding. The announcement of the Investing Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) (http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/2015/07/outreach-for-good-works.html) has piqued my interest in the broad manufacturing landscape of the Mid-South that is based on data, and not simply my observations and limited personal knowledge.

So imagine my surprise when I consulted the Memphis Business Journal’s Book of Lists for 2014-2015 for the largest manufacturing operations in the Mid-South. The Top Ten Manufacturing plants, ranked by the number of full time employees in the region, include: Ashley Furniture Industries, Tyson Foods, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, Nucor Corp, Lennox International, Riceland Foods, UTC-Carrier, Cooper Tire & Rubber, Kellogg, and Tenneco. Who knew that Stuttgart is home to two of the largest manufacturing employers in all of the Mid-South? (To learn more, visit http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/research/bol-marketing/).

The regional IMCP awardee is called The Made in the Mid-South Manufacturing Alliance (MMMA). The initiative “supports expansion of manufacturing in the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), with a special focus on a strong and growing medical device cluster in three states – Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.” In the announcement, I was surprised to read that Memphis is the home to 56 medical equipment and supply manufacturing companies. In my previous exposure to medical device manufacturers, the hotbed of activity was Warsaw, IN, known as the “Orthopedic Capital of the World,” boasting such companies as DePuy, Zimmer, and Biomet. In the Memphis area, I was familiar with companies like Smith & Nephew, Medtronic, and Wright Medical Technology. However, I was surprised to read in the Business Journal of regional companies like MicroPort Orthopedics, Medical Action Industries, Gyrus, NuVasive, Bioventus, Onyx, and Tegra Medical, in addition to a host biotechnology companies. To learn more about the MMMA, you can download and read the following: http://www.eda.gov/challenges/imcp/files/2nd-round/IMCP-2-Pager-Handout-Memphis.pdf

My own biases and limited knowledge lead me to believe that the primary industries and economies in the Mid-South were agricultural and distribution related. I grew up in this region, and until recently, never considered how the Mid-South has evolved as a realistic Land of Opportunity (nickname of Arkansas) for entrepreneurs and job seekers interested in manufacturing. For me, this research has been a personal teaching moment and reminder to never look at anything from your limited perspective. Are there other areas of economic diversity in the Mid-South that others should become aware? Feel free to comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Outreach for Good Works

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work

 (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

I have access to two opposing sides of the jobs debate. On one hand, I have been in meetings recently where employers comment about expanding their workforce, but express difficulty in finding qualified applicants. On the other hand, I hear kitchen table talk of those looking for jobs, but never getting a call back. Even in my hometown, I have uncles who are hiring managers, who also express concern about finding local talent? How is that possible in small or even regional communities?

The first question I always ask is about the community outreach to make sure the under-employed are aware of job openings and the skills required to perform the work. When the response is unclear to me, it is a pretty good indicator of why the employment gap exists. People will not apply for jobs that they do not know exist. This is especially true in manufacturing, not just at the shop floor level, but also for the support staff roles. For communities to be successful in addressing their workforce concerns, there has to be a connected effort of the local chamber of commerce / economic development agencies, employers, educators, and community advocates.

At the national level, a best practice example of multiply agencies working together is the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP). The program is an initiative designed to revolutionize the way federal agencies leverage economic development funds. It encourages communities to develop comprehensive economic development strategies that will strengthen their competitive edge for attracting global manufacturer and supply chain investments. Through IMCP, the federal government is rewarding best practices – coordinating federal aid to support communities’ strong development plans and synchronizing grant programs across multiple departments and agencies. Non-designated communities nationwide can learn from the best practices employed by these designated communities to strengthen American manufacturing. I was excited to learn that of the twelve pilot communities selected, I have had firsthand experience in two, Pittsburgh and Memphis. To learn more about this $1 billion dollar investment to accelerate a resurgence in the manufacturing supply chain, visit http://www.eda.gov/news/press-releases/2015/07/08/imcp.htm

Another program that I endorse is the ACT Work Ready Communities solution. I was first introduced to this program in Texas when the regional chambers of commerce were looking for a platform to help market the local workforce's ability to meet the current and emergent need for potential employers looking to invest in the area. The criteria for success was predicated on an agreed upon standard for certifying the skills. Perspective employees earn industry-recognized skill credential, the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT NCRC) and local employers use these certifications in their hiring processes. Although piloted in several counties in AR and TN since 2012, to date, I could only identify one company in the region who recognized the ACT Career Readiness Certificate, Smith & Nephew in Shelby County. Perhaps as more of these interagency partnerships converge, more companies and communities will adopt this process to address the skills needed to drive economic growth. To learn more about Work Ready Communities, go to http://workreadycommunities.org/.

In order for communities to address their economic growth by hiring people who have the right skills for the available and anticipated jobs, there must be an aligned, community-based initiative. As an advocate for careers in manufacturing, I am excited about the programs offered by the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership and the ACT Work Ready Communities. What other solutions exist for improving the outreach and effectiveness for workforce development? Feel free to comment or send me an email to latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.