BASIC Good Works

In the beginning was the Word…

(John 1:1)

January 30, 2016 for me will be one those days committed to memory: Where we you when you heard the announcement from the White House on a specific initiative to prepare the next generation of technology leaders? In his weekly address, the President announced plans for a $4 billion investment, stating: We have to make sure all our kids are equipped for the jobs of the future. (To view the full statement about Computer Science for All, #CSforAll, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy-iY3-otk4).

The meaning and application of computer science has transformed since my first introduction in the 80s. When I signed up for my first computer class, I did not fully understand what that meant. Keep in mind; this was prior to the days of the majority of families in our community having a home computer. I do not remember touching a computer until I was in high school, so I thought the course I signed up for was to teach me the basic skills of using a computer. I had no idea that BASIC was a programming language that I was expected to learn to solve problems.

Through high school and college, I managed to push through languages foreign to me like BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, and TURBO C because they were required courses for my engineering major. I refer to them as foreign languages because although I mastered writing IF/THEN/ELSE statements (with and without syntax errors), the problems we were solving had no real life application in my real world experiences. After gaining work experience, I began to understand the relationship and dependence on foundational computer science programming:

Hierarchy of Programming Languages

In my current workforce readiness initiatives, I often get pushback from parents and elders for suggesting that kids enroll in manufacturing or industrial programs of study. For them, manufacturing has a connotation of being a laborer, without regard for the technology required for process or product improvement. What I have found is a lack of awareness of the computer science basics necessary throughout the value chain of machining or automation or robotics, etc.  Just as in the beginning was the Word, the beginning of value creation rests on equipping our next generation of technology leaders to solve problems using computer science. How will your community participate in #CSforall?  Let us know by commenting or sending 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/.

Access to Good Works

…for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit…

(Ephesians 2:18)

I am learning the hard way to choose my words carefully: People hear what they want to hear. I made the mistake of making a general statement, that when heard by someone who did not want to receive the message, applied one broad statement to a whole population. My takeaway is that people often forget that they benefit and have access to opportunities simply because they were born or live under what society has normalized.

The word privilege sometimes has a negative connotation. The reality is that some groups do have certain advantages from membership in a specific social class. Personally, if I remove the most well-known thoughts of privilege (sex and race), in America, I benefit because I am

Right handed vs. left handed

Married vs. single / divorced

Christian vs. all other religions

Heterosexual vs. LBGPQA

Children vs. childless

Formally educated vs. informal

English speaking vs. other languages

Employed vs. unemployed

Aged +18<65 vs. under 18 or over 65

Full able body vs. differently-able body

To learn more, visit http://jpfarr.com/presentations/

Workforce is a new skill for me. My experience in job training was derived from internal employer sponsored programs. I am gaining a crash course in diversity and perspectives on how people gain access to alternative training programs available to the general job-seeking public. From the crowd who does not realize how privilege grants them access, I often hear spiteful comments about people looking for “free stuff.” The reality is that prospects looking to re-tool or re-train are not looking for a “handout, but a hand up,” to the same opportunities available to the privileged class.

I tend to view processes from my perspective and personal experiences, without thinking of access from the perspective of those who do not share the same privileges that I have. I am looking for a paradigm shift in how to help more people gain access to available training. In an attempt to produce better outcomes from our programs, I challenged myself to consider how to overcome some process obstacles from the perspective of my non-privileged status. For example, how could I find out about training opportunities if I did not have home Wi-Fi, or access to the internet, or a computer? Or how could I apply for a job if the applications (paper or electronic) are available in English only? Or how would I perform on a mechanical agility test if I were left handed?

My personal learning in workforce development has become a humbling experiment in not projecting my experiences onto anyone else. As hard or different as I thought my journey has been, I never realized how much access and privilege I have had simply because of membership into specific social classes. How are you improving access to training and job opportunities for the diverse populations in your community? 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/.

Profit for Good Works

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world 

and loses or forfeits himself?

(Luke 9:25)

I have a hard time believing that an organization can operate as profit motivated AND be genuinely committed to helping people and changing lives. As the saying goes, you cannot serve two masters. Devotion to one will take priority over the other because of human nature. If you disagree, I challenge you to educate me on an organization that has managed to do both, effectively helping the intended benefactors.

My experiences in workforce readiness have exposed me to a lot of generational poverty phenomena that I never knew existed. I thought that since I grew up poor, I had a baseline understanding of “the struggle,” that would allow my current middle class situation to be a bridge to inspire others of what they too could achieve. Wrong! My first mistake was not having a real understanding of the differences between poor and poverty. I thought we were poor because although my parents worked, there was never enough to cover our wants, so we always heard our parents praying for us to do/have better (education, jobs, homes, etc). The difference is that people living in poverty do not have the luxury to hope for tomorrow because they are trying to overcome basic needs (food, clothes, shelter, etc.) today. For a better explanation, visit http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-poor-and-vs-poverty-and-vs-scarcity/.

Living in the mid-south, I have become mindful of the economy driven by the poverty industry. I started paying attention after I was sarcastically informed that while agriculture and transportation/distribution are both leading industries, a close third is the poverty industry. While many people are quick to point out the profit margins from payday lenders, pawn shops, casinos, and lotteries, has any one questioned the motivation of many of the so-called not-for-profit organizations? In my opinion, I have seen a lot of government funded programs, written on the back of poor people, where the resources are not directly disseminated to the intended benefactors.

As I go about my purposed work, I find myself getting frustrated in trying to do the right things in workforce preparedness, but constantly battling bureaucracy that does nothing to help overcome generational poverty dynamics. This work is not as simple as merely providing training and helping people to find good works, or better jobs. There is a societal disruption out there waiting to be examined and executed. Can you help me to discover it? So I ask the same question that I posed earlier. Are there any examples of profit motivated companies genuinely affecting change to pull whole communities out of poverty? 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/.

Reconnect to Good Works

Most of my professional career, I have benefited from hiring students from tech schools, without actually visiting one. For the past two decades, many of the industrial technicians or maintenance personnel were graduates of programs like Ivy Tech, Augusta Tech, or Rosedale Tech. While participating in Leadership Beaumont, I briefly toured the welding program at Lamar Institute of Technology. Not until I became actively involved in workforce readiness did I take the time to get a holistic view of what today’s tech schools offer. This is not your 80s variety vocational training program…

Growing up, the closest post-secondary school in the county was the Rice Belt Technical Institute. The only people that I personally knew went for secretarial training. None of the graduates from my family ever gained employment using those skills, so I never even considered the school as an option for me.

Fast-forward to my first tour of modern-day workforce development training and I visited one of the local Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) campuses. The purpose of the visit was to understand the regional best practice for effective adult education that leads to real employment and advancement opportunities. The full-time programs range from twelve to twenty months to complete. The format is meant to simulate an actual workday, so students receive both classroom and hands on training, often dressed in uniformed attire.

The initial topic of connection that struck me was the cost. Between financial aid, the Tennessee Reconnect (http://tnreconnect.gov/), or the Tennessee Promise (http://tnpromise.gov/), most students can complete these program without building up long term debt related to loans. This model proves that retraining efforts are within reach for adults willing to commit the time to earn the certifications.

Walking through the various programs, another area of connection was the engagement of the instructors. Each was working alongside the students, demonstrating applied knowledge of the subject. When we walked through the diesel maintenance shop, the instructor was underneath the frame, but slid out to share information about student successes, employment opportunities, salaries, and his program’s wait list (there is a huge demand for his graduates, a testament to the workmanship he is instilling in his students). Unique to the TCAT model, instructors are incentivized by their program placement rates.

TCAT offers a wide range of technical career programs. To learn the details of the full-time courses offered in the Memphis area, visit http://tcatmemphis.edu/fulltime-programs. I suggest exploring the program details to learn about the contact hours, potential certifications granted, and most importantly, the gainful employment information. Since I was so impressed by the diesel technology program, here are the linked examples of the kind of data you will find:

http://tcatmemphis.edu/fulltime-programs/diesel-powered-equipment-technology

http://tcatmemphis.edu/consumerinfo/?program=memphis/Gedt-591

Be sure to click on the red consumer information tab, which provides details about the SOC Code, program success rates, and job placement rates. A 92% placement rate is best-in-class in my book!

I know the quality of the students and the value of this type of education from a professional perspective. As a parent, a real test for me will be how I feel about technical training programs personally if our son comes home and informs us that he has chosen this route to pursue his career goals, rather than going to a four-year college. What are your thoughts on the career opportunities afforded from technical certification programs? 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/.

Harvest Season & Good Works

The harvest is plentiful,

but the laborers are few.

(Matthew 9:37)

I attended a neighborhood block party in my hometown last Sunday. New Edition Day began in 2011 as a gathering of family and friends who lived and supported each other in our small community on the northeast side of town. It's hard to imagine 500 people in such a tiny area until you experience it for yourself. I saw many faces that I had not seen in 30 years. And for all the people who live in town and those who came home specifically for the weekend celebration, there were noticeable people missing: those who currently work in the rice operations supply chain. Why were those workers not present for the Sunday before Labor Day fellowship? In common local terms, it's harvest season.

On Tuesday, I toured a high volume assembly plant. Our guide explained that the operation was just beginning harvest season. Confused, because I equated harvest with agricultural industries, I asked her to explain harvest season. She shared that it's another way of saying peak season, that time of year when they ramp up production to meet the expected demand and orders related to retail shopping season. Out of curiosity, I began to research the connotation and various meanings of harvest season.

Apparently, harvest season is a term that relates back to the plantation economy, tied to mass production in agriculture. Historically, plantation crops included cotton, rubber, sugar cane, tobacco, figs, rice, kapok, sisal, and indigo. The longer a crop's harvest period, the more efficient plantations were (Boundless, 2015). Fast forward to the modern day use of the phrase, it has application in high volume production environments. In labor intensive operations, the additional labor hours required are covered by excessive overtime and temporary workers.

I am beginning to understand how the plantation economy and mindset still affects workforce readiness in the Mid-South. We have work to do to overcome generational deficits in workplace preparedness. Understanding that the shift from an agriculture economy to an industrial economy to the high-tech economy requires a paradigm shift at how we train and motivate the most important piece that impacts productivity and profitability: the direct labor. If not, we shall continue down the path of the more things change, the more things remain the same. What innovative or technology solutions are you introducing in your labor intensive operations during your harvest season? 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/.

Source: Boundless. “The Plantation Economy and the Planter Class.” Boundless U.S. History. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 11 Sep. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/slavery-and-reform-1820-1840-16/the-old-south-121/the-plantation-economy-and-the-planter-class-645-6993/

Resources for Good Works

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

Be inventive in hospitality.

(Romans 12:13)

I had one of those weeks where I submitted a monthly report that was underwhelming for me to publish. We had a lot of meetings last month that produced a lot of narratives. When I read over the document, there were a lot of “fixin’ to’s,” but very few, if any, quantifiable metrics. To know me is to know that I am process and goal driven. I must be able to report measurable progress of my works and activities over time. My immediate prayer: while working in the workforce readiness environment, please help me to never lose focus on the necessity to deliver a corporate solution.

In full disclosure, I did not come to that prayer request on my own. Shortly after pressing the send button to forward the progress report, I participated in a conference call. The topic of discussion was learning more of the best practices of other career readiness and workforce development program successes through the deployment of employer resource networks (ERN).

The primary goal of an ERN is to provide a cost-effective solution to reduce turnover and to improve productivity for the employers. The program especially targets the workforce who are employed, or underemployed, where life situations happen that mean the difference between getting to or staying at work, versus having to miss a day of work to resolve potential crises. ERNs are not benevolent programs or gifts. The model is designed so that “success coaches” are available in the workplace to guide employees to resources so that they do not have to miss work. The employer benefits by proactively investing in an on-site person who knows the local community services, preventing the supervisor or human resources staff from dealing with these matters. My take-away from the meeting was that productivity programs like ERNs must be treated like corporate initiatives, where the potential benefactors, employers, must pay-to-play and expect a measurable return on investment. To learn more about successful regional employer resource networks, visit http://schenectadyworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/West-Michigan-Team-ERN-Overview.pdf or http://www.ern-ny.com/.

On my drive home, I thought about the activities that we are engaged in and asked myself to answer the questions I challenge our team to consider everyday: What product or service do we provide that our customers/clients/partners are willing to pay a subscription or service fee to receive? How do we quantify that value? If we cannot clearly articulate measurable solutions in a monthly progress report, what good are we…? Our September time resources will be allocated differently and more effectively.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked for examples of what other communities are doing to meet the needs of job seekers that address generational deficits in finding gainful employment. The ERN model is a purposed solution for removing barriers that impact an employers’ productivity and profitability. Could you get the corporations in your community to buy into and deploy a proven pay-to-play resource? 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/.

Life Changing Good Works

Contribute to the needs of the saints

and seek to show hospitality.

(Romans 12:13)

In the words of Donald Lawrence: sometimes you have to encourage yourself; sometimes you have to speak victory during your tests. I understand the sense of urgency in the workforce readiness spectrum, but the reality is that Rome was not built in a day, and neither will overcoming generational deficits of workplace preparedness.

I had my aha moment of how the adrenaline high in this workforce world works. We had a candidate come through who represents the epitome of the work we are trying to accomplish: young and determined to move from a series of jobs toward a career path. He expressed interest in improving his technical skills, but he has to work to support his family now. In his current job, he earns about $11/hour. A technical program will be available for him to begin later in the fall, but hearing the story triggered a desire to help his family now. After a series of calls, we connected him with a potential opportunity that could increase his annual salary by about $10k per year. This is a single data point, but for this family, the additional income is life changing.

Before becoming personally involved in the workforce readiness movement, my perceptions of the pool of potential participants in skills training were limited to what is often portrayed in the media. I thought we would work with mostly young people with no previous work experience or with the long-termed unemployed that “life” happened to (people who have had a series of misfortunes for various reasons).

The people I meet are quite different. Most of applicants are gainfully employed and have great work history. Some have been downsized and are looking to re-tool to learn a new skill set. However, many are hardworking people who took jobs that were available at the time who are now seeking opportunities to improve the quality of life for their families. I am encouraged that the needle is moving and we will begin to see system shifts in connecting good people to good jobs, changing lives, one family at a time.

I have not heard back on whether or not the applicant has been hired by the employer to whom he was referred. I am confident that he will be victorious in changing the trajectory of the lives in his household. My prayer is that he shares his success story of working with our partner agencies with others in need who can benefit from our efforts of connecting individuals to life changing good works.

I am looking for examples of what other communities are doing to meet the needs of job seekers that are improving generational deficits in finding gainful employment. I am especially interested in best practices of introducing young people to career opportunities in manufacturing. Please share! 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/.

Help for Good Works

…to whom much is given, much is required.

(Luke 12:48)

It is amazing how your perspective changes based on your exposure. Since I have become more active in workforce readiness, I view situations and see things differently than I may have in the past. Last week, I was in a big box retailer and I was so impressed with the salesman, I initiated a conversation with him about his career path. Last night, we were in a fast food restaurant and I witnessed a working mom's children in the dining area, waiting on her shift to end. My immediate response was to inquire about other types of work or skills she had. Before, I might have been oblivious to their circumstances.

Today, I am learning more about the resources available to help those in need to retool their skills and training in order to find better paying jobs. I will admit, the last time I lived in Arkansas and needed help finding a job, I referred to the agency as the “unemployment office.” Today, the assisting organization is called the Arkansas Workforce Board, which offers various programs ranging from industrial readiness training (to equip potential employees with the basic skills needed to succeed in a manufacturing or warehouse work environments) to on-the-job or incumbent worker training (to improve the employees opportunity for advancement at a specific company. Oftentimes, these training programs are of little to no cost to the employees. To find out more about Workforce Investment activities in Arkansas, visit http://workforceinvestmentworks.com/workforce_board_info.asp?st=AR. For other parts of the country, visit http://www.servicelocator.org/onestopcenters.asp.

After registering with a service center, it is important for job seekers to visit the local Workforce office and establish a relationship with the career counselors, who are available to help with navigation through the employment process. They work with the employer services team to understand the real needs of the local companies, and in many cases, have relationships with the human resources officials making hiring decisions. In other situations, they may have the ability to set up job fairs or specific training that allows motivated job seekers to personally meet prospective employers. I am a firm believer in human relations and relationships. (One of my biggest pet peeves in the reliance of algorithms to get selected as a best qualified candidate because I know that one wrongly selected keyword, or equivalent, and you will be eliminated from the possibility.) So after meeting with people like the young man and the single mother mentioned earlier, in addition to giving them my card, I also share the cards of my esteemed friends from the Workforce Investment Networks.

Since I have become more exposed to the local employment resources, I have met many people who have a passion for helping others and a mission to give back. I smile when I look at how my journey of finding my purposed work has taken me down a different path of helping others to find better paying jobs.  How are you giving people in your community information about improving their skills and finding opportunities to advance into higher wage jobs and occupations?  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/.

The Message of Good Works

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

(Proverbs 18:13)

I am about to get on my soap box: People are too caught up in job titles. I will be the first to admit that I have left a few organizations because my title did not reflect my perceived level of responsibility and delivered results (I am an admitted work-in-process). But this post is not about me. As I work more with the next generation of manufacturers, I realize that we are using the wrong messaging in getting students engaged or excited about job opportunities and potential careers in manufacturing.

Workforce professionals like to use occupational codes to analyze and assess the skills and training needs of for specific jobs and titles. The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) based system adopted by businesses, training and educational institutions, labor and occupational organizations, and professional associations to measure and report trends in the US labor market. The system provides a clinical and theoretical process for comparing job titles, but the words used have little to no appeal in enticing millennials to consider manufacturing careers. (For more information on occupational codes, visit https://www.onetonline.org/).

There is a lot of discussion about developing career pathways to address current and projected labor shortages. As we all know, the career pathway model preached for my generation has proven ineffective because everyone does not fit into the model of high school to four year college to career. And frankly, many well-paying jobs do not require a college degree. What success does require is a systematic approach to get to a desired outcome. So for example, a career pathway metal manufacturing suggests a student progresses through

SOC Code 51-4031           Cutting, Punching, Setting, and Tender Operator

SOC Code 51-4041           Machinist

SOC Code 51-4011           CNC Machine Tool Operator

SOC Code 51-4012           CNC Machine Tool Programmer

I can still remember some of my early career decisions. If someone had approached me with the above manufacturing career path, I would have immediately been turned off. I could not have related the information to anything happening around me at the time. However, if the message was tailored to describe a company or a product that excited me, I may have made some different decisions about the jobs I took, and the skills needed, along the route of earning a degree in industrial engineering. Thinking back, it still amazes me that no one ever approached or discussed apprenticeships, another valuable tool that I may have overlooked because of misunderstood phrasing, or even worse, job titles…

As a workforce readiness ambassador for manufacturing, I have to constantly remind myself that it is not about me. So when I want to describe a job using an O*NET code, primarily because of future ease of reporting, I have to purposely remember that academic and industry terms do not resonate with students who may have never been exposed to a job title, and the subsequent skills needed to land a job. I have to give answers and examples that are relevant for the audience I am trying to reach. How are you spreading the message of your jobs and good works so that the people you are trying to attract hear you?  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/.

Pitching Good Works

…the wise makes his speech judicious

and adds persuasiveness to his lips…

 (Proverbs 16:23)

One of my new volunteer activities is working with future leaders in the community to help expand their business etiquette skills. Once a month, I am involved with a team who meets with a diverse group of young people and role play various experiences they should expect to have in a business or professional environment. This weekend, we engaged them in developing his or her individual elevator pitch.

An elevator pitch is a business tool for clearly articulating what you or your organization has to offer. I prefer to call it your 30 second commercial: If you only have a short amount of time, like an elevator ride, what would you say that makes a lasting impression that leads to a follow-up?

An elevator pitch is a prepared statement. When crafting one, consider the following steps to make sure that the message is interesting, memorable, and succinct:

1. Identify the goal or objective of the pitch.
2. Explain what you or your organization does by using examples of problems you have solved.
3. Communicate what makes you UNIQUE, your value proposition.
4. Engage with an open ended question.
5. Put it all together.
6. Practice, until you get the pitch into a natural sounding 30 second conversation.

I love working with creative young people because their imaginations are limitless. Even though it was role-play, one young man pretended he was trying to get an invitation to apply for an intern position and he wanted to share his concepts for the first commercially available teleporter. Based on his pitch, I would have invited him to go through the interview process!

Working through the process was a reminder that I had not updated my elevator pitch in awhile. Using the guide provided above, a revised statement to introduce our workforce readiness solution to potential community or industry influencers reads as: My company provides consulting services to industrial organizations looking to expand their operations or their workforce. From my experiences in both corporate American and as a consultant, one of the issues that I have seen time and again is that small to mid-sized companies have a difficult time finding qualified candidates who have the necessary soft skills to succeed in a manufacturing or industrial work environment. To address that need, we developed workforce readiness solution that aides our partners in hiring the right people with the potential to excel in manufacturing jobs. Who in your organization is responsible for the #Youarehired! activities of identifying the technical and interpersonal skills needed to be successful on day one in the workplace? Here’s our capability brochure with our contact information. (Of course, the spoken message would be tailored for the audience.)

http://www.latrobellc.com/industrial-people.php

In working with young people, we try to emphasize that you never know when you will have an opportunity to make a lasting impression. Developing an elevator pitch is one example of preparing future leaders for likely exchanges in the professional environment. What other tools would you suggest we introduce and role play with the next generation to equip them for success in the workplace? 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/.

Women In Manufacturing Summit

Save the dates: September 23 - 25, 2015

Attract!

Retain!

Advance!

It is hard to believe that almost four years have passed since I participated in the inaugural Women in Manufacturing symposium. In lieu of a blog post this week, I am passing on information about the upcoming 2015 summit and sharing a #ThrowbackThursday picture of the amazing women who contributed with me on the 2011 Best Practices Discussion Panel:

Women in Manufacturing™ is a nearly 500-member-strong national organization dedicated to the attraction, retention and advancement of women who are pursuing or have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry.  This group encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, and participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers. - See more at: http://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/

The Women in Manufacturing SUMMIT will be held September 23 - 25, 2015 in Minneapolis, MN. This annual SUMMIT is geared toward women who have chosen careers in manufacturing and want to share perspectives and network with others in the industry. SUMMIT 2015 is expected to attract more than 300 professional women in manufacturing with titles ranging from production to CEO. The agenda includes optional plant tours of Medtronics, Valspar, Pentair, or Caterpillar; a discussion of Generations & Gender; Transforming Your Manufacturing Business for the Digital Age; Smart Girls in STEM; Workforce Development, and much more! – To register: http://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/summit2015/register-now

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/.

Influencing Good Works

Iron sharpens iron,

and one man sharpens another.

(Proverbs 27:17)

 

Have you ever taken a look at the people in your LinkedIn, civic, or other professional networks to evaluate whether or not you have mutually beneficial business synergies? We were developing a marketing campaign for our workforce training solutions  and this question began our brainstorming exercise.  Why would key decision makers give us an audience to discuss our vision for educating and training through workforce readiness initiatives?


In this development process, one roadblock was evident: wanting to be an advocate for young people about careers in manufacturing and influencing the parents and community leaders of the value of our program required more than wishful thinking. To achieve success, our approach had to include a clearly defined direction, a disciplined doctrine/process, and above all else, a divine determination. Still, we needed someone to lay hands on us, or as I learned in SETX, someone whose endorsement could open doors one could not open alone…an influencer.


In today’s social culture, “friending” is an action verb, not to be confused with the more traditionally understood term of friendship. Friending has reciprocity, the practice of exchanging ideas and information with others for mutual benefit, allowing access, and sometimes, special privilege. Realizing that some efforts require access to people outside of a typical network, it is wise to “friend up” with leaders, or people with great influence.


When we finalized our proposal, we identified an influential community leader with whom we had an established relationship and pitched it to him. His immediate response was simply, iron sharpens iron. After a moment of reflection, he explained the mutual benefits, or synergies, that emerge when two blades rub together. The edges of the blades become sharper and more effective for the good works to be performed. Our children need more real world exposure to jobs and career opportunities available and our approach provided a hands-on, vocational, and valuable solution.

http://www.latrobellc.com/industrial-people.php

I still prefer face-to-face fellowship and meetings. In today’s social climate, I still value relationships and friendships, and feel that regardless of the size of the professional or civic network, people do business with those that they know and trust. I am guilty of “friending” to gain access to ideas and information, but my journey has revealed that no one achieves such alone. Iron sharpens iron, which sharpens our ability to deliver real value and mutual benefits in our purposed work. Who are you influencing by your good works? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at 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/.

Strength for Good Works

I will lift my eyes to the hills,

from which comes my help and strength…

(Psalm 121:1)

http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/. 

For all who have emailed or asked about the status of the Purposed Work blog, let me assure you: I’M BACK!!! My lived experience is that it takes a solid year to adjust to a new community. In trying to balance the requirements of being a working wife and mother, a business owner, and a blogger, something had to give. Temporarily, I made the decision to use the time committed to the maintaining a blog to making sure that the needs of my family were exceeded. All is well and I am back with a renewed commitment to using this platform to advocate for workforce readiness for careers in industrial manufacturing.

In taking care of my family, I also took a little time to focus on me. It is no coincidence that I chose today to begin blogging again. Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary since my last post; while today, I pay homage to Whitney Houston, whose song became one of my anthems during the period of rediscovery:

 

I didn't know my own strength

And I crashed down and I tumbled but I did not crumble

I got through all the pain

I didn't know my own strength

Survived my darkest hour, my faith kept me alive

I picked myself back up, hold my head up high

I was not built to break

I didn't know my own strength

My strength grew from a personal experience with mercy, which I heard described as the outward ability to deal with pain. Pain comes in different forms. My pain came through trying to force a fit in a community that was not ready to embrace the type of works in which we advocate. No worries… stepping outside our comfort zone, or in this case, across a county line, we found the audience and market needed to grow where we are planted, in order to educate and prepare young people for careers in manufacturing.

For the past year, I rediscovered the source of my strength. Sometimes, temporarily stepping away from something you enjoy frees you up to rediscover what you are purposed to do. Expect to see more information shared, not simply about career options, but more specifically, who’s hiring and how to get the skills need to qualify for those jobs. Do you want to pass on information about industrial manufacturing activities in the area? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at 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/.

 http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/whitneyhouston/ididntknowmyownstrength.html

Million Women Mentors

Partnership Seeks to Engage

More Than One Million Girls and Young Women

in STEM Education and Careers

I am so thankful to be graced to continue to share this journey of Purposed Work. My 2014 travel schedule has started. In lieu of a blog post this week, I’m sharing information about an exciting program for “advancing women and girls in STEM careers through mentoring.”

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) announced its partnership with the "Million Women Mentors" (MWM) initiative, launched January 8, 2014, in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club, as part of National Mentoring Month. A collective effort of more than 40 nonprofit, media, education, government, and industry partners and 9 corporate sponsors, MWM will support the engagement of 1 million science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentors--male and female--to increase the interest and confidence of girls and young women to pursue and succeed in STEM degrees and careers.

In the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs has been three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. Today 80% of the fastest growing occupations in the United States depend on mastery of mathematics and knowledge and skills in hard sciences. Although women comprise 48% of the U.S. workforce, just 24% are in STEM fields, a statistic that has held constant for nearly the past decade. Although 75% of all college students are women and students of color, they represent only 45% of STEM degrees earned each year. Too many of these young women begin in STEM degree paths but leave despite their good academic standing, often citing uncomfortable classroom experiences and disconcerting climate. Even when women earn a STEM degree, they are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM field--even though STEM jobs pay more and have a lower wage gap: 92 cents on a dollar versus 75 cents in other fields.

NAPE, through its Education Foundation, has developed a suite of professional development programs for administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors to improve opportunities for underrepresented populations in STEM courses of study and careers, including STEM-related Career and Technical Education. NAPE's  STEM Equity Pipeline™ offerings include the  Program Improvement Process for Equity™,  Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student™, and the  Focus on Counselors Initiative. To date, NAPE has provided professional development in these programs to almost 1,700 administrators, educators, and counselors/advisors in 372 schools. 

As part of National Mentoring Month, on January 16, 2014, at 1 pm EST, NAPE will actively engage those who mentor girls in STEM in a webinar titled Building Trust.  NAPE COO Claudia Morrell will discuss the importance of paying attention to the use of subtle but powerful micromessages in building trust in mentor/mentee relationships. As explained by Ms. Morrell, "Without honesty there is no credibility in the mentor/mentee relationship, and the mentor becomes just one more person in a long line of people repeating things the mentee doesn't believe. NAPE is excited to contribute to this initiative by providing guidance to mentors about the best ways to communicate with their mentees."

Register for this free webinar today!

 To become involved with NAPE or Million Women Mentors, please visit www.napequity.org  or www.MillionWomenMentors.org . Contact: Claudia Morrell, Chief Operating Officer, (610) 593-8038.

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/.

Unseen Good Works

Blessed are those who have not seen

 and yet have believed

(John 20:29)

At last year’s Women in Manufacturing Summit, I learned about the “Dream It, Do It” initiative. This is a program launched by The Manufacturing Institute that “offers local manufacturers, schools, community-based organizations and other stakeholders the opportunity to partner with a respected national platform to promote manufacturing as a top tier career choice in the United States.” Recognizing that every region is different, the DI-DI program advances a national standardized brand that can be customized to fit the needs of the local workforce. As a follow up, I was pleased to see that in August 2013, my home state of Arkansas signed on as the 23^rd member as an avenue to address the growing skills shortage across our great state. To learn more about the national Dream It, Do It initiative, please visit http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Image/Dream-It-Do-It/Dream-It-Do-It.aspx

The state of Connecticut has identified a need for more machinists, assemblers, and CNC tool operators. To gain the attention of future of engineers and innovators, and to leverage the state’s DI-DI program, October was deemed as “Manufacturing Month” to introduce middle school aged students to future careers in manufacturing. At featured events, students were given hands on opportunities to experience additive manufacturing, cutting tools, and 3-D printers. Grace Sawyer Jones, president of the local community college shared that one way to increase awareness is by exposing students to potential careers as early as possible. “It’s by having students who are looking to these fields long before they come to college. And more importantly,  the manufacturing businesses are here (in CT). Those are the parts that you bring together early in their lives, so they really have a realization of the possibilities.” To read more about the Connecticut manufacturing event, please click on http://wnpr.org/post/manufacturing-event-targets-future-workforce-connecticut-made-products?goback=%2Egde_4239561_member_5800678290263916544#%21

As an advocate for careers in manufacturing, I agree that we have to introduce the next generation of workers to the possibilities of sustainable jobs as early as possible. Many kids are not aware of the products that are machined or assembled locally. More importantly, as adults, business owners, and community leaders, we should begin to challenge these young innovators to consider the unseen good works, potential products that could be assembled and manufactured in the future from local resources. We should not limit our or their focus to the types of manufacturing that we see today, instead testing their abilities to develop solutions without the benefit of tangible proof from current technology. That’s what engineering and innovation and the next generation of job creation in manufacturing is all about: believing in what we have not seen and yet have believed to be possible. How are you engaging young people in your community to Dream It, Do It, to ignite their purposed work? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at 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/.

Ready for Good Works

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works,

to be generous, and to be ready to communicate

(1 Timothy 6:18)

I find it both disturbing and unacceptable that this country has 600k (yes, 600 thousand) manufacturing jobs that are not filled in this current economic season. I spend a lot of time in small-to-mid-sized shops and often hear business owners and operations managers say that they cannot find good talent to fill open positions. At the same time, I spend a lot of time in low-to-moderate income communities and often hear people complain that they cannot find good paying jobs. If the jobs are available and the people who desire to work exist, where is the disconnect? My theory is that there is a lack of awareness about manufacturing and career opportunities for non-traditional employees.

When I first started Latrobe, one of my goals was to increase consciousness among women and girls about the potential careers in manufacturing. As I have spent time in the field, my vision has broadened as I realized that parents, as well as young people in general, could benefit from knowing more about 21st century manufacturing, the cultural expectations of working in an industrial environment, and the work ethic required to be successful. As a result, our team developed a training and education program on workforce readiness in manufacturing.

What is workforce readiness? Our working hypothesis is to address how we can help to equip and prepare potential employees to be productive in a manufacturing environment. Employers are looking for more than just skilled workers with technical competencies. Most companies have on-the-job-training programs and procedures specific to their operations. Our workforce readiness training focuses on the critical skills required to be successful in industrial manufacturing environments, which differs from working in a service or retail organization. Interactive training and assessment includes the following:
 

1.      The four career pathways of manufacturing
2.      Manufacturing 101
(safety, basic shop math, gauging and measuring, and problem solving)
3.      Industrial Environment
(employer expectations, personal attitude and behavior, work ethic)
4.      Communication
(verbal, written, listening, social media, and networking)
5.      Life Management Skills
(time balancing, conflict resolution, and decision making)
6.      Financial Literacy
(job vs. career and the difference in lifetime earning potential)
7.      Prepare for Success
(resume writing, interviewing etiquette, proper dress/attire/hygiene)
8.      Onboarding
(matching prospective industrial employers with qualified entry-level employees)

I have to admit, that none of this training is rocket science. In fact, much of it feels like topics that should have been taught in high school. Employers expect young people to arrive with a core set of basic knowledge and the ability to apply those critical thinking skills in the workforce – but the reality is not matching the expectation. I know that not every young person will develop an interest and passion for manufacturing, so this training also serves to give those participants who successfully complete the program a confidence booster that they can succeed in this sometimes challenging environment. As parents, we have a requirement to make sure that our kids are ready for the good works available for them today and to prepare them for the future. My purposed work is to educate and inform about potential careers in manufacturing. What’s yours? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at 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/.