Capital Area Manufacturing Council CAMC

1
Capital Area Manufacturing Council (CAMC)

• A Regional Skill Alliance (RSA) focused on
  manufacturing
• Robert C. Sherer
• Executive Director

2
Summary of Presentation

• Background/History of RSA
• Key Activities of the Council
• Lessons Learned
• Successes

3
Background

• Interest in a manufacturing networking group
  coalesced in spring of 2004
• MMA, Michigan Works!, Community College and
  Chamber of Commerce in the lead
• Earlier efforts not sustained
• Chamber of Commerce and others
• By-laws of the Capital Area Manufacturing Council
  adopted in spring of 2004
• 15-20 partners/companies active at various levels
• Applied for RSA grant funding in initial round of
  grants
• RSA started October 2004 - 88,000 one-year grant

4
Manufacturing in the Capital Area

• 21,000 jobs
• 6,000 at GM
• Another 6,000 approximately in auto-related
  suppliers
• 400 companies in manufacturing
• Employment peaked in 1979 at 44,000 jobs
• GM at 20,000 jobs
• Manufacturing 25 of jobs in 1970 now less than
  10
• Broke a 10-year employment slide in manufacturing
  in 2006 with a modest employment gain

5
Initial Activities of the RSAGrant Application

• Foster networking
• Promote M-TEC
• Address foundation skills concerns
• Develop a web site to support the RSA

6
Major Activities

• Membership Meetings
• Electronic networking
• Special Topic Seminars
• Wage/Compensation Survey
• Training Grants
• Plant Tours
• Iron Horse Rodeo
• Special offers such as free back safety programs
  and discount pricing for training at LCC

7
Operations

• Housed at Capital Area Michigan Works!
• Explored 501(c)3
• Functions like a trade association and networking
  organization
• Use M-TEC facilities as much as possible
• Meetings
• Tours
• Slate of Officers
• Executive Board

8
Electronic Networking I

• Peer-to-Peer Consulting/Advice
• Best software to integrate time-keeping and job
  costing
• Tornado evacuation plans
• How best to communicate with onsite contractors
  in an emergency
• Anyone use online employee performance appraisal
  systems?
• How do you compensate on-call maintenance
  mechanics
• I need a metallurgist

9
Electronic Networking II

• Business Opportunities
• Company needs 6,000 pieces of titanium milled
  monthly
• MSU engineering professor needs fabrication work
  for patent pending device Thermal Transient
  Anemometer
• City of Lansing contacted by Korean company
  wanting a manufacturing partner in the local area
• Ann Arbor-based medical instruments manufacturer
  needs special injection-molded part

Also, involve manufacturers with other
activities in the region
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Ongoing Support of RSA

• Supported by dues, donations and in-kind support
  from partners and members
• Raising about 60,000 - 65,000 a year
• Supports about a .75 FTE operation
• About 70 companies are members
• Michigan Works and Lansing Community College
  provide additional support
• Need to reach 80,000 a year

13
Training Grants

• WIA Incumbent Worker Funds
• Several unsuccessful grant applications
• EDJT, Presidents High-Growth Job Training
  Initiative, Community-Based Job Training
  Initiative

14
Incumbent Worker Training

• Training and WorkKeys Support for Manufacturing
  RSA
• About 100,000 - 150,000 available a year for
  manufacturing
• Trained 1500 employees (thru 6/30/07)
• Profiled 16 positions in 12 companies (first two
  years)
• Assessed 700 jobseekers (first two years)

15
Lessons Learned

• Workforce development as sole focus not enough to
  sustain RSA/group
• Networking activities stronger than anticipated
• Depth, scope, quality surprising
• Basic skills more difficult to address than
  anticipated despite concerns about them
• Reached plateau on membership quickly
• Contact lists / e-mail lists a constant challenge
• Fund-raising a full-time job
• Focused on membership for primary revenue so far

16
Successes

• Scope and depth of networking surprising
• Challenge to conduct at the proper level
• Number of WorkKeys job profiles and assessments
• Training through Incumbent Worker Grants
• Indentify / Address CNC/welder skill shortages
• Engage manufactures with M-TEC
• Involve manufacturers in community
• Have a local organization that speaks for
  manufacturers

17
Contact Information

• Robert C. Sherer, Executive Director
• Capital Area Manufacturing Council
• 2110 S. Cedar Street
• Lansing, MI 48910
• 517-492-5588
• 517-487-0113 (fax)
• bsherer_at_camw.net
• www.camconline.org