Manufacturing Careerx - Pilot Program

Program Concept
A series of events and programming that:

• Introduce teachers and their students to the “spectrum of opportunity” of rewarding careers available in advanced manufacturing.
• Increase positive perception of careers in advanced manufacturing.
• Grow enrollments in key programs and yield a pipeline of candidates for applied work experiences or direct entry-level positions.
  

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Phased program structure – Year 1 cohort

Phase 1 (Spring 2019) – Prep/launch

Phase 2 (Aug 2019) – Kick off event

• Includes all educators and companies participating in program
  
• Keynote speaker: industry 4.0 digital transformation
• Company pitches presenting the spectrum of opportunity in manufacturing:
  • What we make and how we use technology
  • Critical workforce skills needed: hard and soft
  • Career pathway opportunities within company/industry
  • Applied work experiences companies can offer to high school students
• Reverse pitches: Teachers talk about their programs, where they need real-world information and industry support
• Café-style speed networking: participants  learn more and assess partnership feasibility
  

Phase 3 (Oct 2019) – Educators’ field experience day and reflection

• Participating companies offer half-day experience
• Themes and topics communicated in advance on educator sign-up page
• Educators sign up for 2 different company sessions
• Experience is an immersion to gain understanding of:
  • Manufacturing/engineering operations at participating companies
  • Continuing impact of technology and digitization
  • Skills future employees will need to be successful in the industry
  • The spectrum of opportunity: career pathways available to students
  • Support companies provide to develop employees on a career pathway
    

Phase 4 (Jan 2020) – Student field experiences

• Expose students in partner educators’ classrooms to the broad spectrum of career opportunities available in Advanced Manufacturing. Inspire students to:
  • Enroll in additional coursework related to manufacturing/engineering
  • Seek an applied work experience or part-time/summer employment in the industry
• Participating companies offer half-day experience. Classrooms and companies are matched for field experiences using qualitative and logistical factors
• An informational toolkit for parents is sent home with students in advance of the experience day, focused on the spectrum of opportunity within advanced manufacturing in the Milwaukee Region
• As a classroom/cohort, students experience company tour/job shadow to gain understanding of:
  • Manufacturing/engineering operations at participating companies
  • Continuing impact of technology and digitization
  • Skills future employees will need to be successful in the industry
  • The spectrum of opportunity: career pathways available to students
  • Support companies provide to develop employees on a career pathway
  • Applied work experiences available to high school students
    

What is the role for a participating company?

Companies will host and participate in a series of events/programs that reach educators, students, and their parents, foster ongoing partnerships with schools, and match students in partner schools to applied work experiences including internships, youth apprenticeships, summer employment or direct-entry to workforce after high school.
 
Commitment required:

•  Aug. 2019: Participate in Educators in Industry kick off event
• Oct. 2019: Host a half-day field experience for 1-3 teachers
• Nov. 2019: Participate in Educators in Industry feedback session
• Jan. 2020: Host a half-day field experience for a group of 20-30 students
• Feb. 2020: Participate in a planning session for Summer 2020 Applied Work Experiences
• March 2020: Participate in Draft Day/Applied Work Experience fair
• June-Aug. 2020: Hire and manage high school students or recent graduates in applied work experiences
  

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Impact: How many educators, students, and parents will we reach through this program?

With pilot of 10 companies in the first year, we estimate reaching:
●    24 educators
●    432 students
●    648 parents/guardians

If more than 10 companies pledge to participate in the Year 1 cohort, our impact will be even greater.

How will we measure success?

• Through pre- and post-experience surveys, participating educators and students will demonstrate increased awareness/positive perception of careers in advanced manufacturing and the spectrum of opportunity available in the industry
  
• Participating students will:
  • Enroll in additional coursework related to manufacturing/engineering
  • Seek an applied work experience or part-time/summer employment in the industry
    

Next steps: 2020-21 and beyond

• Feedback from Year 1 cohort informs potential improvements to programming
• Program repeats Phases 1 – 7 with new schools/classrooms in 2020-21 Year 2 cohort
• 2019-20 Year 1 cohort moves into advanced partnership activities, including regional projects and classroom challenges. Joins with Year 2 cohort at Phase 5
• Establish platform(s) for success stories of students who were inspired to continue their studies with the intention of working in manufacturing or take direct-entry jobs with participating companies
• Feedback from Year 1 and Year 2 cohorts inform additional improvements for future cohorts

Phase 5 (Feb 2020)– Prep session for Applied Work Experiences

Phase 6 (Mar/April 2020) – AWE Draft Day to celebrate matching students with opportunities

• Explore potential partnership with Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum
• Matching day format, with students and companies prepared to interview for specific opportunities
• Keynote speaker or panel
• Gamification: Establish structure for students to earn points during the event, resulting in a “No. 1 Draft Pick” being announced.
• Post-event, companies encouraged to promote their “draft picks” (students they select for applied work experiences) through company newsletters, social media.
• If a student is hired for a direct entry role or summer employment, companies/schools will consider promoting at the Draft Day event or at a separate “signing day” event.
  

Phase 7 (June-Aug 2020) – Summer of applied work experiences at all participating companies