The WAEM Workforce Training Framework guides WIRED investments in community and junior college training systems as well as set the stage for post-WIRED regional activities. Per the original WAEM WIRED grant proposal, the WAEM WIRED Implementation Plan, and DOL guidelines, the WAEM Workforce Training Framework includes the following: workforce credentials, regional approach to training, innovative training and access, and sustainability.
Regional partnership: The eight participating community and junior colleges and The Montgomery Institute have formed the “WAEM Alliance” and formally adopted governance and operating procedures. This alliance provides the regional platform to address and attend to community, workforce, and economic development activities set forth in the WIRED grant, initiated during WIRED implementation, and intended to be sustained beyond the WIRED grant timeframe. Among the matters under the auspices of the alliance are:
Regional credentials: To meet the stated goal of credentialing and branding the regional workforce and to comply with the outcomes of the Governors’ Summit, the WAEM Enterprise-Ready Regional Initiative has focused on two sets of credentials. The first set consists of the already developed, national standards based, Career Readiness Certificate or CRC. The WAEM Alliance promotes CRC assessment and credentialing for all credit and non-credit career and technical training participants, unemployed, and under-employed people in the Region, and pursues such credentialing for all community and junior college students as well as high school students.
The WAEM Alliance has also begun to create a set of regional, multi-skill, modern manufacturing credentials showing mastery of advanced manufacturing skills. Named “Modern Multi-skill Manufacturing Credentials” and referred to as M3 Credentials, they will be offered at the production, advanced production, and advanced manufacturing specialty levels to reflect demonstration of basic, intermediate, and advanced technical skills. A WAEM Alliance committee consisting of community and junior college Career and Technical Deans and Workforce Directors collectively determines the national standards and assessments (such as those published by the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council) to be used to qualify recipients to receive credentials, as well as interacts to improve cross-usage of equipment, instructors, and curriculum. The M3 Credentials are based on “authentic assessment,” meaning actual performance of skills must be observed by a qualified instructor.
Innovative training and access: The intent is to develop innovative training and access that educates to CRC standards, trains to M3 standards, and provides each participant a skill ladder and lifelong learning opportunities. To help accomplish this, the WAEM Alliance developed the Amatrol Anytime Anywhere e-Learning System. This tool, based on Amatrol Inc.’s innovative online e-learning tool, provides Internet access to over 450 advanced manufacturing training modules. It also provides the assessment systems for M3 Credentials. Additional WIRED investments may be used by colleges to establish M3 related innovative training systems and purchase equipment (both must align with the national standards system adopted), enhance existing areas of excellence (or areas of competitive advantage) in M3 related training, create and enhance access to training related to CRC and M3 credentials, and to attract and retain talent to accomplish these objectives. Web-based, instructor-led training tools coupled with open labs for assessments will be key innovative access components, both for college students and trainees as well as pre-college trainees and incumbent workers looking to improve employment status. All WIRED funded training complies with DOLETA guidelines for tracking participants. Funding for training may come through WIA funds, state training funds, tuition and fees, company funded training, and/or fees for training paid by individuals.
Sustainability: WIRED funds will provide for enhanced training related to high growth industries targeted by the Governors’ Summit. Once created, demand should sustain these programs. The WAEM Alliance helped formulate the WAEM Sustainability Plan that addresses sustainability issues such as financing regional activities and events, seeking additional regional grants, operating regional committees and support staff, and establishing standard fees and charges for M3 related training. The Alliance may consider assessments to member organizations.
Funding: A total of $4.5 million in WIRED funds was set aside for investment in WIRED related training systems. The U.S. Department of Labor reviewed all proposed unit cost expenditures for equipment of $5,000 or more. Complete budgets were reviewed by TMI and approved by ADECA. The region-wide investment in the online training system (Amatrol) was handled directly by TMI. All investments were in compliance with federal procurement guidelines. A number of colleges leveraged equipment purchases and training with other funds.
