Grant funds provide training, certification for manufacturing workers
October 11, 2007
This training program is a vitally important component of growth for our manufacturing workforce.Richard Burdine, CEO, Development Corporation of Abilene
A $445,288 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission will help train local workers in manufacturing skills needed by the nation’s advanced manufacturing sector. Training provided by the grant should add 75 to 100 certified workers to the area’s employment base, in addition to providing training to experienced workers.
The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) training, assessment and credentialing system is designed to equip America’s workforce with the high-performance knowledge and skills necessary to boost the productivity, innovation and competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.
The grant was made to Texas State Technical College West Texas, in partnership with Cisco Junior College, Western Texas College, the Development Corporation of Abilene, and a manufacturing consortium of 11 local businesses. Offering training for both new and experienced workers, the MSSC certification is available in a six-week course for those just starting out, as well as a 72-hour fast-track course that allows companies to train seasoned workers with limited time available for study.
Grant funds will pay for the training and the certification fee for each participant, with the Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA) providing additional funding. The Workforce Center of West Central Texas will provide the initial screening and employability training portion of the curriculum.
The MSSC portion of the course will include concepts such as safety, maintenance, team-building and the pursuit of quality.
“This training program is a vitally important component of growth for our manufacturing workforce,” Richard Burdine, chief executive officer of the DCOA, said. “It will help raise the skill level of our manufacturing workforce across the board.”
A MSSC pilot training program funded by the DCOA in the spring and summer of this year proved the training offered the sort of broad-based skills necessary for the area’s diverse manufacturing base, according to Mary Ross, executive director of the West Central Texas Workforce Development Board.
Businesses that comprise the manufacturing consortium include Bandag Inc, Better Machine & Mfg. Inc, Coca-Cola, Loadcraft Inc., Peerless Manufacturing, PWP Industries, RAM Inc., RenTech Boiler Services, Tige′ Boats, Wind Clean Corp and Zoltek.
