Tag: Center for Workforce Development

Children’s Factory Employees Complete Leadership Apprenticeship Program

March 23, 2023 | Campus News

There were 16 employees of The Children’s Factory who recently completed a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) apprenticeship program coordinated by East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD).

The Leadership Apprenticeship program was geared toward future leaders, team leads, supervisors and executive leaders within The Children’s Factory, located in Union.

The training was funded through the Missouri Apprenticeships in Manufacturing Program (MoAMP), a statewide initiative to improve the ability to deliver innovative pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training programs. The apprenticeships are registered and validated by the DOL.

According to Melissa Richards, CWD apprenticeship and business training program coordinator, the apprenticeship program was conducted at the manufacture’s site and ECC. It was led and facilitated by The Quality Coach (TQC), a leadership coaching and consulting firm.

The Children’s Factory — which manufactures and distributes learning spaces and unique play equipment — worked with the college’s CWD to navigate the funding process and coordinate with the apprenticeship program with TQC.

This program was designed to deliver practical on-the-job skills for employees moving into a leadership role or those who are currently in a leadership position.

“TQC and ECC are at the forefront in strategic apprenticeship training,” Richards said. “We have been experiencing a shift from all technical apprenticeships, toward a combination of leadership apprenticeships, with technical training.”

She added that employee retention and succession planning are in the forefront for manufacturing employers.

“Investing in a competency-based Registered Apprenticeship program will continue to strengthen the talent and culture for these partners,” Richards commented.

TQC’s apprenticeship program was customized to meet company objectives, but also included core and foundational leadership components, critical for effective leadership in today’s environment.

The program included one-on-one coaching and blended learning with tools and resources, including “how to best respond to challenges in today’s workplace.”

A consortium of nine schools, established by the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA), participate in MoAMP, which utilizes DOL funding to strengthen workforces and build workers’ competencies.

To learn more about MoAMP apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships through ECC’s CWD, visit www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/registered-apprenticeships/ or call 636-649-5800.

College Hires Executive Director of Center for Workforce Development

December 16, 2022 | Campus News

East Central College hired Todd Tracy, the Economic Development Executive Director for Jefferson County, to be the College’s new Executive Director of the Center for Workforce Development (CWD).

Tracy has been working in Jefferson County since 2019 and played a crucial role earlier this year in bringing a new manufacturing facility, James Hardie Building Products Inc., to Jefferson County. The new facility will create nearly 240 new high-paying jobs in the region.

According to Tracy, the CWD’s role in improving and growing the local business and industry aligns closely with his professional experience.

“ECC’s Center for Workforce Development has done a phenomenal job serving the local business and industry’s workforce training needs,” he said. “As this is where my passion lies, having the opportunity to lead the CWD was a natural fit for me.”

Tracy’s position will lead and manage the workforce development programs of ECC, including job training services and programs. Tracy and the CWD team will work with businesses to keep them competitive in a global economy.

“The ECC administration engages workforce education as a pillar of economic development and I’m looking forward to the challenges of expanding that notion,” Tracy said.

Tracy was hired Dec. 12 following the recommendation of a search committee for a new full-time Executive Director of the CWD. He will begin at the college Jan. 3, 2023.
The College’s CWD is housed in the Business and Industry Center in Union.

From 2003-09, Tracy was the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development & International Trade Center at Kaskaskia College, a community college located in Centralia, Ill.

“I have been actively exploring an opportunity to rejoin the community college environment since moving to Missouri three years ago, and I’m very excited to bring my experiences to ECC,” he said.

Todd received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

He took his first position in economic development at Southeastern IL Regional Planning where he worked from 1994 -1999.

To learn more about ECC’s Center for Workforce Development, visit www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/.

CWD Assists Local Industries Receive $677,000 in State Training Funds

November 22, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Volpi Foods is one of 19 local industries working with the East Central College Center for Workforce Development (CWD) to secure and utilize state funds totaling $677,000 that is earmarked for training and development.

According to Kathy Price, director of human resources at Volpi foods, the Union meat processing plant is benefiting from $45,000 in the Missouri One Start program, which is funding leadership, safety and industrial maintenance training for its employees.

Price said she learned about the Customized Training funds through an informational meeting for area HR representatives hosted by the CWD; and ECC staff, Cindy Brinker, CWD grant and program administrator, and Melissa Richardson, CWD apprenticeship and business training program coordinator, were essential in assisting Price with completing required documents prior to submission.

“I was not aware that the grant fund opportunity existed until I went to the presentation,” she said. “They also followed up individually with me to see how they could assist Volpi in completing the application and made an in person visit to review the key steps in applying.”

Volpi Foods has been handcrafting artisan cured meat since 1902. The female-operated manufacturer has been run by the same family for 120 years. Chief Executive Officer Lorenza Pasetti is the great niece of Volpi’s founder. She has been in charge of Volpi since 2002.

Customized Training awards through Missouri One Start range from $10,000 to $100,000 this year with awards averaging around $41,000. That’s compared to an average award in 2021 of $23,000. The increase in average awards is primarily due to Missouri One Start more than doubling its budget for workforce projects in Missouri.

Training for the industries ranges from leadership development, safety training, introductory welding programs, project management to LEAN and Six Sigma training.

“We are still finalizing exactly how we intend to spend the money, but our focus will be on leadership training for our managers, safety training for all employees and some specialized industrial maintenance technical training for our maintenance team members,” Price added.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin, Rolla — a leading producer of science-based cat and dog health nutrition — is receiving $30,000 in Missouri One Start program funding that will be utilized for several areas of training.

According to Derric Fane, Royal Canin Technical Manager, the manufacturer produces over 200 unique formulas of pet food, and each formula uses different ingredients.

“That means there is a high-level of variability — some are high in starch, some are high in protein — there are no two jobs alike,” Fane said.

He added that the Missouri One Grant will fund advanced training for Royal Canin employees for both machine operations and maintenance.

“It will include advanced training for our employees so they can train others,” Fane said, “It will be training to sharpen their skill level so in the future, they can pass along that knowledge.”

Founded by a veterinarian in 1968, Royal Canin has more than 50 years of experience in delivering individualized nutritional solutions. The Royal Canin product line offers a range of diets based on size, age, breed, lifestyle and therapeutic requirements.

Manufacturers Awarded Funds

Through the Missouri One Start Customized Training program the following manufacturers, listed by their locations, were awarded matching training grants:
Paramount Apparel, Bourbon; Homeyer Precision Manufacturing, Marthasville; Henniges Automotive, New Haven; Walker Products and Klauber Machine & Gear, Pacific; Royal Canin, Rolla;
Atro Engineering and Performance Engineering & Manufacturing Racing, St. Clair; Ace Manufacturing and Enjet Aero, Sullivan; Linmark Machine and Volpi Foods, Union; and Clemco Industries, Computech, Enjet Aero, Hodges Badge, Frick’s Meats, WEG Transformers and Parker Hannifin, Washington.

Learn more about the program by contacting the CWD team at training@eastcentral.edu or visit missourionestart.com/.

To learn more about CWD industry training and consulting visit www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/.

Manufacturers Partner with ECC, The Quality Coach for Training

September 8, 2022 | Campus News

Front-line leaders at two area manufacturers completed advanced apprenticeship programs to hone their leadership skills and bolster their workforces.

Employees at The Children’s Factory, in Union, and RotoMetrics, in Eureka, took part in onsite Leadership Apprenticeship programs, led and facilitated by The Quality Coach (TQC), a leadership coaching and consulting firm.

The training was conducted in partnership with East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD). The manufacturers worked with the college’s CWD to navigate the funding process and coordinate with The Quality Coach.

The Quality Coach Leadership (TQC) Apprenticeship participants — Pictured are participants in The Quality Coach Leadership (TQC) Apprenticeship program conducted at The Children’s Factory, Union, in partnership with East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD). Front row, from left, are Dr. Brenda Bouse, TQC president; Ellen Woodruff, TQC; The Children’s Factory training participants Zachariah Hudson, Shannon Mize, Angela Gooch. Shirley Duffer, Tina McKenna, Rachel King, Tammie Pohlmann and Rachel Journey; Melissa Richards, ECC CWD; and Mary Shofner, TQC. Back row, from left, are Amy Eagan, TQC; and The Children’s Factory trainees Ike David, Larry Bettmeng, Adam Seamon, Rose Laroe, Becky Thompson, Justin Adams, Barbie Suite, and Will Hunter. Not pictured is Don Phinney.

The apprenticeship programs were funded through the Missouri Registered Apprenticeship Program (MoAMP), a statewide initiative to improve the ability to deliver innovative pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training programs. The apprenticeships are registered and validated by the Department of Labor.

Melissa Richards, ECC’s apprenticeship and business training program coordinator, was key in making the apprenticeship a success.

A consortium of nine schools, established by the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA), participate in MoAMP, which utilizes U.S. Department of Labor funding to strengthen workforces and build workers’ competencies

Leadership Training

The TQC Leadership Apprenticeship program is designed to provide practical on-the-job skills for those either moving into a leadership role or those who are currently in a leadership position.

“We were proud and excited to work with these two clients to create, deliver and fund their apprenticeship programs,” Richards said.

She noted that TQC and ECC are at the forefront in strategic apprenticeship trains.

“Over the past year we’ve seen a shift from all technical apprenticeships to now include a strategic focus on Leadership Apprenticeships for future leaders, team leads, supervisors and executive leaders within an industry,” Richards added.

“Retention and succession planning are in the forefront of every employer’s mind and investing in a competency based Registered Apprenticeship program will continue to strengthen the talent and culture for these partners.”

TQC Apprenticeship Program

There were 22 Children’s Factory employees and 15 RotoMetrics employees who took part in the program.

According to Dr. Brenda Bouse, TQC owner, its apprenticeship program is customized to meet company objectives, but includes core and foundational leadership components critical for effective leadership in today’s environment.

“We were thrilled to work with the leaders within RotoMetrics and The Children’s Factory on honing their leadership skills,” she said. “The program included one-on-one coaching and blended learning with tools and resources, including how to best respond to challenges in today’s workplace.

“Our team has a high amount of respect for those working in manufacturing and we are here to partner on successful outcomes in leading people,” Bouse added.

Chuck Wood, plant manager at RotoMetrics, said he previously was a client of The Quality Coach and wanted his team to have the same high level of leadership training.

“I was blown away by the passion that Brenda and her team bring to their jobs and this process,” Wood commented. “We have a very diverse team of leaders with varying degrees of experience — Brenda and her team have a special knack for connecting with anyone where they are on their journey in becoming better leaders.

“I know my team is stronger thanks to the training TQC provided.”

To learn more about MoAMP apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships through ECC’s CWD, visit www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/registered-apprenticeships/ or call 636-649-5800.

ECC Offering Program to Earn CNA Certificate

March 31, 2022 | Campus News

East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) is offering a new training opportunity to anyone interested in working in the health care field.

The CWD will hold a pre-apprenticeship program to obtain a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification. The health care “boot camp” begins with an orientation Wednesday, April 13, and will run through July 15.

Sessions will be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ECC Training Center (ECTC) on the Union campus.

The first six people to complete paperwork and fully register for the training program can participate at no cost to them.

Participants must be 18 years or older at the start of the program. For more information or to sign up, email Terri Warmack at Terri.warmack@eastcentral.edu or call 636-584-6531.

In addition to the CNA certificate, students will gain skills that area health facilities need for their employees, such as customer service, behavioral health review and CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation), according to Warmack, health care coordinator for the CWD.

“The curriculum for this training program was designed with area health care facilities in mind,” she said.

Once the pre-apprentices finish the program, participants will have the opportunity to continue their education into a registered Certified Medication Technician (CMT) apprenticeship program at ECC.

“Health care facilities in this area, and throughout the St. Louis region, are need of trained workers — our program provides the entry-level skills and certifications for the pre-apprentice to be successful,” Warmack said.

She noted that the curriculum will prepare people to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies.

“We provide specific training that will allow for varying health care facilities in the area to start workers at a higher level of competency,” Warmack added.

ECC Offering Industrial Systems Basics ‘Boot Camp’

December 29, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development is offering a new “Boot Camp” opportunity for those interested in learning the basics of industrial systems.

The Boot Camp will be taught by Industrial Engineering Technology Program Director Nathan Esbeck and it includes a Falcon Seminar course to provide students with the foundation for an education at ECC.

The program will cover hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical and electrical controls.

Classes meet Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. from Jan. 18 to May 13 at ECC’s Business and Industry Center in Union.

Highlights of the Boot Camp include:

Introductions to mechanical systems, including bearings, gearing, belt drives, chain and sprockets coupling, clutches and brakes.
Skills of electrical skills, such as relay, logic, PLC’s and variable frequency drive.
Four credits earned at ECC.
Covers measuring equipment, blueprint reading, material flow and equipment upkeep.
Goal setting.
Workplace quality and safety the college’s Industrial Engineering Technology program.

Those who successfully complete the program could be eligible for a registered apprenticeship program with their employer through ECC.

For more information or to sign up, email Center for Workforce Development Apprenticeship and Business Training Program Coordinator Melissa Richards at melissa.richards@eastcentral.edu. Register by phone beginning Tuesday, Jan. 4, by calling 636-649-5806.

ECC has several boot camps scheduled throughout the year in our Business and Industry Center to provide as much opportunity as possible for individuals interested in developing their introductory manufacturing job skills.

ECC Offering Program to Earn CNA Certificate at No Cost

November 19, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) is offering a unique opportunity to earn certification to begin a career in health care.

The CWD is rolling out a new, free pre-apprenticeship program for anyone interested in obtaining Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification. The health care “boot camp” begins Dec. 2 and will run through March 24.

“The curriculum is specifically designed with our area health care facilities in mind,” she said.

A key to the program’s success is the engagement and involvement of local employers, such as Sunset Health Care Center, in Union.

Once the pre-apprentices finish the program, they will have the opportunity to continue their education into a registered Certified Medication Technician (CMT) apprenticeship program at ECC.

“At a time when facilities are in desperate need of workers, our program provides the entry-level skills and certifications for the pre-apprentice to be successful, as well as helping the area’s facilities start workers at a higher level of competency,” Warmack said.

She added that the curriculum will prepare people to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies.

Pre-apprenticeship program classes will be in the held in the ECC Training Center (ECTC) on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Participants must be 18 years or older at the start of the program. For more information or to sign up, email Gretchen Pettet at Gretchen.Pettet@eastcentral.edu or call 636-266-2181.

The program is funded as part of a $75,000 MO Apprenticeship Ready Program grant from the Missouri Office of Workforce Development.

Children’s Factory Partners with ECC, Quality Coach for Apprenticeship Program

November 18, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College is collaborating with the Children’s Factory, Union, and Quality Coach Consulting to establish a new apprenticeship program to enhance the leadership and job skills of employees.

According to Fatma Khemiri, senior human resources manager at Children’s Factory, the manufacturer worked with the college’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) to navigate the funding process and coordinate with Quality Coach.

“The program is under way and all the participants are fully engaged and eager to learn,” Khemiri said. “Our partnership with ECC is a recognition of the great role that the college is playing in Franklin County and particularly in the community of Union.”

He added that the leadership training program will provide new skills, so Children’s Factory leaders will become more successful in their roles.

“This collaboration will allow Children’s Factory to not only provide outstanding products for children, but also add to an outstanding work environment where everyone thrives,” Khemiri said.

He went on to thank Melissa Richards, ECC’s apprenticeship and business training program coordinator, for her work in making the partnership a success.

ECC is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) Nov. 15-21. NAW is a celebration where industry, labor, equity, workforce, education and government leaders showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeships.

To learn more about apprenticeship opportunities at ECC, visit https://www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/registered-apprenticeships/.

About Children’s Factory

The Children’s Factory is a manufacturer and distributor that consists of three brands: Angeles, Children’s Factory and Learning Carpets. Its broad assortment provides learning spaces with a cohesive look including storage, seating and floor coverings in addition to unique play equipment that encourages discovery, motor development and social interaction.

To learn more about the manufacturer, visit www.childrensfactory.com or www.excelligence.com.

ECC Offering Second Health Care Pre-Apprenticeship Program

October 20, 2021 | Campus News

Another pre-apprenticeship program for those interested in entering the health care field will begin next month.

The two-month “boot camp” is designed to provide the necessary job skills for a career in health care, as well as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification.

In addition to the CNA certificate, students also will gain skills that area health facilities need for their employees, such as customer Service, behavioral health review and CPR.

The pre-apprenticeship program comes at no cost to participants, and it will prepare people to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies. Participants must be 18 years or older at the start of the program.

An orientation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the ECC Training Center (ECTC). The registration deadline is Nov. 9, but participants are encouraged to register prior to the orientation.

Boot camp classes also will be held in the ECTC on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Nov. 9 through Nov. 16. The CNA classes will be Nov. 18 through Feb. 25, also on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For more information or to sign up, email Gretchen Pettet or 636-266-2181. This program is limited to 15 participants.

“The curriculum is specifically designed with our area health care facilities in mind.” said Terri Warmack, health care coordinator for ECC’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD).

“At a time when facilities are in desperate need of workers, our program provides the entry level skills and certifications for the pre-apprentice to be successful, as well as helping the area’s facilities start workers at a higher level of competency,” she added.

A key to the program’s success is the engagement and involvement of local employers, such as Sunset Health Care Center, in Union. Once the pre-apprentices finish the program, they will have the opportunity to continue their education into a registered Certified Medication Technician (CMT) apprenticeship program at ECC.

The program is funded as part of a $75,000 MO Apprenticeship Ready Program grant from the Missouri Office of Workforce Development.

ECC Boot Camp Teaches Skills to Begin a Career in Manufacturing

September 24, 2021 | Campus News

For Rebecca Bruton, a recent manufacturing boot camp at East Central College opened her eyes to potential employers, and even landed her a job with one.

Bruton, of Washington, was one of six participants in ECC’s Center for Workforce Development’s Pre-apprenticeship Manufacturing Boot Camp program held this summer.

“My incentive to enroll in the boot camp was to learn new skills and qualities to help me become more valuable to potential employers,” she said.

Bruton, 20, is a 2019 St. Francis Borgia Regional High School graduate. She noted that touring the local industries participating in the boot camp was a great benefit.

“I enjoyed touring the employer partners’ plants because seeing their employees working helped me visualize myself working there too,” she added.

The manufacturing boot camp enrollees visited several local industries to gain a better understanding of the manufacturing industry and discuss job opportunities at the companies.

In fact, following the boot camp, Bruton applied and was hired by Clemco Industries Corp. as a shipping apprentice where she is training to be a puller/packer.

“The soft skills I learned gave me an advantage over other applicants because they are valuable to all employers,” she commented. “My career goal is to work for a strong, well-established company, like Clemco, in a position that I enjoy and allows me to continue to grow and strengthen my skills.”

According to Bruton, the CWD boot camp could benefit anyone looking for a career in manufacturing, and the opportunity came at no cost.

“Everyone I met was welcoming and encouraging and genuinely wanted to see me and the other participants succeed. I liked that the camp guaranteed interviews with the employer partners,” Bruton added. “The boot camp was also free, which was a bonus for me.”

For more information, contact the Center for Workforce Development at training@eastcentral.edu or 636-649-5800. The manufacturing pre-apprenticeship program website is https://www.eastcentral.edu/cwd/pre-apprenticeship-program/.