Tag: Center for Workforce Development

Rolla Business Leaders Complete ECC Supervisor Leadership Class

September 24, 2019 | Campus News ECC Rolla

Nearly a dozen local business leaders from LMI, American Precision Die Casting, Rawlings and Brewer Science attended the East Central College Supervisor Leadership Certification class in Rolla in September. The two-day workshop was facilitated by the Center for Workforce Development.

“I was surprised with several things – in a good way,” explained James Levin, American Precision Die Casting. “The class definitely will give me direction moving forward. I believe this is something every manager, including upper management, should attend.”

The Supervisor Leadership Certificate focuses on several key areas in order to improve managerial skills. The goal is for managers to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses and implement new strategies to improve the workplace.

“Much of the material was a breath of fresh air,” said Robert Williams, LMI. “It truly encouraged me to create a more balanced environment for my coworkers and peers.”

“In order for businesses to be competitive in the global economy, they need leaders who can empower and motivate employees,” said Dr. Edward Shelton, Executive Director of Workforce Development. “The Supervisor Leadership Certificate is designed to instill a culture of shared trust and communication between supervisors and their employees.”

The workshop was held at East Central College in Rolla, 2303 North Bishop. For more information about workforce development and training, visit eastcentral.edu/cwd.

National Apprenticeship Week Celebration!

October 14, 2018 | Campus News

East Central College invites the public and business community to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week on Friday, November 16 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at its Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza Drive in Union.

“Apprenticeships can work for all industries, not just manufacturing,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. “By utilizing a registered apprenticeship program, employers are able to recruit, train and retain world-class talent.”

The event will feature keynote speakers from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeships, Missouri Department of Workforce Development and East Central College Center for Workforce Development. There will also be a chance for attendees to hear from a panel of local businesses who are currently participating in an apprenticeship program as well as their employees.

“There is currently a funding opportunity for apprenticeships,” said Doepker. “East Central College can help area businesses create successful credit or non-credit programs on any scale and for any industry.”

Significant talent shortages and skills gaps can limit the ability of a business to expand, innovate and excel. Apprenticeships can help close that gap.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 150,000 employers and labor management organizations benefit from apprenticeships every year. Workers who complete apprenticeship programs earn $300,000 more over a career than their peers who don’t.

Tours of the East Central College Business and Industry Center will also be available during the event. Refreshments and a light breakfast will be provided.

If you are interested in attending the National Apprenticeship Week Celebration, please RSVP here!

Local manufacturers receive state dollars for employee training through ECC

October 3, 2018 | Campus News

A Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) program designed to offset training costs for the state’s manufacturing industry is benefiting local business.

The customized training program will provide more than $200,000 in funding to ten area manufacturers that will be used to train employees at companies in Washington, Sullivan, St. James, Pacific, Marthasville and Rolla. Each manufacturer will receive a range of $10,000 to $45,000 this year.

“The assistance relieves some of our financial burden for training our workforce,” says Tom LaMantia, CEO and president of Clementina Clemco Holdings. ”More importantly, enhancing the skills of our employees is vital for our company to remain competitive and grow.”

Each company works with the Center for Workforce Development at East Central College to secure the funding and the opportunity to provide the training. The programs range from leadership development, safety training, introductory welding programs, project management to LEAN and Six Sigma training.

“The funding assists Tacony’s plan to provide a comprehensive training program as we continue to invest in our most important resources, our employees,” says Nancy Montgomery, Human Resource Manager, Tacony Corporation.

Each company matches 100 percent of the state funding.

Learn more about the innovative program by contacting the Center for Workforce Development.

Center for Workforce Development Searching for Local Experts

September 11, 2018 | Campus News

The East Central College Center for Workforce Development (CWD) needs talented people to help provide training to local businesses. It is holding a series of talent fairs this fall to allow those interested to stop by and discuss how their talents can be used.

“This is a great opportunity for retirees or someone looking for part-time work,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. “We have a great amount of knowledge in our area and their work experience has a tremendous amount of value.”

The events will be held at the East Central College Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza Drive, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Each talent fair has a different focus based on the type of talent needed.

September 20
AutoCAD, Tool & Die, Welding, Quick Books, Industrial Maintenance, Industrial Electricity and Precision Machining
October 4
Lean Six Sigma, Quality Management, Logistics and Material Coordination, OSHA 10 & 30 Instruction
October 25
Holiday Artisans, Craft Instructors, Personal and Professional Development, Peach Tree Software Instruction
November 1
Certified Nursing Assistant Instruction for East Central College – Rolla

CWD offers credit and non-credit classes and training in a wide range of areas for employers and employees who are looking to upgrade their skills or may be seeking a new skill set for a change in employment. Additionally, through its Community Education Program, it provides children and adults with opportunities for personal and professional enrichment.

Attendees are asked to bring a current resume. Questions can be directed to training@eastcentral.edu or call 636-649-5803.

Becoming a Better Leader in the Workplace

June 15, 2018 | Campus News

Becoming a successful workplace leader takes time, effort and education. Leadership is a skill, and, like all skills, it has to be carefully crafted and practiced. The Center for Workforce Development is offering a series of summer workshops to help you become a better leader in the workplace.

The series starts with Leadership Fundamentals June 25-26. For emerging leaders and first time unit leaders, this course covers the basic skills necessary to take first supervisory role, from setting goals for teams and for tackling difficult conflicts.

The Supervisor Leadership session focuses on those transitioning from an individual contributor to leading a team. The course is July 10-12 and covers effective communication strategies, avoiding the most common mistakes of new supervisors, managing former coworkers, motivation and engagement techniques, resolving conflicts and building teams.

The Division Head Leadership session runs July 17-18. This course is for high-potential leaders who are ready to transition to mid-level positions. Participants will learn how to integrate strategic initiatives through delegation and accountability and the importance of assessment tools to measure and motivate.

During the July 24-25 Manager Leadership session, upper-level managers and leaders who align the organization to implement strategies will learn about strategic insight, business acumen, building cross unit collaboration and managing talent and career development.

The last session of the series, Executive Leadership, will be held July 31 – August 1. Participants will get an understanding of executive leadership skills in business in order to become a visionary, a trailblazer, a strategist, a communicator, a coach, a diplomat and the chief motivator. The Center for Workforce Development will help you build an executive leadership style that creates trust, sets a clear vision and guides your entire team toward greater performance and profit.

Participants can choose to attend individual sessions for $250 apiece or all five sessions for $1000. Each session will be held in the Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza in Union, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded after each course, and a Leadership Academy Certificate will be awarded after completion of all five courses.

To enroll in one or all courses, please contact 636-649-5803 or training@eastcentral.edu.

Getting Employees in a Tight Labor Market – June 27 Forum

June 5, 2018 | Campus News

Hiring skilled or first-tier employees in the area is becoming so competitive that practically every industry is concerned about the lack of available talent.

“There are several factors contributing to the shortage,” said Ed Shelton, ECC Center for Workforce Development Executive Director. “One of the biggest contributors is the age of the workforce. There are simply not enough young workers to fill the gap right now.”

Additionally, many younger workers lack the necessary experience to immediately step in and fill the shoes of the retiring workforce.

“The skills gap is very real,” said Shelton. “That’s why we are hosting area manufacturers and businesses to provide insight on how to find top talent and retain employees during this challenging time.”

On June 27, join the Center for Workforce Development from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza Drive in Union for an engaging forum on the topic.

The event is only ten dollars and includes lunch. For more information or to register, contact 636-649-5803 or training@eastcentral.edu.

The mission of the Center for Workforce Development is to establish and promote economic opportunities that lead to a comprehensive workforce system in the ECC Service Region (Franklin, Warren, Gasconade, Maries, Crawford, Dent, Osage and Phelps Counties).

Center for Workforce Development Talent Fair – June 7

May 15, 2018 | Campus News

The Center for Workforce Development (CWD) at East Central College is hosting an event to recruit talented community members to assist the department with providing workforce training programs.

A talent fair will be held Thursday, June 7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m at the Business and Industry Center, 42 Prairie Dell Plaza Drive in Union, located southeast of the main ECC Campus.

CWD is looking to hire part-time trainers to use their skills and abilities to teach short-term training programs for the region’s local business and industry. The department provides workforce training to local businesses in various time periods of days, weeks or months.

“There is a wealth of talent in our area that hasn’t been fully tapped”, says Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations, “In addition to current workers, there are retirees from our local manufacturers, banks, health care and other industries that have the skills, knowledge and experience to train the current workforce.”

A range of skills are needed in a variety of areas such as safety training, industrial maintenance, customer service training, Welding, Microsoft Office and other possibilities. A degree or certificate isn’t required as experience is highly desired. The CWD staff will help design the training plans and provide teaching guidelines.

For more information contact Cindy Brinker at 636-649-5803 or training@eastcentral.edu.

AEL/Certified Nurse Assistant Program Now Enrolling Students

February 26, 2018 | Campus News

Get your High School Equivalency and become a Certified Nurse Assistant at the same time!

The East Central College Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Program is teaming up with the Center for Workforce Development to offer a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) program in March. This program is designed to prepare individuals to care for clients in long-term care facilities, hospitals and home health agencies.

“Certified Nurse Assistants are vital to healthcare,” said East Central College instructor Terri Warmack. “It’s a rewarding, exciting and challenging career where you can make a difference every day.”

The course consists of 75 hours of classroom training and 100 hours of supervised clinical training. It also includes 100 hours preparation for the high school equivalency or college placement exams. Additionally, high school graduates who need to brush up on basic reading, language or math skills can take this course while becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant.

Upon completion of all components, students will be eligible to take the final exam to become a Certified Nurse Assistant through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Students interested in the AEL/CNA Program must complete an AEL orientation:

Saturday, March 3, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., East Central College Training Center, 1964 Prairie Dell Road, Union
Saturday, March 10, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Rolla Career Center, 1202 Forum Drive, Rolla
Tuesday, March 12, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., First Baptist Church of Owensville, 112 W Lincoln Ave #28, Owensville
Friday, March 16, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., East Central College Training Center, 1964 Prairie Dell Road, Union

Students must be 18 years of age at the start of the program. For more information: 636-584-6531, Terri.Warmack@EastCentral.edu.

Workers Wanted: ECC Creates Apprenticeship Program for Local Workforce

February 10, 2017 | Campus News

Computer technology, health care, construction, and high-skill manufacturing account for nearly 54 percent of the American labor market, according to the National Skills Coalition. Unfortunately, only 44 percent of workers are sufficiently trained for those high-demand jobs.

East Central College is trying to buck that trend. Thanks to an $87,000 grant from the Missouri Division of Workforce Development, the college will soon build an apprenticeship program.

“We know employers in the area are faced with a skills gap,” said Mardy Leathers, Workforce Development executive director. “We want to provide both the academic education needed for the workforce and the hands-on skills to land a job in their companies.”

Statewide, there are nearly 6,500 manufacturing facilities that need highly skilled workers.

“Franklin County has more than four times the manufacturing establishments than any other county in our service region,” said Jeremy Goss, Workforce Development coordinator of business development and training. “They make up near 25 percent of all jobs in the area, higher than any other category.”

In partnership with local industry, two registered apprenticeship programs will be offered by East Central: precision machinist and industrial maintenance technician.

“These are two or three-year programs,” said Leathers. “Students enrolled in the program will get 4,000 – 6,000 structured on-the-job training hours, 33 college credit hours, industry-recognized credentials, and pay increases based on academic progress. All of this results in a Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Certificate along with industry certifications and academic credit – each poised to create a dynamic and high performing employee in the advanced manufacturing sector.”

Businesses or students interested in the program should contact Jeremy Goss via email or call 636-649-5806.