The Erie Regional Manufacturer Partnership (ERMP) held its first General Supporter Meeting recently at the Manufacturer & Business Association in Erie.
The meeting brought together manufacturers, educators, workforce and economic development professionals, government officials, and other community leaders to shape and align collaborative efforts and begin kickoff of the 2016 action plan. The meeting built on the momentum from the Workforce Summit in the fall that brought together nearly 200 manufacturers, educators and community leaders to address the recent growth and declined pipeline of skilled manufacturers. The ideas generated at the summit enabled ERMP to finalize a strategic action plan for 2016.
ERMP’s initial priorities will be addressing Manufacturing Readiness and Work-Based Learning and will be forming action teams for each of them. The Manufacturing Readiness Team will identify the skills needed to enter into a manufacturing career pathway and identify common assessments and processes to select candidates with the right fit. This team also will look at best practices to prepare individuals with the soft skills, basic skills, and technical skills necessary to enter into and progress up manufacturing career pathways.
The Work-Based Learning Action Team will work to create more opportunities for hands-on learning — including job shadowing, internships, co-ops and apprenticeships and coordinate efforts at each step of the career pathway.
For more information or how to become a Supporter, visit www.industryneedsyou.com/about-us/ermp/.
