Goodwill to manufacturing men and women

Goodwill Industries International Inc. is known for its thrift stores that raise billions of dollars by selling donated clothing and household items. Stores are great for finding bargains, but they also have a more important role in funding important career-building programs.

In fact, over 85% of store revenue is directly spent supporting community-based programs such as employment training and placement services.

As part of their training initiatives, local goodwill groups partner with industry leaders to provide job seekers with the skills employers are looking for. In 2021, approximately 2 million people will receive services from his Goodwill to help them grow their careers, and more than 123,000 people will find employment in the United States.

Mocan de attitude

MoKan Goodwill in western Missouri and eastern Kansas is a great example of nonprofits forming innovative partnerships to help disadvantaged residents. This includes affiliation in manufacturing certification classes with Tooling U-SME, SME’s workforce development arm.

Based in Kansas City, the group has provided community assistance for over 125 years. We use that resource to empower people to discover their potential and adapt to the future through the power of work. As part of its mission, MoKan Goodwill is constantly striving to improve and add new services.

“In early 2022, several people attended an event organized by the Missouri Association of Manufacturers as we decided to implement a manufacturing vocational training program as part of the vocational training we offer in the Kansas City area.” explains MoKan’s Katherine Maloney. Vice President of Employee Development at Goodwill. “At the event, we learned about her Certified Manufacturing Associate (CMfgA) certification at Tooling-U SME and it seemed to be exactly what we were looking for.”

With continued labor shortages and stagnating wages, efforts like these are critical to matching qualified job seekers with employers. In addition to providing skills training to employees so they can land high-paying jobs, manufacturers can fill their talent pipelines with people they know will be ready to hit the ground running. It’s a win-win for both.

“The need for a skilled workforce is one of the most important challenges for the future growth and prosperity of the manufacturing industry,” asserts Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer at SME. She warned that the current skills gap could make her more than 2.1 million manufacturing jobs unemployed in the United States by 2030.

Certification result

Introduced by SME in 2021, CMfgA is an industry certification focused on basic manufacturing concepts. It is designed for individuals new to manufacturing who may not currently have sufficient knowledge or experience to pursue a more advanced technical certification. Successful completion of this course demonstrates the potential for high-demand entry-level manufacturing jobs.

“Most job seekers participating in Goodwill’s Workforce Development Program are unemployed or underemployed, so find this course designed for those with limited or no experience. “If we can help them qualify, we can give them a shortcut to a promising full-time job that pays a decent wage. , which are not necessarily accessible in any other way.”

By the end of 2022, 33 out of 39 enrolled in the MoKan Goodwill program have achieved certification. This includes 18 of his students who have earned post-program placements at manufacturing companies in the Kansas City area. His average hourly wage for graduates is $17.50, which is more than $6 more than Missouri’s current minimum wage.

On-the-job training

The CMfgA program lasts three weeks, during which students participate in “blended learning” classes. The combination includes hands-on training in the lab and face-to-face instruction in the classroom.

For example, in the lab, students participate in basic measurement procedures alongside instructors, using calipers and micrometers in scenarios to simulate how this skill set applies to real-world manufacturing situations. To do. You will also learn how to implement proper lockout/tagout practices and procedures that protect workers from hazardous energy releases, which is critical to prevent serious injury.

“We built a space where students could use the knowledge they gleaned in the training classrooms in scenarios they would encounter if they were working in manufacturing,” explains Maloney. “We also invested in a virtual reality headset that allows students to run manufacturing-focused simulations that are nearly identical to the real thing.”

This allows participants to gain first-hand knowledge of the skills they have learned and demonstrate how they can use them immediately.

“Creative partnerships with industry leaders such as Goodwill are essential to developing the next generation of diverse industry professionals and equipping them with the knowledge and tools they need for successful careers,” said SME’s Kunz. said. “Being CMfgA certified is a great start and shows employers that the owner is ready to begin their manufacturing journey.”

community success

One manufacturing company that utilizes CMfgA certification is Tnemec Inc., based in North Kansas City. The company specializes in protecting surfaces and structures from corrosion with high performance coatings and linings. With 10 locations in North America, Tnemec is always looking for well-trained applicants, so the Goodwill-SME program is a great fit.

Tnemec has been approached to join Goodwill in the summer of 2022 to help individuals in need of the opportunity to find their footing and provide them with the opportunity to pursue full-time employment for future success.

Ron Schimmel, Tnemec’s Director of Operations and Manufacturing, said: “Programs with Goodwill enable us to meet our internal hiring needs and teach these individuals how to be great employees.”

Tnemec participated in four interview sessions at MoKan Goodwill with CMfgA holders. Along the way, the manufacturer has identified several potential job seekers. At least one person has already paid a salary and contributed to the company’s success.

Having earned his CMfgA through the MoKan Goodwill program, Brad Cox utilizes his training as a permanent Tnemec employee. He became aware of this opportunity through the Transitional Center in Kansas City, where he lived after serving a prison sentence for selling methamphetamine. MoKan Goodwill not only helped find a place to live, but also helped Cox on his way to decent-paying full-time employment.

“I was fed up with my transitional everyday life, so this program offered a way out,” Cox said. I got a job at Tnemec after finding out it was a good fit, and thanks to the longevity of this job, I am now able to research housing on my own.

Goodwill also helps job seekers navigate local bus services, identifying convenient transportation options and reducing the chance of job loss.

But CMfgA program participants are real heroes. It is their hard work and commitment that sets them up for future success.

“The true merit of the program is the effort an individual puts in to earn it,” Maloney says. “We don’t just put a rubber stamp on their certifications. I’m confident in stepping up and doing something for you.”