Presenters will share Honda’s strategy for addressing short- and long-term talent needs through partnerships with external organizations. Key takeaways include:

• Utilizing a regional approach with local application to solve pipeline needs
• How to partner with external groups to solve workforce pipeline issues
• How to utilize data to understand the company needs and determine if the pipeline will be successful

Speakers

• Meredith Reffey, Department Lead, Workforce Partnerships, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Bill Whaley, Workforce Partnership Principal Specialist, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Stephanie Spillman, Workforce Partner Specialist, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Nate Titus, Western Ohio Workforce Partnerships Lead, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
• Matt Springer, Central Ohio Workforce Partnerships Lead, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

GE Appliances has recognized the need for flexibility in the workforce to attract diverse talent pools, including women, students, retirees, and refugees. This has been achieved through initiatives like flexible work schedules and transportation programs through Lyft. The company has made significant efforts to provide comprehensive healthcare for its employees and their families, especially in rural areas, through the establishment of the onsite primary care centers.

GE Appliances is committed to upskilling its workforce, investing in robotics and digitization, and partnering with educational institutions for training. This, along with other innovative programs, has attracted or retained over 2,600 people in a tight labor market.

Speakers

• Tami Hatfield, Executive Director of Human Resources, GE Appliances, a Haier company
• Bill Good, VP of Manufacturing, GE Appliances, a Haier company

As COVID put the Land O’Lakes, Inc. (LOL), under stress, the company used it as an invitation to develop a set of innovative talent-attraction practices that have placed us in a stronger position to win.

• X-Factor #1: Lead With Purpose
• X-Factor #2: Offer Flexibility
• X-Factor #3: Improve Candidate Experience
• X-Factor #4: Build Partnerships

No one can completely “solve” the talent equation. Like a Major League fastball, success is about increasing your hit rate by any margin. Land O’Lakes has developed a set of methods and approaches that any company can use to better attract the workforce it needs, and reduce costs, time, and candidate frustration. Join the breakout session to learn more about the X-Factors of hourly talent attraction.

Speakers

• Kurt Ripplemeyer, Talent Acquistion Manager, Land O’Lakes Inc.
• James Bruno, Manager, Talent Aquisition, Land O’Lakes Inc.

In this session, Cara Collective will unpack strategies for filling critical talent needs by building relationships between workforce development organizations and the manufacturing industry. Published by Cara Plus in 2022, The AdvoKit: A Toolkit to Create Strong Employer Partnerships and Push for Inclusive Change is a two-part approach to cultivating relationships with employers and becoming a trusted advisor to shift their practices around recruitment, hiring, and advancement for talent pools that have previously been overlooked for quality employment. We will share strategies from The AdvoKit and examine how Cara Collective used its principles to build a trusted relationship with Chicago’s Freedman Seating Company. This interactive workshop will give attendees a chance to discuss how they can play a role in bridging the gap between motivated job seekers and the labor shortages manufacturers face.

Speakers

• Ellen Sauter, Senior Workforce Solutions Specialist, Cara Plus
• Cara Klyn, Corporate Account Specialist, Cara Collective

Lilly Manufacturing is partnering with Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College to establish a talent ecosystem to train the workforce of the future for Lilly and Indiana.

Lilly committed $92.5 MM to Purdue to establish a scholarship program and to extend research collaboration. Elements include:

• Full tuition scholarships for 350 – 700 Lilly Scholars at Purdue over 10 years
• Guaranteed paid internship
• Opportunities for Lilly Scholars to interact with Lilly leadership

Lilly also announced a $15 MM Lilly Scholars program in partnership with the Ivy Tech Foundation. Key elements of this program include:

• Full-tuition scholarships for 1,000 students at Ivy Tech over a 5-years
• Wrap around services to address student needs and remove barriers to education
• Building of high school pathways and infrastructure
• Work study programs
• Educational opportunities for existing employees
• Biotech manufacturing lab and a Smartlab
• Employment opportunities in high demand roles

Speakers

• Kristen McCain, Associate Director of Strategic Talent Partnerships for Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company

Opportunity Knocks bridges the gap between the manufacturing industry and the next generation through mentorship and skill-building. Presenters will outline the easy structure and planning requirements for the program, which allow mentors to continue their regular responsibilities while students try on manufacturing. We will cover the value to students, mentors, company culture, and community relationships.

Speakers

• Andy Silver, Sales and Marketing Manager, Ketchie Inc.

In this engaging presentation, we explore the essential strategies for optimizing your hiring process and ensuring the retention of top talent in your organization. We begin by talking about leveraging your brand’s reputation and various recruiting tools to attract the right candidates.

We then introduce the innovative approach of week-long working interviews, which are practical for assessing candidate fit and competency before finalizing hiring decisions. Also, we will go into the development of a comprehensive training roadmap tailored for each role. This roadmap encompasses a structured orientation, immersive, hands-on experiences in production/factory environments, specialized courses, and role-specific training initiatives.

By adopting these approaches, you’ll gain insights into refining your hiring processes, aligning employees with your company values, and enhancing long-term employee retention and organizational success. Join us to learn how these strategies can be effectively implemented to transform your talent management practices.

Speakers

• Jo Peterson, Chair, Manufacturing Expo and Executive Board Member Economic Development Council

Employees want development. When a new team member begins their career at Acutec Precision Aerospace, training standards are shared and reinforced through their matrix allowing them to see what skills are needed to advance. Acutec assists by finding appropriate classes to supplement on-the-job training. More than that as machinists, they start with a training program that incorporates a rotation of critical areas of knowledge prior to machining. Followed by training divided between a classroom where they learn basics of machining, inspection, math, lean manufacturing, blueprints and GD&T, programming, and more and on the job training with dedicated trainers and apply specified standards to ensure success. Their training does not stop there, for those who are driven to success, they are then able to become a part of our accelerator program where a mix of their full-time work, defined training, and additional classroom hours help them to more quickly elevate to the next level of their career.

Speakers

• Elisabeth Smith, CEO/President of Acutec Precision Aerospace
• Tina Caldwell, Human Resource Generalist, Acutec Precision Aerospace
• Austin Rock, HR Manager, Acutec Precision Aerospace

Presenters will highlight how Armstrong World Industries has leveraged relationships, both newly fostered and nurtured over time to work with the communities in which they have their headquarters, Lancaster, PA, as well as different plant sites in locations such as Marietta, PA, Pensacola, FL, Macon, GA, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, three sites in Central Ohio, and others to both help the communities they are a part of and rebrand in their communities to once again be an employer of choice.

Speakers

• Salena Coachman, VP, Talent Sustainability, Talent Acquisition, DEI, Armstrong World Industries
• Anna Ramos, President and CEO, Lancaster County Workforce Development Board

A rural-based, world-renowned ag manufacturer reveals how child care will give the company an advantage when it comes to recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce.

From grain bins to Bin Town Child Care….hear how Iowa-based Sukup Manufacturing Co. captured a vision to take employee benefits to new heights.  President/CEO Steve Sukup shares the child-care solution that doesn’t just benefit current employees. It’s a plan that could help ease a worker crunch while giving a boost to the local economy.

Speakers

• Renee Hansen, External Relations Manager, Sukup Manufacturing Co.
  

Skilled workers are not looking for your job, they have a job. Hear from companies that are using innovative approaches, including the FAME model, to build future talent. Whether introducing new ideas through the emerging workforce, or investing in incumbent workers to enhance proven talent, these companies are using FAME to meet their needs in a variety of ways. Learn the how–and what–of this model that helps fill their need for skilled technicians.

Speakers

• Andrew Quinn, Sr. Director of HR, Novelis
• Brooke Kaskey, Sr. Manager, Emerging Talent, Smurfit Westrock

Leveraging Strategic Partnerships to Attract Future Manufacturing Talent

For organizations that wish to strengthen their brand and increase their manufacturing client reach with a positive ROI, this session is for you. Karen Buck, co-founder of What’s So Cool About Manufacturing® student video contest and founder of PA Dream Team ambassador program, and Amber Morris, PA Dream Team Program Manager, will reveal the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) premier model for leveraging and adding strategic partnerships into your sphere of influence that effectively attracts the future workforce to career paths in manufacturing while elevating MEP recognition as the expert authority in American manufacturing. MRC has templates, sponsorship materials, and a toolkit with dozens of useful resources.

Speakers

• Karen Buck, Director of Workforce Initiatives, MRC
• Amber Morris, Workforce Initiatives Specialist, MRC

During the pandemic, the manufacturing industry changed tremendously, as did its workforce needs. In this session, presenters will discuss the latest research on strategies manufacturing employers can utilize to appropriately arm their employees with the necessary skills and foster a more meaningful and positive work environment. While the strategies discussed can help shape manufacturers’ talent strategies, these toolkits are also designed to address the worker shortage that has been plaguing the manufacturing industry for years.

Speakers

• Leticia Roinesdal, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP
• Steve Fuller, Partner​, People Advisory Services, EY
• John Karren, Partner, Consulting Solutions, Workforce Transformation – HR, Talent, Change PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Modern Manufacturing is an innovative way to recruit students into manufacturing jobs in many different manufacturing disciplines. Now in over 28 high schools and CTE centers across the State of Alabama with over 1,700 students. This innovative approach to connecting students to jobs in manufacturing has transformed the way Mercedes in Vance, Alabama, and many other manufacturers look at their recruiting process.

Speakers

• Donny Jones, Executive Director, West Alabama Works

Discover how Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a vital role in strengthening a company’s culture and supporting employee retention. This session will explore the value of ERGs in creating a more inclusive workplace, where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered. By fostering a sense of belonging and providing opportunities for connection, ERGs not only enhance employee well-being, but also contribute to long-term retention, helping to build an engaged workforce. Join us to learn how ERGs can be a strategic asset in driving cultural change and ensuring employees want to stay and thrive.

Speakers

• Stephanie Regan, Corporate Citizenship Director, AAON, Inc

In this session, you’ll discover how skills-based hiring can enhance your recruitment of military candidates. The MI is currently in phase 3 of a project backed by Walmart, aimed at creating a comprehensive skills-matching model that aligns military training with manufacturing skills. This model leverages the diverse training and experiences of active-duty service members and veterans from all military branches, showcasing how their skills apply to key manufacturing roles. Participants can earn digital badges in Safety, Quality, and Maintenance based on their military experience, with future badges planned for Logistics and Leadership. Once completed, this model will significantly expand the reach of the HMA program and establish a robust military-to-manufacturing pipeline.

Speakers

• Gardner Carrick, Chief Program Officer, The Manufacturing Institute
• Amy Thomas, National Director, Military and Veterans Initiatives, The Manufacturing Institute

In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, effective workforce development is critical for fostering growth and innovation for the manufacturing industry. This session will explore the intricate relationship between policy decisions and workforce development initiatives. Participants will gain insights into how federal, state, and local policies can shape workforce training programs, funding opportunities, and employment outcomes. Join us to understand the current (and very active) policy landscape affecting workforce development, strategies for leveraging policy to enhance training programs, and tools for collaborating among stakeholders to create a cohesive talent ecosystem. Come prepared to engage, share experiences, and develop actionable strategies that can drive meaningful change in your community.

Speakers

• Katie McClelland, Governor’s Workforce Development Board Director, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Gardner Carrick, Chief Program Officer, The Manufacturing Institute

Research shows that hands-on, immersive learning boosts student engagement—enter the MI’s newly created Innovator’s Quest. In this session, we’ll reveal The Quest for the Crystal of Innovation, a role-playing game for grades 4-9 that introduces key manufacturing skills and careers through fun, age-appropriate challenges. Thanks to Honda’s support and building on the momentum from Creators Wanted and MFG Day, this accessible, out-of-the-box tool helps manufacturers interact and connect with local students. Your feedback will help guide us from prototype to production. Join us on our quest to shape the minds of our future workforce.

Speakers

• Jen White, Director, Student Engagement, The Manufacturing Institute

Are You Measuring Business Impact of Your Learning Programs?

Young Oh has over 20 years of experience in manufacturing engineering and global HR/Talent leadership, providing him with a unique perspective on solving the talent equation. In this session, he will share novel HR strategies to build an effective workforce learning and training program by applying key engineering principles. These strategies focus on creating strong stakeholder buy-in, measuring training’s impact on production KPIs, and accelerating skills development.

Speakers

• Young Oh, VP Manufacturing Business Dev., Seertech Solutions

Cancellation and refund requests for the Workforce Summit must be made in writing by October 1, 2024 by contacting [email protected]. A full refund of the conference fee, will be applied to cancellations received by that date.

NO REFUNDS will be granted for requests emailed after October 1, 2024. The Manufacturing Institute also regrets that refunds will not be given for no-shows. Substitutions for an individual that cannot attend the event will gladly be accepted.

A transfer of your full registration is permitted prior to the conference by submitting your request to [email protected]. Onsite transfers will not be granted. Only one transfer is permitted per original registrant. The individual submitting the transfer request is responsible for all financial obligations (any balance due) associated with that substitution. Badge sharing, splitting and reprints are strictly prohibited.