Butch Lecuona launch speech

When Tony first approached me about the Dream It – Do It campaign, it really was a “no brainer” for me. The question I asked myself was, if not now, when?...If  not us, who?

Workforce Development Issues/Challenges:

1. Developing a pipeline of young workers;

2. Building competency models, career ladders, and career lattices for new and incumbent workers;

3. Expanding postsecondary training alternatives including apprenticeships and community colleges’ workforce development programs;

4. Accessing new and/or untapped labor pools;

5. Transitioning workers from declining industries;

6. Developing strategies for retaining incumbent workers and updating their skills; and

7. Engaging small businesses.

The USDOL/ETA High Growth Job Training Initiative is investing in national models and demonstrations of workforce solutions in these sectors designed to achieve the following outcomes:

• Targeted investment of workforce development resources and support for private and public sector partnerships to ensure the development of workers' skills in demand occupations based on industry need.
• Increased integration of community and technical college efforts with business and the public workforce system activities to meet the skills training needs of high growth industries.
• Increased opportunities for employers to use apprenticeship training as skills development methodology, combining on-the-job training and academics, to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers.
• Providing workers with paths to career enhancing opportunities in high growth occupations.
• Providing workers with paths to career enhancing opportunities in high growth occupations.

By expanding the local workforce system's capacity to be market-driven, responsive to local economic needs, and a contributor to the economic well-being of the community, the Nebraska Workforce Development-Department of Labor is promoting workforce quality, enhanced productivity, and economic competitiveness.

NWD-DOL has sought to understand and implement industry-identified strategies to confront critical workforce challenges. It has listened to employers, representatives from industry associations and labor-management organizations, and others associated with the advanced manufacturing industry regarding their efforts to identify challenges and implement effective workforce strategies. However, the challenges they face are far too complex for one institution or industry sector to solve alone.  The NWD-DOL is supporting comprehensive partnerships that include employers, the public workforce system, and other entities that have developed innovative approaches that address the workforce needs of business while also effectively helping workers find good jobs with good wages and promising career pathways in the advanced manufacturing industry like the Dream It – Do It Campaign.

As we look at workforce solutions, we need to look at the industry’s priorities that address issues such as:

Training for Innovation: The capacity for innovation is the primary competitive advantage for U.S. manufacturers in the global marketplace. Thus, employers need workers who are continually focused on improving processes and products.

• Pipeline Development: Too few young people consider the possibility of manufacturing careers and are unaware of the skills they need to work in an advanced manufacturing environment. Similarly, the K-12 system does not adequately impart the skills that employers need or educate students of manufacturing career opportunities, but in Nebraska we are getting better. For example—Mechatronics, Future Force Nebraska and now, Dream It – Do It!
• Image: Manufacturing confronts a negative public image, characterized by such phrases as, "moving offshore," "declining," "dirty," "low pay," etc. Consequently, too few highly skilled workers seriously consider manufacturing careers.
• Immigration: The manufacturing workforce is increasingly foreign-born, meaning that English language skills are becoming a prominent challenge for the industry. Employers have experienced difficulty finding ESL programs that suit their particular needs.
• Employability/soft skills: Manufacturers experience difficulty finding and hiring workers with adequate basic skills, including: reading, writing, math, problem solving, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, computer literacy, and flexibility/adaptability.
• Small business issues: Many small- and medium-sized manufacturers do not have human resources departments and have little experience organizing training programs for their workers.
• Matching training providers to business needs: Manufacturers report difficulty finding training providers that align with their needs, for example, coordination of work and training schedules, transportation of workers, finding programs that meet specific technology or process needs.
• Incumbent worker training: Manufacturers assert that rising health care and other costs limit the resources available for incumbent worker training. Additionally, businesses face the dilemma that the trained worker will leave but the untrained worker will stay. And lastly,
• Training the supply chain: Manufacturers increasingly need integrated training programs for workers throughout the supply chain.

Initiatives like the Dream It – Do It, Campaign provide Nebraska with a great opportunity to do great things in partnership with our state’s manufacturing community…And as I said in the beginning, if not now, when…if not us, who?

The Nebraska Workforce Development-Department of Labor is a proud partner and sponsor in this endeavor.

Thank you.