TO: Indiana State Board of Education FROM: Alicia Kielmovitch, Senior Director of Policy and Legislation RE: Best Practice – Locally Created Pathway – Jay County Manufacturing Pathway DATE: July 2, 2018 Locally Created Pathways (LCPs): Per the Graduation Pathways policy adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) in December 2017, schools may apply for locally developed assessments for students to demonstrate college- and career-readiness. These LCPs augment the current list of Postsecondary-Ready Competencies already included in the established policy. LCPs must meet the following 3 criteria: 1) Collaboration; 2) Competency; and 3) Continuous Improvement. Determining a Best Practice: During the review of applications for LCPs, the Review Team, consisting of staff members from State Board, the Department of Education, the Department of Workforce Development, and the Commission for Higher Education, determined that Jay County’s application provided great detail and information on the currency students will obtain upon completion of this program. This program exceeds the minimum expectations the policy established. Jay County’s comprehensive pathway has also been upheld as a model for the state through the University of Indianapolis’s Education Workforce Innovation Network. Because this is an excellent model of the Grad Pathways policy, the Review Team suggested this be presented to the State Board of Education as a Best Practice. Summary of Jay County’s Manufacturing Pathway: The Jay County Manufacturing is an academic program exceeding the Graduation Pathway minimum requirements. Students earn CTE Concentrator status, multiple industry certification, and dual credits. The course of study culminates in Work-based Learning experience with a manufacturing partner.

Criterion 1: Collaboration: The Jay County Manufacturing Pathway has numerous manufacturing companies partners through the Jay County Manufacturing Council. They have also partnered with as well as Ivy Tech, Wright State University, Blackford Community Schools, and the Area 18 CTE Center. All collaborators have assisted with creating program relevant to specific industry needs. Criterion 2: Competencies: Throughout this pathway, students will have the opportunity to earn at least 7 CTE credits in a curricular sequence, multiple certifications, and dual credits from two postsecondary institutions. In Adv. Manufacturing IA & IB classes, students will earn the Six Sigma White Belt certification and an MSSC CPT Safety Certification, which is recognized by DWD. Ivy Tech credits accompany these courses. In Advanced Manufacturing II, students will achieve a SkillsTrac Green Level Certification, which is recognized in Ohio, plus 8 credits toward an Associate of Technical Study degree at Wright State. Jay County is hoping to have these dual credits recognized at Ivy Tech, as well. The SkillsTrac coursework takes place off-site at our regional manufacturing training center & culminates with a Work-based Learning experience. Students also demonstrated employability skills by earning the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate. Criterion 3: Continuous Improvement: The intended outcome for Jay County’s students is twofold: fulfill employer needs with students who have gained industry-recognized certifications in high wage-high demand areas and provide students a head start on their postsecondary careers by earning dual credits at two universities who offer degree programs in Manufacturing. Jay County will track students’ and their employment in this field through data from DWD and the Jay County Manufacturing Council. Curriculum audits, satisfaction surveys, pathway dashboards and scorecards will become part of the annual responsibilities of this Council. Jay County will have quarterly meetings with the Manufacturing Council, allowing for continual monitoring of the program and making adjustments to keep up with community needs.

▪ 143 W. Market Street, Suite 500 ▪ Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 ▪

▪ (317) 232-2000 ▪ www.in.gov/sboe ▪

LOCALLY CREATED PATHWAYS: APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL

Below is the information that schools and districts must provide to the State Board of Education (SBOE) to have a Locally Created Pathway (LCP) considered. Applications for LCPs will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The deadline to submit applications for the 2018-19 school year is October 1, 2018.

This application and accompanying rubric may change over time.

Directions: Schools and/or districts must submit the application containing the information required below. The District Superintendent and local governing board must sign the application. All of the questions below must be answered completely, unless the question is labeled as optional.

Please send your completed application, including the letter of support (or other documentation) from your collaborator and any additional supporting documents, to Alicia Kielmovitch.

NEXT STEPS 1. Upon submission, a Review Team consisting of SBOE staff, and staff from the Commission of Higher

Education (CHE), Department of Education (DOE), and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will conduct an Initial Review.

2. The Initial Review will take at least thirty (30) business days from the receipt of the application. During the Initial Review, the Review Team may request additional information and/or ask clarifying or follow-up questions regarding the application as part of the due diligence process. All responses must be provided within ten (10) business days. In addition, requests for updates and/or changes to the application may be made to strengthen the LCP.

3. Upon the completion of the Initial Review, SBOE staff will draft a final recommendation for SBOE consideration. The recommendation will be provide to the applicant and SBOE at least one (1) week before the next scheduled Board meeting, pursuant to SBOE Operating Procedures.

4. At the Board meeting, SBOE will approve, table, or reject the Local Pathway. a. Approved Local Pathways: LCP joins state’s “Graduation Pathways Library” and all Indiana schools

may start utilizing LCP immediately. • If adopted by other districts, the LCP’s model must be the same, though the components (e.g.,

collaborator) may change. The intended outcomes, however, must be the same. • If an adopted Pathway differs substantively, the school/district must resubmit the new LCP for

approval using the application below. • Schools and districts wishing to adopt an approved LCP will need to notify the SBOE by

filling out the Adopting an Approved Locally Created Pathway form. • Schools/districts will present annual reports of LCP’s effectiveness to the Board.

b. Tabled/Rejected LCPs: SBOE (in addition to DOE, CHE, and DWD) staff will work with applicant

over the next two (2) months to address outstanding issues and a new recommendation will be submitted to the SBOE.

2

SCHOOL INFORMATION

School Corporation Name and Number: Jay School Corporation, 3945

Information on School/Corporation Demographics: School type:

Urban Suburban Rural All of the above

Total high school enrollment: 1013

Anticipated enrollment in Local Pathway: 25

Point of Contact for Application and Information:

Name: Chad Dodd

Position: Principal

Number: 260-726-9306

Email: cdodd@jayschools.k12.in.us

Contact Info for District Superintendent:

Name: Jeremy Gulley

Number: 260-726-9341

Email: jgulley@jayschools.k12.in.us Signature of District Superintendent: Signature of Local Governing Board Representative: Title of the Local Pathway:

SkillsTrac Green Level Certification (Industrial Maintenance Basics; 86 hrs. Tooling U, 32 Lab hrs.)

3

CRITERIA FOR LOCALLY CREATED PATHWAY 1) Criterion 1: Collaboration: LCPs must be developed in collaboration (or partnership) with business and

industry, postsecondary education and training providers, and/or community organizations. Additional partners may include other schools/districts, career and technical education centers, and other local partners (e.g., Workforce Investment Boards, Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Boards, etc.). When possible, the LCP should align to regional economic needs and high wage and/or high demand data.

a. Who is the collaborator for this Local Pathway? (Application must include at least one external partner).

• Institution of higher education or postsecondary training provider: John Jay Center for Learning (Ivy Tech & Wright State)

• Industry/Sector Partnership/Business: Jay/Blackford Manufacturing Council & CELL

• Community Organization: Wright State University

b. Are there any additional collaborators? (Optional.)

• Schools/districts: Blackford County Schools/Blackford High School

• CTE Center: Area 18 CTE Cooperative

• Community Partner: FCC (Indiana), Poet, Coca-Cola, Ft. Recovery Industries, and others

Point of contact and contact information for collaborator(s):

Jay/Blackford Manufacturing Council-- Rusty Inman 260-729-5525; Blackford County Schools-- Chad Yencer 765-348-7550. Members of the Jay/Blackford Manufacturing Council include Jay School Corporation, The John Jay Center for Learning, FCC-Indiana, Ft. Recovery Industries, Poet Bio Refining, Sonoco TLS By Design Pennville Custom Cabinets Tyson Original NPR QEP 3M

c. Describe how the Local Pathway was developed with the collaborator. (Application must include letter(s) of support from partner(s) or other documents demonstrating collaboration in application submission.)

Manufacturing is the number one employer in Jay and Blackford Counties, making up 48% of total private employment in Jay County and 36% of total private employment in Blackford County. Our employers have met through a series of collaboration sessions leading to the creation of the Jay/Blackford Manufacturing Council. Through this council, they have identified three areas of demand for talent in their organizations: Industrial Maintenance, Automation/Robotics, and Soft Skills. Jay County was awarded a SkillUp II grant and its literature is attached to this application, titled “Manufacturing Plan.” Also attached is a flyer titled, “EWIN Showcase.”

4

d. Describe the collaborator’s role in the Local Pathway.

Upon receipt of the SkillUp II grant, the members of the manufacturing council from these two counties worked together to select the equipment, curriculum, and instructor for this program. Many of the members supported this endeavor, from its inception, with company dollars and time. They have made several presentations to high school students, actively participated in Manufacturing Day and Junior College/Career Day, and other job awareness related activities. When this local pathway opportunity was explained at our most recent council meeting, employers were optimistic that they could employ these newly certified students and would send them back, at employer expense, to receive additional SkillsTrac training certifications.

e. If applicable, describe how the proposed LCP is aligned to regional economic needs and high wage and/or high demand data. These data may be from: DWD, Local Economic Development Board, and Burning Glass. Regional economic needs and high wage and/or high demand data may include: local current employment (number of jobs opened and/or filled), local occupational outlook (projected openings), or local asset mapping. Applicants must cite or include all referenced data or resources in application submission.

Sites such as Burning Glass and IndianaCareerReady identify the greatest skill gap in this county and in this region to be in manufacturing; primarily in the areas of Industrial Maintenance and Automation/Robotics. These register as 4 and 5 flame jobs on the demand ranking now and in the projection over the next 10 years. Please see the following attached documents for this information: StatsIndiana; Job Postings JC; InDemand Jobs SS 1, 2, and 3.

2) Criterion 2: Competency: LCPs must provide students with recognized postsecondary knowledge and skills (e.g., credits, credentials) that prepare students for meaningful postsecondary education/training and/or employment opportunities.

a. Describe the LCP’s components as related to college- and career-readiness. (May include but is not limited to: final student work product; industry-recognized co-op or apprenticeship; course sequence; assessments; or description of the skills and academic knowledge.)

Preparing for College & Career(5394, 1 cr.), Adv. Man IA(5608, 2 cr.), Adv. Man IB(5608, 4 cr.), SkillTrac Green Level Certification(4 cr.) Students earn college credit hours from Wright State & Ivy Tech as well as a SkillsTrac certification endorsed by local manufacturers. The SkillsTrac coursework takes place off-site at our regional manufacturing training center & culminates with a WBL experience. We are working with Ivy Tech to get an MOU transferring the Wright State credits to Ivy Tech.

5

b. Will this Local Pathway also fulfill the Employability Skills experience? If so, please explain how. (Optional.)

To earn this certification, students will be required to complete 86 hours of class work as well as 32 hours of lab work. Once completed, students will move into a 75-100 hour work based learning experience with local manufacturers to complete the Employability Skills experience required in the new Graduation Pathway model.

c. How will this Local Pathway add currency for a student’s postsecondary endeavors? Throughout this pathway, students will have the opportunity to earn multiple certifications and dual credits from 2 postsecondary institutions. In Adv. Manufacturing IA & IB classes, students will earn the six sigma white belt certification and an MSSC CPT Safety Certification. Ivy Tech credits will accompany these courses. In Advanced Manufacturing II, students will achieve a SkillsTrac Green Level Certification plus 8 credits toward an Associate of Technical Study degree at Wright State.

3) Criterion 3: Continuous Improvement: The LCP must be evaluated and continuously improved based upon the evaluation at the state and local level. Applicant will serve as a model and point of contact for other districts interested in adopting or creating a similar pathway.

a. What are the intended outcomes for students who complete this pathway? Please be as specific as

possible. (This may include but is not limited to: credentials, certificates, credits, enrollment in a specific institution or program, or employment in a specific sector/industry/occupation.)

The intended outcome is twofold: fulfill employer needs with students who have gained industry-recognized certifications in high wage-high demand areas and provide students a head start on their postsecondary careers by earning dual credits at two universities who offer degree programs in Manufacturing. There is also a desire to provide these students with a WBL opportunity in their last semester of their high school experience. Skills directed toward industrial maintenance will be learned in the SkillsTrac certification courses. This curriculum is available upon request. Certifications include the Governor’s Work Ethic Cert., Six Sigma, MSSC CPT Safety, & SkillsTrac Green Level. Dual credits come from Ivy Tech and Wright State.

6

b. How will the school and district measure student outcomes? (This may include but is not limited to: data from Naviance, the Commission for Higher Education, Management Performance Hub, or the Department for Workforce Development, employer surveys, or student surveys.)

We will use local workforce data supplied by the DWD as well as data from the HLC to measure outcomes. Measuring gainful employment & continued postsecondary education is vital. Dual credit attainment, WBL hours, work ethic certificates earned will also be part of the metrics used to evaluate this program. Employer & student surveys will be utilized to capture the most current information. The manufacturing council will play a role in monitoring the success of this program.

c. What process will the school and district have in place to evaluate and continuously improve the pathway based upon that evaluation?

Quarterly meetings with the manufacturing council will allow us to continually monitor the program and make the adjustments necessary to keep up with community needs. Curriculum audits, satisfaction surveys, pathway dashboards and scorecards will become part of the annual responsibilities of this council. This will allow us to complete plan, do, study, act cycles to improve our practices. This network of employers, educators, and administrators allows for feedback to be shared regularly.

d. Who will serve as the point of contact for other schools/districts interested in replicating this LCP?

Name: Chad Dodd

Position: Principal

Number: 260-726-9306

Email: cdodd@jayschools.k12.in.us

JAY-BLACKFORD

Manufacturing Strategic Plan

OBJECTIVE 1

OBJECTIVE 2

OBJECTIVE 3

OBJECTIVE 4

OBJECTIVE 5

OBJECTIVE 6

OBJECTIVE 7

OBJECTIVE 8

OBJECTIVE 9

Establish Job Forecast and Skill Demand

Conduct Profiles and Identify Gap Analysis

Develop Competency Maps

Create Employer-Driven Curriculum

Provide Employer-Driven Workforce Training

Integrate Counseling Advising System

Identify High-Wage Sectors and Related Jobs

Coordinate with Educators

Grow Existing Businesses and Attract New Business

Committed to meeting the training needs of our local manufacturing partners.

OUR VISIONOur region will be work-ready, with a high quality workforce employed in high-wage, high-demand jobs that promotes a strong middle class and prosperous communities.

OUR STORYManufacturing is the number one employer in Jay

and Blackford Counties, making up 50% of total

private employment in Jay County and 36% of total

private employment in Blackford County. As goes

manufacturing, so goes the local economic future in

our region. Our employers have met through a series

of collaboration sessions and have identified three

areas of demand for talent in their organizations:

Industrial Maintenance, Automation/Robotics,

and Soft Skills.

In Jay/Blackford, there are approximately 2,700

workers employed in the manufacturing sector –

on a per capita basis, this is 288% higher than the

national average. These workers work in 108 different

manufacturing-related business occupations.

The goal of the Jay-Blackford Manufacturing Alliance

is to improve the system ensuring we are teaching the

right skills, at the right time, in the right way. This will

lead to direct employment in local manufacturing. To

achieve this, we will build a Pathway System.

Our Pathway System will answer three driving

questions: Are employer’s needs being met, are

we teaching the right skills, and are we raising

personal income?

We are committed to achieve routine direct

employment and accelerate skills-based career

progression through our combined efforts.

01

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OUR PLANThe three-part framework drives toward engaging, aligning and advancing. These nine objectives will position Jay and Blackford counties to change the current trajectory and achieve our vision.

ADVANCEARE WE RAISING PERSONAL INCOME?

OUR MISSION The mission of Jay Blackford Manufacturing Council at John Jay Center for Learning is to provide quality education and training that enables students to better their lives financially and to positively contribute to the communities in which they work and live.

02

ENGAGEARE EMPLOYER NEEDS BEING MET?

ALIGNARE WE TEACHING THE RIGHT SKILLS AND BUILDING TALENT PIPELINES?

John Jay Center for Learning was born out of a conversation that said that if Jay County wanted to compete in the 21st Century’s global economy, there was a need for a community college and opportunities for post-secondary education. So in 1999, a group of concerned citizens met every Monday morning at 7am to discuss the possibility and reality of this very notion. In 2001, the idea of John Jay Center for Learning became a reality with a storefront building, a partnership with Ivy Tech Community College, and bigger dreams of offering career and technical education in a county where manufacturing and agriculture are king.

In a region where more than 40% of the economy is driven by jobs in manufacturing, as goes manufacturing, so goes Jay and Blackford County. And with an aging population in the current workforce, and without skilled workforce coming behind them to fill jobs of future retirees, there was an issue that needed to be addressed.

John Jay Center for Learning, Jay School Corporation and Blackford County Schools has formed the Jay-Blackford Manufacturing Alliance to help make our communities better.

The Jay-Blackford Manufacturing Alliance will provide opportunities to fill the skills gap, and provide high skill, high demand, and high paying jobs in our region. With classes focused on Advanced Manufacturing to be held in the lower level of John Jay in Portland, students will have educational opportunities at a level never before offered. This training, in Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Maintenance, will equip current and future workers with in-demand skills that will provide them job opportunities anywhere across the region. This newly educated workforce will create a deeper talent pool for manufacturers to choose from. There are too many studies which have been done that show the more education a workforce possesses, the more good things happen in those communities.

We live in a time when the population is shifting and moving more to centralized urban areas. But in small communities such as ours, there remains a significant number of people who do not go away to college, but stay home and enter the workforce. This manufacturing alliance is our chance to make our “most” better. Better education. Better opportunities. A better life for their families. A better future for East Central Indiana.

JOHNJAYCENTER.COM

OUR HISTORY

03

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

WE WILL target skills gap needs identified by our regional partnership aimed at meeting workforce needs and aligning education to the occupations that will be available in the region and across the state.

WE WILL DO THIS BY utilizing the correct WorkOne systems of record (including the Indiana Network of Knowledge (INK) to ensure that real-time demand data informs our Pathway System. We will establish a process to validate this information with human resource directors from our partnering employers. This information will inform our curriculum and ensure skill delivery systems are aligned. In addition, we will anticipate and plan enrollment goals to fill demand.

OB JEC TI V E ONE: Establish Job Forecast and Skill Demand

“U.S. manufacturing is on the move, but this skills gap is a problem. It’s just a

huge problem if you don’t have the expertise to maintain and repair

that kind of manufacturing equipment … Technology is going to keep advancing, and automation is going to keep advancing. The costs of this type of equipment are large and you can’t

afford to have them down, because of the amount of investment, plus meeting your customer’s needs. What we can do is utilize courses that are taught at John Jay. We can have our apprentice go there to get certain pieces or the whole body of knowledge that they need to get .” Dean Jetter, CEO Fort Recovery Industries

04

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E T WO: Conduct Profiles and Identify Gap Analysis

WE WILL gather information from employers in order to identify knowledge and skills central to workers performing specific job duties successfully.

WE WILL DO THIS BY utilizing certified ACT Workforce Profilers to obtain employer-defined, job-specific training plans and career pathways. We will use this data to link qualified, skillful job seekers with the appropriate positions while identifying skill gaps that inform curriculum development for educators.

Classes in Automation and Robotics at the high school level have helped me to build a physical and conceptual understanding of the machinery that is used in the process

of manufacturing in modern day industry. These classes will help me through all of my life because more than likely I will be going

into a field of work requiring these skills. ----Alex LeMaster, Grade 11

05

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E T WO: Conduct Profiles and Identify Gap Analysis

OB JEC TI V E THREE: Develop Competency Maps

WE WILL develop and utilize curriculum around the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities identified by our regional sector partnership.

WE WILL DO THIS BY training our teachers and workforce providers to link competencies to curriculum. Students will be prepared for in-demand positions because they have met learning objectives that prepare them to apply knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors to the specific jobs identified by employers. The competency-based approach also streamlines the hiring process because of the involvement of employers from the beginning.

“Wright State University–Lake Campus is proud to support an Advanced Manufacturing program for businesses, technicians, and students in East Central Indiana at John Jay Center for Learning. SkillsTrac is a comprehensive industrial maintenance training program, designed for our rapidly changing manufacturing industry. This program is geared towards full-time adult incumbent workers working as a maintenance tech or incumbent workers in other fields who would like to work in the maintenance field. SkillsTrac is a blended program, offering online learning from ToolingU SME, a partner since 2009. Online classes can be taken anytime and anywhere with the hands-on validation labs taken at the Lake Campus. The program is composed of multiple skill modules and each module builds upon the skills learned in earlier modules or your actual work experience. Employers or employees can take individual modules if a certain skill set is lacking in the employee. Each module is composed of smaller certificated levels.”

Ray Luffkin, Wright State University - Lake Campus

(Skills) Curriculum mapping is a process for collecting and recording curriculum-related data that identifies core skills and content taught, processes employed, and assessments used for each subject area and grade level. This skills mapping will be used to tailor the content to be taught in the classroom, as evidenced by what employers think are the most important things.

06

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E FOUR: Create Employer-Driven Curriculum

WE WILL develop a program of study aligned with employer defined priorities.

WE WILL DO THIS BY:a. Expanding work-and-learn opportunities

b. Expanding the Promise Indiana CollegeChoice 529 program in the Jay and Blackford School Corporations.

c. Aligning the curriculum to postsecondary technical credentials and degree attainment.

d. Utilizing WorkKeys assessments for all high school Juniors as a counseling tool.

e. Improving student work ethic and soft skills.

EXPANDING WORK-AND-LEARN OPPORTUNITIES

EXPANDING THE PROMISE INDIANA COLLEGECHOICE 529 PROGRAM

EXPAND ROBOTICS PROGRAMMING IN JAY AND BLACKFORD SCHOOL CORPORATIONS

ALIGNING CURRICULUM TO POSTSECONDARY TECHNICAL CREDENTIALS AND DEGREE ATTAINMENT

UTILIZING WORKKEYS ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AS A COUNSELING TOOL

IMPROVING STUDENT WORK ETHIC AND SOFT SKILLS

07

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E FOUR: Create Employer-Driven Curriculum

OB JEC TI V E FI V E: Provide Employer-Driven Workforce Training

WE WILL establish the region’s premier industrial maintenance adult workforce training center.

WE WILL DO THIS BY the SkillsTrac curriculum, designed for incumbent workers interested in the maintenance field. The competency based program is housed at the John Jay Center for Learning in Portland Indiana and is employer funded. The approach assesses prior experience and provides the following:

• Employer validated and tailored instruction for incumbent workers

• Adult workforce training that meets the needs of local advanced manufacturing employees for entry level and skilled positions

• Fundamental skills development that leads to employment, reemployment or enhanced employment for adults and out-of-school students as well as, career pathways, academic and career counseling services

This “apprenticeship” approach features employers and John Jay Center for Learning providers sharing responsibility for improving the skillsets of workers/students.

INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCEas a career in Jay and Blackford CountyEntry LevelA Level

B Level

C Level

Initial HiringTake a skills assessment test and interview with department managerJob o�ered based on skills and job interview Average starting wage $14.00 to $16.50/hr ($29,120 - $34,320 annually)

Evaluation of Skills or Passed Skills Attainment ClassTake a hands on skills assessment every 2 yearsPromotion and pay raise based on skills assessment and assessed soft skillsAverage A-Level wage $18.30 to $21.60/hr ($38,064 - $44,928 annually)

Take a hands on skills assessment every 2 yearsPromotion and pay raise based on skills assessment and assessed soft skillsAverage starting wage $21.50 to $24.20/hr ($42,640 - $50,336 annually)

Take a hands on skills assessment every 2 yearsPromotion and pay raise based on skills assessment and assessed soft skillsAverage starting wage $25.16 to $29.00/hr ($48,172 - $60,320 annually)

Evaluation of Skills or Passed Skills Attainment Class

Evaluation of Skills or Passed Skills Attainment Class

08

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E SIX:Integrate Counseling Advising System

WE WILL provide career counseling support throughout the system.

WE WILL DO THIS BY:a. Ensuring that everyone in our community is

aware of the jobs and careers available. Our local companies are in need of local talent, who all too often do not realize the great opportunity right here in their own backyard.

b. Creating a Career Pathway Advocate position to coordinate counseling supports between member high schools, incumbent workforce training providers (John Jay Center and WorkOne) with and our Manufacturing Council.

c. Piloting Department of Workforce Development online counseling tools that reflect demand-driven data in real time.

d. Conducting routine “Hiring Fairs” for direct employment pulled from pools of students/adults who have demonstrated competency through completion of member-defined and recognized certifications and training programs.

09

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E SIX:Integrate Counseling Advising System

OB JEC TI V E SE V EN:Identify High-Wage Sectors and Related Jobs

WE WILL align education to the occupations that are forecasted to be available in the region and across the state.

WE WILL DO THIS BY ensuring alignment of our Pathway System to our Regional Economic Development Strategy and employer growth plans. We will identify career pathways within existing businesses and align postsecondary and workforce training systems to drive career progression and personal income. We will expand a skill-driven wage increase framework that targets incumbent industrial maintenance workers.

Cameron Kunkle was an early participant in the Jay County High School Advanced Manufacturing Program. He was one of the first individuals assigned to an internship as part of this program. As a result, Cameron was hired in Industrial Maintenance by the company where he interned and is on track for a promotion in the next 18 months. Cameron has a bright future that started with his participation in the Jay Blackford Manufacturing Academy. Five years from now we hope to have 20 Camerons who are on their way to high way employment and a bright future in the manufacturing community.

10

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E EIGHT: Coordinate with Educators

WE WILL ensure that our Career Pathway System is aligned with competencies that culminate in a locally defined, industry recognized certification process and direct employment.

WE WILL DO THIS BY co-designing with our manufacturing council the key curriculum, training, certifications, projects, experiences and employability skills they want candidates to have for employment in their businesses. We will weight those elements based on importance and every student will be rank ordered on their attainment of these skills. Students who meet predetermined cut scores will earn a “Straight to Work” certification that every council member recognizes and guarantees an interview for the student with hiring and wage/benefit preferences.

11

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

OB JEC TI V E EIGHT: Coordinate with Educators

WE WILL link workforce and economic development to market our communities for outside investment.

WE WILL DO THIS BY ensuring that the results of our Pathway System are manifested in the economic development websites for our counties and develop strategic communications for use by our Local Economic

“The closer to home education and training can take place, the greater chance we will have of seeing the re-tooling of the American workforce for the 21st century. The John Jay Center for Learning was designed for such an endeavor, bringing the necessary training to the backyard of the citizens of Jay County. Indeed, it is a blessing that will make our county competitive for decades to come.”

William E. Bradley, Jr., Executive DirectorThe Jay County Development Corporation

OB JEC TI V E NINE: Grow Existing Businesses and Attract New Business

“In today’s competitive economic development environment, access to skilled workers has become a prominent issue. This stretches across the entire labor force from high school students to new workers, career changers, and existing employees. Our economy in Blackford County is rooted in the industrial sector; as such, it is imperative that our existing and future employers have the ability to hire well-trained workers and also upskill their existing staff to meet the ever-changing demands of advanced manufacturing. Positioning the John Jay Center for Learning to deliver quality, employer-driven training options is extremely valuable to Blackford County’s current employers and will enable our entire region to attract and retain more skilled jobs in the long-term.”

Jacob Everett,Executive Director, Blackford County Economic Development Corporation

Development Offices. We will support to the “Work Ready Community” initiative currently being deployed in East-Central Indiana (Region 6).

12

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

In 1999, a group of concerned citizens gathered to discuss how Jay County could compete in the rapidly approaching 21st century. These forward-thinking citizens agreed that a repository for post-secondary education was needed, and the John Jay Center for Learning was born.

These visionary founders of John Jay not only knew that college classes and degrees were going to be necessary, but they also knew that vocational training would be a must in order keep up with the demands of local manufacturers. With the turn-of-the-century workforce aging closer to retirement, it was acknowledged that there would be a skills gap, and that training was going to be needed. Manufacturing in the 21st Century was going to be different. The days of employees working at a single machine in a dark, dingy factory would fade away.

Manufacturing plants of the 21st Century have become very clean and automated. Employees are required to have specific technical knowledge on how to program, troubleshoot, and manage an area of a production floor. This knowledge requires training outside of the walls of a high school to prepare

incumbent and emerging employees to meet this critical need.

It is now 2016, and we are finally in a position to fulfill the vision of our predecessors. With a significant investment from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, John Jay Center for Learning will be able to offer Advanced Manufacturing classes with an emphasis on Industrial Maintenance. This will create a deeper talent pool from which our regional employers can draw. This training will be demand-driven by the Jay-Blackford Manufacturing Council (JBMC). The JBMC will have the say in what is being taught in order to best serve the industrial need in both counties. They have agreed that the SkillsTrac program which is

currently being offered at Wright State University-Lake Campus is the training needed in our area. We are partnering with Wright State to bring this training to our area.

With industry informing JBMC of their needs, John Jay Center for Learning will become a regional training hub. This training will bring students and

employers together from across county and state lines. This program will be the model that other rural communities across the state of Indiana will look to and seek to replicate.

We are excited and proud to be at the forefront of a positive change in East Central Indiana. It has taken the hard work and dedication of many people throughout the years to get us to this point: the point of being an overnight sensation 17 years in the making.

JEREMY GULLEYJJCL PRESIDENT AND JAY SCHOOL CORPORATION SUPERINTENDENT

RUSTY INMANJJCL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

13

JAY-BLACKFORD MANUFACTURING STRATEGIC PLAN

ECON

OM

IC D

EVELOPM

ENT

LOCA

L AND CO

UNTY G

OVERN

MEN

TSCHOOLS

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

STATE OF INDIANAJay - Blackford

Manufacturing Council

14

John Jay Center for Learning101 S. Meridian StPortland, IN 47371260.729.5525 ext. 222

Email – info@johnjaycenter.comwww.johnjaycenter.com

Facebook - @johnjaycenterTwitter – @johnjaycenter4