Northern Essex Community College
Expanding and Improving Training for Employer-Identified Base Manufacturing Skills
Individuals preparing for today’s economy and the future of manufacturing are better prepared if they first acquire employer-identified base manufacturing skills before moving on to technical skills and specific job knowledge in today’s manufacturing labor market.
Northern Essex Community College (NECC) is committed to fully engaging students through diverse educational experiences and developing collaborative relationships within the college and throughout the greater Merrimack Valley community. Aiming to improve workforce readiness for unemployed and underemployed individuals, while also increasing the number of work-ready employees across all manufacturing sectors, NECC is partnering with Axim Collaborative to explore the development of a non-credit certificate program. This program will concentrate on employer-identified base manufacturing skills, with a specific focus on historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, ensuring learners gain the key competencies applicable across the manufacturing industry and potentially lead into a number of manufacturing career pathways.
NECC plans to enlist an industry expert to conduct the initial feasibility study and planning efforts. This work will entail:
Engaging, collaborating, and partnering with regional manufacturing employers to identify specific and relevant training needs, while also creating pathways for employment.
Working closely with NECC faculty and staff to identify the academic elements required to develop the training curriculum, including assessing training methods, modalities, evaluation tools, and potential trainers.
Utilizing data-informed insights to identify interventions and critical elements that will facilitate successful student recruitment, retention, and completion.
Establishing an advisory board to lead these efforts and ensure sustainability.
COLLABORATORS
Vice-President, Institutional Advancement, Executive Director, NECC Foundation, Inc.
Allison M. Dolan-Wilson
Lane Glenn
President, Northern Essex Community College
