Dec. 8, 2023, 11 a.m.
Meeting Place
Workforce Careers Center, Room 1171
Chairs
Doug Hoy, Nancy Sweet
Attendees
Members in attendance
Ronnie Burns, Contech Engineered Solutions LLC; Russ Bert, Contech Engineered Solutions LLC; Lacy Glenn, Capital Area Career Center; Amy Quigg, Reynolds; Malory Cafarelli, Dometic; David Lett, LCUSD #12; Tim Morris, JBS; Josh Collins, LLCC, Assistant Vice President, Business Relations; Paul Nass, LLCC, Adjunct Instructor; Aidan Tierney, LLCC, Welding Faculty; Jon Brandenburg, LLCC, Program Director, Welding; Jason Dockter, LLCC, Vice President, Academic Services; Nancy Sweet, LLCC, Dean, Workforce Institute; Doug Hoy, LLCC, Program Director, Industrial Maintenance
Members absent
N/A
Guests
None
Agenda
- Welcome and introductions
- Purpose of PAC and member roles
- Industrial maintenance curriculum and associated needs, trends and industry currency
- Education enrichment
- Student employment and potential for work-related education opportunities
- Summer manufacturing camps
- Spring meeting
- Final thoughts
Minutes
1. Welcome and introductions
Doug Hoy opened the meeting with introductions of LLCC instructors, staff and PAC members and called attention to the handouts.
2. Purpose of PAC and member roles
The purpose of PAC meetings is to get input, feedback and insight from industry members and to understand how our programs can better serve them.
3. Industrial maintenance curriculum and associated needs, trends and industry currency
Starting in the Fall of 2024 we are expanding to a day Electrical Maintenance and a day Industrial Maintenance program which will double our capacity in both programs. Doug led the group through a handout of questions. How many industrial maintenance people will you be hiring in the next six months? Industry partners replied: 2, 5-10, 5-10, 1-2 over the next year and Dometic just hired four new workers who were promoted from within the company.
The PAC was directed to the information sheets for the certificate of achievement and the certificate of completion. We applied for two grants for our programs in Jacksonville and Litchfield and were approved to purchase mobile manufacturing labs. These will be used to enable students to get the short certificate. We are looking for instructors to teach in these areas. A timeline for completion, advertising and other details are in progress and will be communicated.
LLCC is able to provide customized training. Any companies interested may contact Josh Collins. JBS has trainers and is interested in partnering with LLCC for instructors.
Industry needs that should be reflected in our programs were discussed. Knowledge of fundamentals of industrial refrigeration is needed. HVAC doesn’t cross over well. Fundamentals of CNC are needed as well. Knowledge of print reading and arc flash are needed. Larger companies like JBS need employees with a knowledge of robotics PLC programming. Employees who can troubleshoot are also needed. It is often difficult to teach troubleshooting to students, but we try to present different scenarios to them. Quality employees are needed along with people who will show up to work. CACC offers Amatrol certification.
4. Education enrichment
Employer participation in LLCC’s Career Expo is a great way to introduce high schoolers to the field. PAC members are interested in hosting site visits and agree it’s important to show students early on what the industry looks like.
Currently we have 12 students in the program; they take four classes per semester. Our capacity goal is to have 16 students in the day program, 16 at night, and an additional 16 in the spring and to graduate 48 students in Industrial Maintenance and 48 students in Electrical Maintenance per year.
5. Student employment and potential for work-related education opportunities
We would like to incorporate internships/apprenticeships into our program. We emphasize safety, punctuality and commitment in our programs. The companies represented have worked with interns and have had mixed results.
6. Summer manufacturing camps
Doug discussed the idea of a summer camp for high school freshmen through seniors, ideas for activities and the opportunity to sponsor a meal or part of the camp. If any industry partners have equipment or components that are no longer needed, please let us know. We are always in search of training materials.
The idea of an Electrical Workforce Bootcamp was presented. The PAC agreed that something like this is a good idea and would be like an orientation and a good start to planting seeds for the industrial maintenance industry.
Our Employability Skills 101 course was discussed as an example of an idea that came out of a PAC meeting that we incorporated into our curriculum. We value PAC feedback and ideas.
7. Spring meeting
We would like to host PAC meetings twice a year. Fridays typically work well.
8. Final thoughts
As students go to various companies for site visits, it would be helpful for companies to hear student feedback as well. Students visited Reynolds and they would like to hear what the students are saying about their company. Amy also talked to a couple of LLCC classes this fall which helped her gain insight into what students are thinking about and preparing for.
Interested PAC members took a tour of the labs, and the meeting was adjourned.