Minutes of East Central Minnesota Workforce Partnership Meeting

 

December 14, 2004

 

Call to Order: Chair John Norris called the meeting to order at 7:00 a.m.

 

In Attendance: Sharon Prahl, People Focus & Cargo Box, Christy Flaspeter, Grandview, John Norris, Atscott Mfg., Angie Sanders, Braham, Cambridge-Isanti, Mora, Princeton ABE Consortium, Dennis Tollefson, Central MN Jobs and Training, Nick Waldoch, Braham Schools, Ken Runberg, Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools, Barry Kirchoff, AARC-Cambridge Campus, Jason Spaeth, Pine Technical College, Angie Theisen, Central MN Jobs & Training Services, Ginger Glenn, Glenn Metalcraft Inc., Nancy Mach, Pine Technical College, Chris Miller, Oak Land Vocational, John Schlagel, Marty Harding, CIF, Brandon Nelson, Princeton Schools, Mary Ann Straley, Princeton Schools, Brian Wille, Pine Technical College and Ray Hoheisel, Executive Director.

 

Welcome and Introductions: John N. welcomed Brandon Nelson, Princeton Schools to the meeting. Members introduced themselves.

 

Minutes: Partnership meeting minutes of November 9, 2004 were approved upon motion by Chris M, seconded by Nick W. Motion carried.

 

Financial Report: Treasurer John S. reported a balance of $35,060.35. Revenue was from interest. Expenditure was for Executive Director service. Moved by Ken R., seconded by Nick W. to approve financial report. Motion carried.

 

Executive Director Payment for Services: Upon motion by Nick W., seconded by Nancy M., members approved payment for two days for director services in November 2004. Motion carried.

 

Approve Charitable Organization Annual Report and Fee Payment: Moved by Ginger G. and seconded by John S. to approve Charitable Organization Annual Report and fee payment. Motion carried.

 

Employer Conference Survey Results: Marty H. distributed copies of Employer Conference survey results done via www.surveymonkey.com. She highlighted results and pointed out that most valuable information was from responses Most serious concerns you have about your work and What topics would you like us to address? Members discussed addressing the issues raised, in break-out sessions and/or keynote address.

 

General discussion about keynote format and overall theme “Pulling Together” was held. A suggestion about a potential keynote speaker was made, since the individual is giving a presentation in the near future. Marty H. also presented the idea of replacing the keynote speaker with a panel featuring the Initiative Foundation’s award program. She was asked to contact the Initiative Foundation about this.

 

Manufacturing Alliance Update: The next meeting of the Manufacturing Alliance will be held on January 6, 2005 at Schlagel Inc. in Cambridge. The “out of school” committee is working on manufacturing career expos to be held in the spring at sites in Cambridge and North Branch.

 

Nancy M. reported on the High Tech Manufacturing – Gold Collar Career Day that was held at Pine Technical College on December 3, 2004. Students numbering 111 from seven school districts participated. Ginger Glenn, Glen Metalcraft, Inc. and Dan Conroy, Nexen Co. were the keynote speakers. Students toured Atscott Mfg. and participated in breakout sessions with Polaris Industries and Virtual Reality and the Manufacturing Labs at Pine Technical College. Lab presentations included robotics (Battle Bots), CAD-CAM and CNC milling.

 

Nancy M. distributed results from the evaluation surveys the students completed. Survey results were comprehensive because completed evaluation forms were used to draw for door prizes. It was clear from the results that the Career Day was extremely successful. Students found the day to be very meaningful. It was agreed that the mission was accomplished and that it was successful because of industry people involvement and the quality of all of their presentation/activities. Members complimented Nancy M. on a job well done.

 

Discuss Potential Partnership Project/s to Help Accomplish Partnership Goal: A number of projects were identified and discussed. They included: Dan Conroy presentation, revisiting the K-12 connection and possibly focusing on “career laddering” concept which is now the focal point of Perkins funding, teacher/business connections and getting teachers into manufacturing businesses, company and school sponsored competitions to interest students in manufacturing careers (catapult competition, Battle Bots), joint business tours for technology and math teachers to show important relationship between two areas, hear presentation from Minnesota Precision Manufacturing on Battlebots competition, assisting Nancy M. and Chris M. with applications for federal grants and foster and promote community service responsibility of corporations.

 

It was agreed that as a first step Minnesota Precision Manufacturing would be asked to present at a future Partnership meeting. Next steps will follow the presentation.

 

Information Sharing and Reports: Christy F. reported on Grant Signing Event for Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership Grant held at Cambridge Medical Center on November 18, 2004. State officials were very impressed with proposal and spoke of their expectations as a result of the nearly $400,000 grant to implement “no lift” policies and procedures in the partner’s facilities. – Ray H. shared copies of a power point and CD on FBI Economic Espionage he picked up at a breakout session at the Business Summit. – Jason S. told that Pine Technical College has recently received Jobs Skills grants of $1.4 million for virtual reality and training for an individual manufacturing company.

           

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 a.m. Minutes by Ray Hoheisel