During the program this week, host Phil Tower welcomes Bill Rayl, executive director of workforce solutions at The Michigan Manufacturers Association. Bill is MMA’s point person for efforts to develop sustainable talent ecosystems that serve the workforce needs of MMA members around the state. We’ve been hearing for years now that so many of the trades and businesses in Michigan that help to build things need talented workers…and The Michigan Manufacturers Association is taking the initiative by building collaboratives across the state of Michigan by partnering schools with local manufacturers to ensure companies have access to top talent and students have access to fulfilling career opportunities. This is a private-public partnership created by the Michigan Manufacturers Association, designed to offer students a wide range of opportunities.
Online: Michigan Manufacturers Association
In the second half of our program, Phil speaks with Erin Skene-Pratt, executive director of the Michigan Afterschool Partnership. While afterschool programs across Michigan have served more than 67,000 children since July 1 of last year, there are more than 750,000 youth on afterschool program waiting lists. · Afterschool programs include daycare and childcare, which are topics for concern and negotiation on the upcoming state budget. The Michigan Afterschool Partnership works to encourage policymakers to continue recognizing the critical importance of out-of-school time programs and to allocate sustainable funding to ensure that every child can benefit from these life-changing programs. In the summer specifically, many youths lack access to three meals a day, and adults are at home, as many are at work. OST provides a safe space but also activities, friendships, and meals.
Online: The Michigan Afterschool Partnership
Online: Michigan Manufacturers Association
In the second half of our program, Phil speaks with Erin Skene-Pratt, executive director of the Michigan Afterschool Partnership. While afterschool programs across Michigan have served more than 67,000 children since July 1 of last year, there are more than 750,000 youth on afterschool program waiting lists. · Afterschool programs include daycare and childcare, which are topics for concern and negotiation on the upcoming state budget. The Michigan Afterschool Partnership works to encourage policymakers to continue recognizing the critical importance of out-of-school time programs and to allocate sustainable funding to ensure that every child can benefit from these life-changing programs. In the summer specifically, many youths lack access to three meals a day, and adults are at home, as many are at work. OST provides a safe space but also activities, friendships, and meals.
Online: The Michigan Afterschool Partnership
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
iHeartMedia West Michigan Weekend, a publicaffairs program. Hello and welcome in.
It's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio.We appreciate you listening across whatever I Heart
Radio station you may be tuned into. I'm your host, Phil Tower,
and it is an honor and pleasureto be with you every Sunday across West
(00:25):
Michigan and across the world on theiHeartRadio app. We are in this segment
going to focus on manufacturing. Specifically. Bill Rail is our guest. Bill
is the executive director of Workforce Solutionsfor the Michigan Manufacturers Association. We've been
hearing for years now that the greatmanufacturing companies in our state that build things
(00:47):
need talented workers, and the MichiganManufacturers Association that's where they come in.
They're taking the initiative by building collaborativesacross the state of Michigan, partnering with
schools, with local manufacturers, andmaking sure that talent pipeline is strong,
not only today and in the immediatefuture, but for the long term.
Bill Rail, Welcome to West MichiganWeekend. Glad you're here. Glad to
(01:11):
be here. Jill Well, I, first of all, want to give
our listeners kind of an overview ifyou would take a moment and talk about
the Michigan Manufacturers Association. You representmanufacturers in the state of Michigan. That's
the short explanation. I know thatmuch. But seriously, who are the
Michigan Michigan Manufacturers Association. What areyou guys all about? And why do
(01:36):
you exist? Why is this animportant thing? Yeah, and I mean
the name does sort of say whatwe are, right, but we are
the state leading advocate focused on reallysolely on securing a prosperous future for Michigan's
manufacturers. The organization was founded backin nineteen oh two, so it's been
around the block. Wow, oneof Michigan's and then one of the nation's
oldest trade associations. In fact,so the MMA is made up of nearly
(01:59):
two thousand job creators really all acrossthe state of Michigan in every industry at
manufacturing industry, and we have associatemembers that provide products, stand or services
of direct interest. But every youknow, all the large iconic companies like
GM and Ford and Stilantis and Kelloggand Adviser and you know, the big
names that everybody would recognize their ownmembers. But it might surprise everybody that
(02:24):
the vast majority of MMA's members haveless than one hundred employees. Sixty five
percent of them are under fifty employees. So the smaller mom and pop shops
all the way up to the biggestcompanies that you can think of in manufacturing
are members of the organization. Andthese could be companies that make all kinds
of things. Would like a smalltown tool and die shop, would that
(02:46):
be a manufacturing a type company orare we looking at something else? Yep,
small tool and die fabricators, machineshops, job shops all the way
up to the you know, companiesthat produce stuff that you that are on
the storeeshelf that people would recognize fromyou know, stormy chromer for pats,
all the way to you know,the automobiles that people purchase, on airplanes,
(03:07):
a lot of the parts that aregoing into airplanes and so you name
it, aerospace, defense, foodprocessing, food, chemical, every industry
you can think of, there's youknow, somebody's making those things. And
the vast maturity of those companies qualifiedfor membership, and many of them are
(03:28):
members of the MMA. Bill.We want to we try to do this
as much as we can in thisprogram, we like to dispel myths and
rumors and just bad information or misconceptions. I think a lot of people heard
years ago, and I'm talking fifteenyears ago, that you know, the
digital revolution was going to kill allmanufacturing jobs. It would be you know,
(03:50):
robots building things, and and theneed for skilled laborers, especially stem
trained skilled laborers was going to bevery small, if not almost nearly eliminated.
And that is the farthest thing fromthe truth. But I think a
lot of people maybe don't think aboutthat because they heard so much about you
(04:10):
know, the digital revolution, computerstaking over everything. Do you encounter that
occasionally with people you're talking to inthe general p Yeah there, Yeah,
that's still one of those myths thatthat floats around out there. Yeah,
there are no jobs in manufacturing.Manufacturing is all done by robots or overseas,
much of you know, so alot of that's coming back to the
United States that left before. Sothere's all these cycles and but there are
(04:35):
lots of robots in manufacturing, andsomebody's making those robots, and somebody's programming
those robots, and somebody's making surethat those robots continue to run. So
even if everything was made by robots, which is not, and there are
cobots and so there are opportunities whererobots and humans are working side by side
the manufacturer products. But even ifthey were it, we'd still need highly
(04:57):
technically skilled people to be able tomake those robots and to maintain them so
that they can actually produce product.Bill Rail is with us. Bill is
the executive director of Workforce Solutions withthe Michigan Manufacturers Association. You can learn
more online at MI MFG dot org, MI MFG dot o RG. They
(05:20):
have a lot going on. Oneof those things is making sure that manufacturers
across our great state of Michigan haveenough talent for the high tech engineering jobs
that are out there. As Iunderstand it, year Bill, for years,
these companies were looking at colleges andrealizing that high schools were not training
(05:43):
students well enough. And that's wherethe Michigan Manufacturers Association and that the companies
that you represent got together to tacklethis problem to make sure that pipeline of
talented workers was strong for the future. Yeah, and it's a little bit
of both things. Where there weren'tenough high schools doing these programs. You'd
(06:04):
hear from manufacturers bemoaning the loss ofquote unquote shop class in the high schools.
But they're also really good career techED programs all around the country and
around the state. But manufacturers weren'treally connecting well to them. They might
serve on an advisory committee or somethingand even provide some work based learning opportunities
(06:30):
for those students, but they weren'tengaging them in a really coherent fashion.
So MMA has launched. First ofall, they launched a partnership with SEM
Education Foundation to expand the PRIME schoolnetwork in the state of Michigan. Prime
is a partnership response in manufacturing education. That's that's what PRIME stands for,
(06:54):
and it's a national program. Thereare currently one hundred and ten of these
high schools around the country, andMichigan's home to fifty of them now,
thanks in large part to MMA's effortsto expand that network partnership. Wow,
so we have fifty of these onehundred and ten high schools yes of this
(07:15):
year. We added seventeen more thanare coming on this year. So do
we have any in West Michigan.Oh, yeah, you certainly do.
You've got four or five of them. So there's Innovation Central and Grand Rapids.
You've got West Ottawa High School inHolland. Pardon me, these are
(07:39):
off the top of my head alittle bit. Does Whitehall High School up
near the Muskegon Yeah, I'm seeingthe Grand Haven is on the list.
Holland is on the list as well. That's really remarkable that you've added just
in a short period of time,seventeen additional schools since the springtime, and
(08:00):
including including two in your area.There's one, uh the Calloggsville High School
and Wyoming's coming on board and CaledoniaHigh School. Okay, fantastic fast growing
areas, by the way, billRail. So the manufacturers are working with
those high schools. What does thislook like on the ground level inside these
(08:20):
schools? Bill? So, theschools they asked to me. Education Foundation
brings in industry relevant equipment for trainingpurposes. They provide a teacher training professional
development, if you will, forthe teachers. They help us get the
(08:41):
get the program up and running.We help connect manufacturers into identify which programs
are the most relevant for the workthat's available to individuals in the in each
region. With the programs themselves focuson how I called these high tech shot
classes. So you get three Dprinting, added of manufacturing, robotics and
(09:05):
automation, CNC machining, computer numericalcontrolled machining, and a whole host of
other program opportunities. And these kidsare in certifications while they're in high school,
industry relevant, industry recognized certifications asthey're going through the program. And
then part of what we're doing throughthe MMA Workforce Solutions Collaborative network is helping
(09:31):
to build real, really truly strongrelationships and partnerships between those employers and the
schools to provide paid work experiences forthese students and opportunities for them to get
into the manufacturing environment and see itand touch it and feel it, so
that they know in advance whether ornot they this is something they want to
do. If they have aptitude andinterest to do this, then we want
(09:54):
to see them come to our manufacturersand have a great career. Bill Rail
is with us. He is theexecutive director of Workforce Solutions with the Michigan
Manufacturers Association. We're talking about thisPrime partnership, this Prime Initiatives, which
has manufacturers working with high schools aroundthe country. Fifty of them here in
(10:18):
the state of Michigan, and severalof them in West Michigan. I'm curious,
Bill Rail, before we run outof time on our segment, if
a school administrator is listening to thisconversation on the radio, or maybe a
local business or manufacturing firm, theysay, Hey, we'd like to be
involved, We'd like our school tobe involved. How do they get in
touch with you? How does thispartnership become a reality? Yeah, so
(10:43):
they can contact me directly my information, my contact information is available on the
MMA's website. My email addresses Railr y L at MII MFG dot org.
In addition to Prime, there areother opportunities, and there are lots
of career tech get programs around thestate that aren't yet prime but work like
(11:05):
a PRIME school. So we'd behappy to I'd be happy to connect with
them and help get them into theecosystem. Again. The website ISMIMFG dot
ORGFG DOTRG, and Bill Rail iswith us. Bill is the executive director
(11:26):
of Workforce Solutions with the Michigan ManufacturersAssociation. This is an important partnership.
Is there enough money for this thingto continue for the next several years?
I mean what do you need rightnow? Most from the public or maybe
the public to call their representatives andLansing and say, hey, this is
a good thing. We need tosupport this. Well, there are a
(11:50):
couple of items in the budget rightnow that's being worked on. One is
an additional round of funding to expandthe Prime schools again. And MMA also
has an ask in or advocated foran ask for a pilot project for a
program called Ignite, which was fundedby Department of Defense for the curriculum excellent
(12:11):
program contact. At this point,I think you know they're baking it.
So it's almost baked, so we'llsee what comes out the other end.
But there are opportunities and ways tofund this without the assistant so it's a
bigger lift. But if employers areinterested in coming to the table and helping
to make these kind of things happen, we can help them get them over
(12:33):
the finish line. Very exciting andsuch an important program. Bill Rail is
with us on this segment of WestMichigan Weekend. Executive director of Workforce Solutions
with the Michigan Manufacturers Association. Billis MMA's point person when it comes to
efforts for developing that talent pipeline andecosystem that served the important workforce needs of
(12:54):
Michigan Manufacturers Association members across the stateof Michigan. Again. The website is
m MFG dot org MFG dot org. Bill Rail. I really appreciate your
time and most importantly, we'll haveto catch it up with you again several
months down the line to get anupdate on this very exciting prime partnership and
(13:18):
where things are going. Thanks foryour time this morning. Thanks all.
Glad to be here. He's beenour guest on this segment of West Michigan
Weekend from My Heart Radio. StickAround. We have more coming up on
our program in just a moment.They're simple, boring, never thought of
until they're needed. They're windshield wipers. Only when Mary Anderson became annoyed that
(13:41):
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do something about it? By attachinga spring loaded arm to a rubber blade,
one woman made travel easier and safer. Look to innovate and pass it
on from pass it on dot comAnd it's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio.
(14:03):
Thank you so much for tuning in. If you think back to your time
in school. You might have beenone of those kids who went home after
school when mom and dad were stillat work. There are a lot of
kids who are in need of afterschool care, after school programs. It's
been a big issue, one thathasn't got a lot of time in the
(14:24):
media, news coverage over the lastseveral years. Maybe a little bit more,
but it's an important thing, sowe thought we'd talk about it with
Aaron Skiing Pratt. She's executive directorof the Michigan After School Partnership and Aaron
is on our liveline of West MichiganWeekend erin thank you for joining us,
Thanks for having me. Hey,let's start with the basics here can you?
(14:45):
And I know you probably get askedthis question a lot, especially if
you introduce yourself to a stranger.So, Aarin, what is the Michigan
After School Partnership all about? Howdoes that work? We're a statewide organization
that's advocating and providing support for outof school time programs across the state.
And when I say out of schooltime programs, I'm talking about before school,
(15:07):
after school, and summer programs thatserve kindergarten through twelfth graders, and
what kind of programs are we lookingat aaron with the before, after and
summer, there's a real wide varietyof programming that'll be available. You might
think about the YNCA, you mightthink about boys and girls club programming at
(15:28):
a library after school, or evenprograms that are at schools themselves. And
these programs offer educational support they butin a hands on fun kind of way,
as well as providing support for mentaland physical wellness for youth and even
(15:50):
career exploration. Do we know whatkinds of children are taking advantage of these
programs if you were to look at, you know, the average kid who's
in one of these Michigan AFTRIC schoolprograms. I know that's a tough question,
but is there a typical background socioeconomicbackground for these kinds of children who
are in these programs? Well,there's really the kids that are in these
(16:12):
programs are across the board, acrossthe socioeconomic demographics and across geographics locations as
well. And whether it's a situationof if the caregivers or parents are working
so they need some childcare perhaps afterschool for the younger kids, or it
(16:33):
also might be a situation where thekids are in middle school and high school,
and if you're like my family andI have a fourteen year old and
you're desperately trying to keep them offthe iPad or at least a part of
them, you are looking for opportunities, whether it might be robotics or other
types of engaging things for them todo that are going to pique their interests
(16:59):
for career years of the future.But we do know in terms of the
funding that's offered through the State ofMichigan, it is specifically targeted to support
low income areas and provides the programmingfor kids who are most in need.
You know, you mentioned summer programming. Can you touch on that for a
moment. Why that's important? Ithink you just mentioned part of it.
(17:22):
Kids are out of school, parentsare working for the most part. You
know, way back in the day, forty to fifty years ago, it
was very common to have one orsometimes both parents home after school. Not
not the norm, but at leastmaybe one parent was home. The two
parent, you know, the dualparent working household was not the norm.
(17:42):
So some are programming. Why isthat so important, Aaron, Well,
you know, we see a hugesummer slide in terms of academics with youth
during the summer, and because they'renot having an exposure to a regular educational
opportunity, These and the summer learningprograms really helped to counter that. We
(18:03):
have decades of research that show thatyouth can participate in these programs are more
likely to do better in terms ofmath and science and reading, and also
tend to have more lifelong connections withadults and youth, which also helps in
during the school year. So itreally provides a safe and supportive and enriching
(18:27):
place for these youth to be whilethey're caregivers mom and dad perhaps are working.
I don't know about you, butyou know I'm a giant xor and
so I spent I was a latchkeykid after school and spent a lot of
time watching soap operas, and thatprobably was not the best way to enhance
(18:51):
my educational or future career opportunities.But certainly when kids are in these programs,
whether it's after school or summer,it really does help to change their
and transform their trajectory in life.Yeah, that's a great point. And
kids are learning all kinds of things. They could be learning a language or
(19:11):
you know, any kind of topicthat maybe they wouldn't normally get in a
regular school program, but these arecalled out of school time programs, which
is you know what we're talking about, summertime programming. We should mention,
by the way, we're speaking withAaronskin Pratt, executive director with the Michigan
After School Partnership. Now, aswe are recording this conversation for broadcast across
(19:37):
all our iHeartRadio stations here in WestMichigan, we had some late breaking news.
The Michigan legislature finally passed a budget, a big budget, it seems
like Aaron at first glance, alot of focus on schools and education.
How did the Michigan After School Partnershipfare in this budget so far? We're
absolutely thrilled. Previously, there waslast year's budget fifty million that went to
(20:03):
before after in summer learning programs andwe estimate that served about sixty seven thousand
youth across the state, which isphenomenal. But this year, because they
know the need is even greater,they enhanced that to seventy five million,
So there's going to be even morekids who are able to access these amazing
programs and help them with whether it'seducation help them with their mental, physical
(20:29):
well being as well as the careerexploration. As I mentioned, it's a
huge win. How do parents needingthese after school programs, especially the out
of school time programs. Are theyconnecting through schools and getting these resources?
How is this all coming together?Some parents do find the programs through schools.
Some of them I will find themthrough community based organizations in their neighborhood,
(20:55):
or it might even be through theirchurch or through the parks and rec
department, and that's how they findit locally. We also have a listing
in some programs that are on ourwebsite that parents can take advantage of,
and a lot of times, unfortunatelyit is just word of mouth. I
will say that what you'll hear mostcommonly parents complain about is it's not that
(21:18):
they can't find the program, it'sthat the programs that they find have weightlifts
and have long weightlifts, and thatno matter what the socioeconomic demographics of a
family is, they will find thatit is difficult to get into a program
because there just aren't enough opportunities.By the way, you can learn more.
There is a website AMI Afterschool dotorg m I after school dot org.
(21:44):
If someone is hearing us and they'vegot a grandchild or grandchildren or children
who are not in any of theseafter school programs, what should their next
step be, Aaron, I wouldsay, take a look at our website
and see what programs there might bein your area. You can also,
(22:06):
as you mentioned, to reach outto your local school district to see where
there might be opportunities for kids toreally take part in these programs, and
then also ask around, asking aroundto friends and family and seeing where there
might be programs that are open.You know, this demand for out of
school time or summertime programs when schoolis not a session, it has grown.
(22:32):
I guess the quick assumption is becausemore parents are working. You know,
one parent might work the first shift, one parent might work the second
shift. A lot of parents erinmight be working two or three part time
jobs. Can you explain a littlebit more about the growing demand for these
out of school time programs, thesesummertime and when school is not in session.
(22:52):
Why these programs are so important?Yeah, I would say one piece
of it, certainly is that thereis that need for child care, and
we hear about that a lot,but oftentimes we don't talk about childcare from
the aspect of school age kids.We think about it just from younger kids.
And you can't leave a five yearold alone, and so they're still
(23:15):
continued, right. You still asa parent have to find somewhere for your
kids to go, and so thereis definitely that childcare piece of it.
But there also has been really agrowing recognition of the positive impact that these
programs have on kids' lives. Andyou can talk to kids who have participated
(23:36):
in an after school program and theywill raise and tell you about how it
helps them you know, with theirschool intendance, how it helps increase our
positive behaviors, how it helps themeven get into college. So there's so
many benefits even outside of the childcarethat I think that more and more people
are starting to recognize that schools can'tdo everything on their own. They need
(24:00):
a support and that's why thatdical timeprograms are there. This is a really
striking number in my well prepared factsheet for this conversation with Aaron skin Prat,
executive director of the Michigan After YourSchool Partnership, while after school programs
across Michigan had served more than sixtyseven thousand children. Since July one to
(24:22):
last year, there are over sevenhundred thousand kids on after school program waiting
list. I would think a lotof this comes down to there are you
know, you want to provide moreequitable access for families across all income levels,
because you know, some some familiesjust don't have the resources to even
(24:42):
know about these programs fair enough tosay absolutely, for every one use that's
in a program, we estimate thatfour are on a wait list to get
in. And these families, youknow, families across the board, as
I mentioned, you know, strugglewith the issue of act access to these
programs, whether it is because there'sjust not enough of them and in their
(25:06):
community, maybe there aren't any intheir community. There are a lot of
deserts that we see. But thenthere also might be the situation where as
you said, they just can't affordto really partake in these types of these
types of extra type of activities.So that's a lot of what particularly with
the state funding for example, hasreally helped to do is to help to
(25:29):
provide more opportunities for the youth whoneed it, who perhaps can't afford it,
but then also to help to lookat how do we build up the
system of after school in the stateso that we don't have deserts, so
that all kids do have equable accessto these programs. Bottom line is there's
a lot more work to be done. Indeed, well, we have learned
(25:52):
a lot about Michigan after school programs. You can learn more yourself, find
out how you can get involved inMost important, Aaron would love to have
you become an advocate for these programs, AMI afterschool dot org. If somebody
is passionate about what you're doing wantsto join your team, they can connect
with you there. Correct, AMIafterschool dot org. Okay, good,
(26:15):
you'll welcome that help. You'll welcomesome advocates, right, we will.
We would love more advocates. WhereAs I mentioned, we're thrilled about the
current state investment, but we dohave a lot more work to do.
Absolutely, and that will be thefinal word from aaronskien Pratt, Executive director
of Michigan After School Partnership. Hey, thank you so much for your time.
Thanks for having me. Absolutely alwayslearning something and that's how you know
(26:41):
you can make Michigan a better placeagain. It's am I Afterschool dot ORGMI
Afterschool dot Org. Aaron Skien prattour guest on this segment of West Michigan
Weekend. Hey, that's our programfor this week. Thank you so much
for listening. We'll catch you againnext week, right here, same time,
same station, on this iHeartRadio programiHeartMedia West Michigan Weekend, a public affairs program
iHeartMedia West Michigan Weekend, a publicaffairs program. Hello and welcome in.
It's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio.We appreciate you listening across whatever I Heart
Radio station you may be tuned into. I'm your host, Phil Tower,
and it is an honor and pleasureto be with you every Sunday across West
(00:25):
Michigan and across the world on theiHeartRadio app. We are in this segment
going to focus on manufacturing. Specifically. Bill Rail is our guest. Bill
is the executive director of Workforce Solutionsfor the Michigan Manufacturers Association. We've been
hearing for years now that the greatmanufacturing companies in our state that build things
(00:47):
need talented workers, and the MichiganManufacturers Association that's where they come in.
They're taking the initiative by building collaborativesacross the state of Michigan, partnering with
schools, with local manufacturers, andmaking sure that talent pipeline is strong,
not only today and in the immediatefuture, but for the long term.
Bill Rail, Welcome to West MichiganWeekend. Glad you're here. Glad to
(01:11):
be here. Jill Well, I, first of all, want to give
our listeners kind of an overview ifyou would take a moment and talk about
the Michigan Manufacturers Association. You representmanufacturers in the state of Michigan. That's
the short explanation. I know thatmuch. But seriously, who are the
Michigan Michigan Manufacturers Association. What areyou guys all about? And why do
(01:36):
you exist? Why is this animportant thing? Yeah, and I mean
the name does sort of say whatwe are, right, but we are
the state leading advocate focused on reallysolely on securing a prosperous future for Michigan's
manufacturers. The organization was founded backin nineteen oh two, so it's been
around the block. Wow, oneof Michigan's and then one of the nation's
oldest trade associations. In fact,so the MMA is made up of nearly
(01:59):
two thousand job creators really all acrossthe state of Michigan in every industry at
manufacturing industry, and we have associatemembers that provide products, stand or services
of direct interest. But every youknow, all the large iconic companies like
GM and Ford and Stilantis and Kelloggand Adviser and you know, the big
names that everybody would recognize their ownmembers. But it might surprise everybody that
(02:24):
the vast majority of MMA's members haveless than one hundred employees. Sixty five
percent of them are under fifty employees. So the smaller mom and pop shops
all the way up to the biggestcompanies that you can think of in manufacturing
are members of the organization. Andthese could be companies that make all kinds
of things. Would like a smalltown tool and die shop, would that
(02:46):
be a manufacturing a type company orare we looking at something else? Yep,
small tool and die fabricators, machineshops, job shops all the way
up to the you know, companiesthat produce stuff that you that are on
the storeeshelf that people would recognize fromyou know, stormy chromer for pats,
all the way to you know,the automobiles that people purchase, on airplanes,
(03:07):
a lot of the parts that aregoing into airplanes and so you name
it, aerospace, defense, foodprocessing, food, chemical, every industry
you can think of, there's youknow, somebody's making those things. And
the vast maturity of those companies qualifiedfor membership, and many of them are
(03:28):
members of the MMA. Bill.We want to we try to do this
as much as we can in thisprogram, we like to dispel myths and
rumors and just bad information or misconceptions. I think a lot of people heard
years ago, and I'm talking fifteenyears ago, that you know, the
digital revolution was going to kill allmanufacturing jobs. It would be you know,
(03:50):
robots building things, and and theneed for skilled laborers, especially stem
trained skilled laborers was going to bevery small, if not almost nearly eliminated.
And that is the farthest thing fromthe truth. But I think a
lot of people maybe don't think aboutthat because they heard so much about you
(04:10):
know, the digital revolution, computerstaking over everything. Do you encounter that
occasionally with people you're talking to inthe general p Yeah there, Yeah,
that's still one of those myths thatthat floats around out there. Yeah,
there are no jobs in manufacturing.Manufacturing is all done by robots or overseas,
much of you know, so alot of that's coming back to the
United States that left before. Sothere's all these cycles and but there are
(04:35):
lots of robots in manufacturing, andsomebody's making those robots, and somebody's programming
those robots, and somebody's making surethat those robots continue to run. So
even if everything was made by robots, which is not, and there are
cobots and so there are opportunities whererobots and humans are working side by side
the manufacturer products. But even ifthey were it, we'd still need highly
(04:57):
technically skilled people to be able tomake those robots and to maintain them so
that they can actually produce product.Bill Rail is with us. Bill is
the executive director of Workforce Solutions withthe Michigan Manufacturers Association. You can learn
more online at MI MFG dot org, MI MFG dot o RG. They
(05:20):
have a lot going on. Oneof those things is making sure that manufacturers
across our great state of Michigan haveenough talent for the high tech engineering jobs
that are out there. As Iunderstand it, year Bill, for years,
these companies were looking at colleges andrealizing that high schools were not training
(05:43):
students well enough. And that's wherethe Michigan Manufacturers Association and that the companies
that you represent got together to tacklethis problem to make sure that pipeline of
talented workers was strong for the future. Yeah, and it's a little bit
of both things. Where there weren'tenough high schools doing these programs. You'd
(06:04):
hear from manufacturers bemoaning the loss ofquote unquote shop class in the high schools.
But they're also really good career techED programs all around the country and
around the state. But manufacturers weren'treally connecting well to them. They might
serve on an advisory committee or somethingand even provide some work based learning opportunities
(06:30):
for those students, but they weren'tengaging them in a really coherent fashion.
So MMA has launched. First ofall, they launched a partnership with SEM
Education Foundation to expand the PRIME schoolnetwork in the state of Michigan. Prime
is a partnership response in manufacturing education. That's that's what PRIME stands for,
(06:54):
and it's a national program. Thereare currently one hundred and ten of these
high schools around the country, andMichigan's home to fifty of them now,
thanks in large part to MMA's effortsto expand that network partnership. Wow,
so we have fifty of these onehundred and ten high schools yes of this
(07:15):
year. We added seventeen more thanare coming on this year. So do
we have any in West Michigan.Oh, yeah, you certainly do.
You've got four or five of them. So there's Innovation Central and Grand Rapids.
You've got West Ottawa High School inHolland. Pardon me, these are
(07:39):
off the top of my head alittle bit. Does Whitehall High School up
near the Muskegon Yeah, I'm seeingthe Grand Haven is on the list.
Holland is on the list as well. That's really remarkable that you've added just
in a short period of time,seventeen additional schools since the springtime, and
(08:00):
including including two in your area.There's one, uh the Calloggsville High School
and Wyoming's coming on board and CaledoniaHigh School. Okay, fantastic fast growing
areas, by the way, billRail. So the manufacturers are working with
those high schools. What does thislook like on the ground level inside these
(08:20):
schools? Bill? So, theschools they asked to me. Education Foundation
brings in industry relevant equipment for trainingpurposes. They provide a teacher training professional
development, if you will, forthe teachers. They help us get the
(08:41):
get the program up and running.We help connect manufacturers into identify which programs
are the most relevant for the workthat's available to individuals in the in each
region. With the programs themselves focuson how I called these high tech shot
classes. So you get three Dprinting, added of manufacturing, robotics and
(09:05):
automation, CNC machining, computer numericalcontrolled machining, and a whole host of
other program opportunities. And these kidsare in certifications while they're in high school,
industry relevant, industry recognized certifications asthey're going through the program. And
then part of what we're doing throughthe MMA Workforce Solutions Collaborative network is helping
(09:31):
to build real, really truly strongrelationships and partnerships between those employers and the
schools to provide paid work experiences forthese students and opportunities for them to get
into the manufacturing environment and see itand touch it and feel it, so
that they know in advance whether ornot they this is something they want to
do. If they have aptitude andinterest to do this, then we want
(09:54):
to see them come to our manufacturersand have a great career. Bill Rail
is with us. He is theexecutive director of Workforce Solutions with the Michigan
Manufacturers Association. We're talking about thisPrime partnership, this Prime Initiatives, which
has manufacturers working with high schools aroundthe country. Fifty of them here in
(10:18):
the state of Michigan, and severalof them in West Michigan. I'm curious,
Bill Rail, before we run outof time on our segment, if
a school administrator is listening to thisconversation on the radio, or maybe a
local business or manufacturing firm, theysay, Hey, we'd like to be
involved, We'd like our school tobe involved. How do they get in
touch with you? How does thispartnership become a reality? Yeah, so
(10:43):
they can contact me directly my information, my contact information is available on the
MMA's website. My email addresses Railr y L at MII MFG dot org.
In addition to Prime, there areother opportunities, and there are lots
of career tech get programs around thestate that aren't yet prime but work like
(11:05):
a PRIME school. So we'd behappy to I'd be happy to connect with
them and help get them into theecosystem. Again. The website ISMIMFG dot
ORGFG DOTRG, and Bill Rail iswith us. Bill is the executive director
(11:26):
of Workforce Solutions with the Michigan ManufacturersAssociation. This is an important partnership.
Is there enough money for this thingto continue for the next several years?
I mean what do you need rightnow? Most from the public or maybe
the public to call their representatives andLansing and say, hey, this is
a good thing. We need tosupport this. Well, there are a
(11:50):
couple of items in the budget rightnow that's being worked on. One is
an additional round of funding to expandthe Prime schools again. And MMA also
has an ask in or advocated foran ask for a pilot project for a
program called Ignite, which was fundedby Department of Defense for the curriculum excellent
(12:11):
program contact. At this point,I think you know they're baking it.
So it's almost baked, so we'llsee what comes out the other end.
But there are opportunities and ways tofund this without the assistant so it's a
bigger lift. But if employers areinterested in coming to the table and helping
to make these kind of things happen, we can help them get them over
(12:33):
the finish line. Very exciting andsuch an important program. Bill Rail is
with us on this segment of WestMichigan Weekend. Executive director of Workforce Solutions
with the Michigan Manufacturers Association. Billis MMA's point person when it comes to
efforts for developing that talent pipeline andecosystem that served the important workforce needs of
(12:54):
Michigan Manufacturers Association members across the stateof Michigan. Again. The website is
m MFG dot org MFG dot org. Bill Rail. I really appreciate your
time and most importantly, we'll haveto catch it up with you again several
months down the line to get anupdate on this very exciting prime partnership and
(13:18):
where things are going. Thanks foryour time this morning. Thanks all.
Glad to be here. He's beenour guest on this segment of West Michigan
Weekend from My Heart Radio. StickAround. We have more coming up on
our program in just a moment.They're simple, boring, never thought of
until they're needed. They're windshield wipers. Only when Mary Anderson became annoyed that
(13:41):
New York trolley drivers were stopping towipe their windshield by hand, did anybody
do something about it? By attachinga spring loaded arm to a rubber blade,
one woman made travel easier and safer. Look to innovate and pass it
on from pass it on dot comAnd it's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio.
(14:03):
Thank you so much for tuning in. If you think back to your time
in school. You might have beenone of those kids who went home after
school when mom and dad were stillat work. There are a lot of
kids who are in need of afterschool care, after school programs. It's
been a big issue, one thathasn't got a lot of time in the
(14:24):
media, news coverage over the lastseveral years. Maybe a little bit more,
but it's an important thing, sowe thought we'd talk about it with
Aaron Skiing Pratt. She's executive directorof the Michigan After School Partnership and Aaron
is on our liveline of West MichiganWeekend erin thank you for joining us,
Thanks for having me. Hey,let's start with the basics here can you?
(14:45):
And I know you probably get askedthis question a lot, especially if
you introduce yourself to a stranger.So, Aarin, what is the Michigan
After School Partnership all about? Howdoes that work? We're a statewide organization
that's advocating and providing support for outof school time programs across the state.
And when I say out of schooltime programs, I'm talking about before school,
(15:07):
after school, and summer programs thatserve kindergarten through twelfth graders, and
what kind of programs are we lookingat aaron with the before, after and
summer, there's a real wide varietyof programming that'll be available. You might
think about the YNCA, you mightthink about boys and girls club programming at
(15:28):
a library after school, or evenprograms that are at schools themselves. And
these programs offer educational support they butin a hands on fun kind of way,
as well as providing support for mentaland physical wellness for youth and even
(15:50):
career exploration. Do we know whatkinds of children are taking advantage of these
programs if you were to look at, you know, the average kid who's
in one of these Michigan AFTRIC schoolprograms. I know that's a tough question,
but is there a typical background socioeconomicbackground for these kinds of children who
are in these programs? Well,there's really the kids that are in these
(16:12):
programs are across the board, acrossthe socioeconomic demographics and across geographics locations as
well. And whether it's a situationof if the caregivers or parents are working
so they need some childcare perhaps afterschool for the younger kids, or it
(16:33):
also might be a situation where thekids are in middle school and high school,
and if you're like my family andI have a fourteen year old and
you're desperately trying to keep them offthe iPad or at least a part of
them, you are looking for opportunities, whether it might be robotics or other
types of engaging things for them todo that are going to pique their interests
(16:59):
for career years of the future.But we do know in terms of the
funding that's offered through the State ofMichigan, it is specifically targeted to support
low income areas and provides the programmingfor kids who are most in need.
You know, you mentioned summer programming. Can you touch on that for a
moment. Why that's important? Ithink you just mentioned part of it.
(17:22):
Kids are out of school, parentsare working for the most part. You
know, way back in the day, forty to fifty years ago, it
was very common to have one orsometimes both parents home after school. Not
not the norm, but at leastmaybe one parent was home. The two
parent, you know, the dualparent working household was not the norm.
(17:42):
So some are programming. Why isthat so important, Aaron, Well,
you know, we see a hugesummer slide in terms of academics with youth
during the summer, and because they'renot having an exposure to a regular educational
opportunity, These and the summer learningprograms really helped to counter that. We
(18:03):
have decades of research that show thatyouth can participate in these programs are more
likely to do better in terms ofmath and science and reading, and also
tend to have more lifelong connections withadults and youth, which also helps in
during the school year. So itreally provides a safe and supportive and enriching
(18:27):
place for these youth to be whilethey're caregivers mom and dad perhaps are working.
I don't know about you, butyou know I'm a giant xor and
so I spent I was a latchkeykid after school and spent a lot of
time watching soap operas, and thatprobably was not the best way to enhance
(18:51):
my educational or future career opportunities.But certainly when kids are in these programs,
whether it's after school or summer,it really does help to change their
and transform their trajectory in life.Yeah, that's a great point. And
kids are learning all kinds of things. They could be learning a language or
(19:11):
you know, any kind of topicthat maybe they wouldn't normally get in a
regular school program, but these arecalled out of school time programs, which
is you know what we're talking about, summertime programming. We should mention,
by the way, we're speaking withAaronskin Pratt, executive director with the Michigan
After School Partnership. Now, aswe are recording this conversation for broadcast across
(19:37):
all our iHeartRadio stations here in WestMichigan, we had some late breaking news.
The Michigan legislature finally passed a budget, a big budget, it seems
like Aaron at first glance, alot of focus on schools and education.
How did the Michigan After School Partnershipfare in this budget so far? We're
absolutely thrilled. Previously, there waslast year's budget fifty million that went to
(20:03):
before after in summer learning programs andwe estimate that served about sixty seven thousand
youth across the state, which isphenomenal. But this year, because they
know the need is even greater,they enhanced that to seventy five million,
So there's going to be even morekids who are able to access these amazing
programs and help them with whether it'seducation help them with their mental, physical
(20:29):
well being as well as the careerexploration. As I mentioned, it's a
huge win. How do parents needingthese after school programs, especially the out
of school time programs. Are theyconnecting through schools and getting these resources?
How is this all coming together?Some parents do find the programs through schools.
Some of them I will find themthrough community based organizations in their neighborhood,
(20:55):
or it might even be through theirchurch or through the parks and rec
department, and that's how they findit locally. We also have a listing
in some programs that are on ourwebsite that parents can take advantage of,
and a lot of times, unfortunatelyit is just word of mouth. I
will say that what you'll hear mostcommonly parents complain about is it's not that
(21:18):
they can't find the program, it'sthat the programs that they find have weightlifts
and have long weightlifts, and thatno matter what the socioeconomic demographics of a
family is, they will find thatit is difficult to get into a program
because there just aren't enough opportunities.By the way, you can learn more.
There is a website AMI Afterschool dotorg m I after school dot org.
(21:44):
If someone is hearing us and they'vegot a grandchild or grandchildren or children
who are not in any of theseafter school programs, what should their next
step be, Aaron, I wouldsay, take a look at our website
and see what programs there might bein your area. You can also,
(22:06):
as you mentioned, to reach outto your local school district to see where
there might be opportunities for kids toreally take part in these programs, and
then also ask around, asking aroundto friends and family and seeing where there
might be programs that are open.You know, this demand for out of
school time or summertime programs when schoolis not a session, it has grown.
(22:32):
I guess the quick assumption is becausemore parents are working. You know,
one parent might work the first shift, one parent might work the second
shift. A lot of parents erinmight be working two or three part time
jobs. Can you explain a littlebit more about the growing demand for these
out of school time programs, thesesummertime and when school is not in session.
(22:52):
Why these programs are so important?Yeah, I would say one piece
of it, certainly is that thereis that need for child care, and
we hear about that a lot,but oftentimes we don't talk about childcare from
the aspect of school age kids.We think about it just from younger kids.
And you can't leave a five yearold alone, and so they're still
(23:15):
continued, right. You still asa parent have to find somewhere for your
kids to go, and so thereis definitely that childcare piece of it.
But there also has been really agrowing recognition of the positive impact that these
programs have on kids' lives. Andyou can talk to kids who have participated
(23:36):
in an after school program and theywill raise and tell you about how it
helps them you know, with theirschool intendance, how it helps increase our
positive behaviors, how it helps themeven get into college. So there's so
many benefits even outside of the childcarethat I think that more and more people
are starting to recognize that schools can'tdo everything on their own. They need
(24:00):
a support and that's why thatdical timeprograms are there. This is a really
striking number in my well prepared factsheet for this conversation with Aaron skin Prat,
executive director of the Michigan After YourSchool Partnership, while after school programs
across Michigan had served more than sixtyseven thousand children. Since July one to
(24:22):
last year, there are over sevenhundred thousand kids on after school program waiting
list. I would think a lotof this comes down to there are you
know, you want to provide moreequitable access for families across all income levels,
because you know, some some familiesjust don't have the resources to even
(24:42):
know about these programs fair enough tosay absolutely, for every one use that's
in a program, we estimate thatfour are on a wait list to get
in. And these families, youknow, families across the board, as
I mentioned, you know, strugglewith the issue of act access to these
programs, whether it is because there'sjust not enough of them and in their
(25:06):
community, maybe there aren't any intheir community. There are a lot of
deserts that we see. But thenthere also might be the situation where as
you said, they just can't affordto really partake in these types of these
types of extra type of activities.So that's a lot of what particularly with
the state funding for example, hasreally helped to do is to help to
(25:29):
provide more opportunities for the youth whoneed it, who perhaps can't afford it,
but then also to help to lookat how do we build up the
system of after school in the stateso that we don't have deserts, so
that all kids do have equable accessto these programs. Bottom line is there's
a lot more work to be done. Indeed, well, we have learned
(25:52):
a lot about Michigan after school programs. You can learn more yourself, find
out how you can get involved inMost important, Aaron would love to have
you become an advocate for these programs, AMI afterschool dot org. If somebody
is passionate about what you're doing wantsto join your team, they can connect
with you there. Correct, AMIafterschool dot org. Okay, good,
(26:15):
you'll welcome that help. You'll welcomesome advocates, right, we will.
We would love more advocates. WhereAs I mentioned, we're thrilled about the
current state investment, but we dohave a lot more work to do.
Absolutely, and that will be thefinal word from aaronskien Pratt, Executive director
of Michigan After School Partnership. Hey, thank you so much for your time.
Thanks for having me. Absolutely alwayslearning something and that's how you know
(26:41):
you can make Michigan a better placeagain. It's am I Afterschool dot ORGMI
Afterschool dot Org. Aaron Skien prattour guest on this segment of West Michigan
Weekend. Hey, that's our programfor this week. Thank you so much
for listening. We'll catch you againnext week, right here, same time,
same station, on this iHeartRadio programiHeartMedia West Michigan Weekend, a public affairs program
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