Press Release

2021 Partnership: NIMS and Edge Factor provide Free Experiences to Inspire the Future Workforce

khurt.nims — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 15:59:10 +0000

2021 Partnership: NIMS and Edge Factor provide Free Experiences to Inspire the Future Workforce khurt.nims Wed, 01/27/2021 - 10:59 am

This year, the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) is partnering with Edge Factor to inspire students and job-seekers to pursue career pathways in manufacturing and other Skilled Trades. This strategic Workforce Development initiative will provide schools, companies, and Workforce leaders with three FREE Experience toolkits that feature high impact multimedia, a Keynote presentation, promotional tools, and practical guidebook on how to plan, promote, host and follow-up on engaging presentations and virtual events. These online Experiences will empower students, parents, and job-seekers to explore Skilled Trades, Apprenticeships, hands-on learning programs, careers, STEAM, and soft skills.

NIMS, a 501C-3 nonprofit, provides world-class, industry-developed and validated, performance standards, competency-based credentials, and training frameworks that enable collaboration between educators, manufacturers, policy makers, and community-based organizations. 25 years of manufacturing training experience has enabled NIMS to use its established well-defined frameworks and processes that have universal and timeless attributes to dynamically respond to the new fast paced, technology-driven economy. NIMS has applied concepts of modularity and adaptability in training and performance validation to develop a new smart training framework. Its customizable format is aligned with manufacturers on the smart manufacturing journey and it is created with job roles, not occupations.

“We have long appreciated the work that NIMS does. At a time where we need our communities to come together and build into our youth, this partnership is going to help us accomplish more by doing it together,” said Jeremy Bout, Founder and President of Edge Factor. “As someone who spent many years in my career in advanced manufacturing, I know there are extraordinary opportunities in this industry to impact people’s lives and build the future. Through our partnership with Montez King and NIMS, we will be able to inspire and prepare many new minds to launch careers in manufacturing.”

Edge Factor, a widely-used e-learning platform has created thousands of videos, interactive activities, and lesson plans that focus on career exploration. K-12 and Postsecondary schools, companies, and organizations partner with Edge Factor to help tackle workforce development regionally and nationally. Using the power of storytelling, Edge Factor produced several cinematic and inspirational films featuring NIMS graduates, and NIMS very own Executive Director, Montez King, in Paradox.using technology to bring design ideas to life and impact people’s lives. With these stories, and much more, the Edge Factor platform helps students and job-seekers explore career pathways, learn soft skills, discover STEAM on-the-job, experience Virtual Workplaces, and learn about local training and career opportunities.

Featuring select tools from the Edge Factor library, six free Experiences will be available during specific 2021 months, for organizations to share in classrooms, homes, and at events. Click here to learn more and pre-register: edgefactor.com/free-experiences

“I am very much looking forward to this collaboration. Edge Factor and NIMS have worked together for years to bring light to the importance and opportunities available to students in emerging fields of advanced manufacturing and Skilled Trades,” said Montez King, Executive Director for NIMS. “We will now be able to share our knowledge more widely and inspire more people to look into these fields by providing exciting, modern and engaging content to educators and industry professionals.”

NIMS is specifically partnering with Edge Factor on the following three 2021 Experiences:

Women in Skilled Trades (Mar - Apr 2021) - To celebrate International Women’s Day/ Month, this toolkit will feature a special collection of tools that Edge Factor has created that feature women in skilled trades! The goal of this Experience is encourage more women and female students to pursue career pathways in diverse skilled trades. In addition, NIMS will be doing a weekly live interview series throughout the month of March (hosted on their FB page) where they will interview a different woman in manufacturing each week to address challenges and opportunities in the field.
Rock MFG DAY (Sept-October 2021) - October is Manufacturing Day/ Month and Edge Factor is providing the 2021 Rock MFG DAY kit for everyone to highlight the extraordinary world of advanced manufacturing. This toolkit will include resources to promote manufacturing careers and technology and showcase how STEAM comes alive in this industry.
Apprenticeships (Nov-Dec 2021) - There are many training pathways that lead to successful careers - Apprenticeships offer incredible opportunities for students to gain real world skills and earn money while they learn! The Apprenticeships Experience will provide inspirational and informational tools for students and parents to discover the power of apprenticeship programs.Additionally, Edge Factor and NIMS will produce a video series interviewing NIMS Executive Director, Montez King regarding his experience as an apprentice and his advice to students looking to enter into an apprenticeship and build a successful career.

Each free Experience will include:

5 Days of STEAM Programming (i.e. inspirational stories, industry and career profiles, STEAM content, soft skills videos, interactive activities, and lesson plans)
A Keynote Presentation (pre-recorded speaker)
“How-to” Guides and promotional tools customized for Schools, Companies, and Workforce Leaders to plan, promote, host and follow-up on engaging Experiences.

Whether you’re an educator, business or workforce development leader, or a parent looking to help your kids find a career they’ll love, you can pre-register for these free 2021 Experiences today! Visit edgefactor.com/free-experiences.

For more information about NIMS, please visit https://www.nims-skills.org/ andfor more information on Edge Factor or to book a demo, please visit edgefactor.com or email info@edgefactor.com.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com (352) 489-4788 01/27/2021 Download

NIMS Welcomes Four New Industry Leaders to their Board of Directors

khurt.nims — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:14:22 +0000

NIMS Welcomes Four New Industry Leaders to their Board of Directors khurt.nims Wed, 01/20/2021 - 10:14 am

[Fairfax, VA – January 20, 2021] NIMS (The National Institute for Metalworking Skills) is pleased to announce the appointment of 4 new industry leading alumni to the NIMS Board of Directors in 2021.

Annika Langéen is the VP of Marketing for Sales Area Americas at Sandvik Coromant with the responsibility for marketing, communication and brand positioning including the utilization, development and performance of the Sandvik Coromant Centers in the Americas markets. Annika brings a strong business acumen and familiarity of the metal cutting industry and solid understanding of sales, marketing and workforce development. Annika holds a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering with Technology Management from Lund University combined with studies at School of Economics and Management at Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden.

Allen Reid is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Materion Corporation. Materion is a multinational company specializing in high-performance engineered materials. At Materion, Allen leads the human resources organization, which drives the Company’s human capital strategy to ensure the company has the talent and organizational capability to achieve its global growth goals. He holds a law degree from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Illinois, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama.

Paul Myles is an auto industry veteran with more than 40 years’ experience who has been with Magna since 1998. In his current role, Paul manages federal, state, and local workforce development activities for Magna in the United States. In 2003, Paul developed Magna’s first technical training center in the United States, in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds a Journeymen Tool and Die Maker certificate and an Airframe and Powerplant certificate for aircraft repair.

Sara Lozano is the Dean, Division of Business, Public Safety, and Technology at South Texas College in McAllen TX August. As such, she facilitates the day-to-day operations of the Division and the Technology Campus. Sara also represents the Division at College-wide meetings and activities and serves as the Financial Manager for the Dean’s Office accounts and as the supervisor for the Timeclock and PDR processes for the Division. She holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership (HEAL) from Adams State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Yale University.

The newest members of the Board were installed during the last Board Meeting of 2020.

For more information from NIMS, call (703) 352-4971, or visit https://www.nims-skills.org

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 01/20/2021 Download

NIMS Hosts DOL Secretary and Recognizes its first U.S. Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program at Raytheon Technologies

khurt.nims — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:53:43 +0000

NIMS Hosts DOL Secretary and Recognizes its first U.S. Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program at Raytheon Technologies khurt.nims Tue, 09/29/2020 - 10:53 am

[Fairfax, VA – Friday, September 25, 2020] NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) hosted Eugene Scalia, Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for the official signing ceremony of its selection as one of the 18 Standards Recognition Entities (SREs) for Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). Furthermore, NIMS announced the Raytheon Technologies IRAP in precision machining as its first formally recognized program.

The Vice President of Operations for Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Allen Couture attended the signing ceremony alongside Min Huang, one of the Program graduates. Mr. Couture explained that, “Raytheon’s leadership and operations team recognized several years ago the need to train new machinists in anticipation of our most experienced machinists retiring, as well as to modernize the image of manufacturing as a career. The traditional paths to develop new machinists - vocational education, trades schools, and traditional time-based apprenticeship programs - all take several years to develop a qualified machinist and have not been able to keep the talent pool filled.”

Developed in 2018, the apprenticeship program was a collaborative effort between NIMS, legacy Raytheon Company and Richland College in Dallas (now Dallas College). This Program allows Raytheon to develop rapid talent while its apprentices earn college credit and industry-recognized credentials along the way. Furthermore, Raytheon IRAP apprentices are able to support their families while building meaningful careers and helping the industrial base to be skill-ready at a moment’s notice. To date, two cohorts of apprentices have completed the program, with a third due to start in 2021. Its planned start date was delayed due to COVID restrictions.

The traditional pool of machinist candidates come from recent high school graduates. Given that this pool alone does not provide enough candidates to fill the need, the apprenticeship model is structured to appeal to a range of candidates already in the workforce, by using a self-paced, skill-based IRAP model. This allows Raytheon to reach both recent graduates and candidates that may not be able to afford the cost or time required for a traditional classroom-based training model.

Apprentices spend half of the day at the college and the other half at the facility. They gain real-time, real world machining experience on the shop floor while completing coursework and training towards certification at the college. The goal is to provide a personalized pathway into the machining industry through mix of classroom, online, laboratory and one-on-one training that will allow the apprentices to provide for their family and future.

Partnering with NIMS and Dallas College allows the Raytheon IRAP program to provide nationally recognized credentials for machining skills as the apprentice’s progress through the program. These credentials measure and document an individual’s transferable skill sets for the industry. By growing the industrial talent pool in this manner Raytheon’s apprenticeship program benefits the company, the community and the national industrial supply base.

Similar to Raytheon, in its role as DOL’s SRE, NIMS will help other organizations ensure that their apprenticeship programs meet government requirements and will also provide a structured framework to ensure high-quality, results-driven training methods are in place. Through its work on the DOL’s Task Force for Apprenticeships, NIMS was instrumental in helping to develop the concept for a truly competency-based apprenticeship model to meet the needs of both employers and working learners. The components are modular, scalable, and portable throughout industry, the supply chain, and education. It allows tens of thousands of new and incumbent workers to access accelerated learning opportunities and benefits communities at large by creating a pipeline of skilled workers that will help close the skills gap within the manufacturing industry. NIMS SRE focus will be in the areas of its expertise in the manufacturing sector which include Machining, Industrial Technology Maintenance, Dimensional Measurement, and Industry 4.0, with new areas coming in 2021.

“NIMS is honored and excited to be chosen as one of the SREs for IRAPs,” said Montez King, Executive Director of NIMS. “We have been helping companies and colleges develop apprenticeship and training programs for 25 years, and we are here as a trail guide of sorts, to help people navigate through this new approach efficiently, and build a successful program.”

For employers to find out more about IRAPs, visit: https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/industry-recognized-apprenticeship-program

For more information from NIMS, call (703) 352-4971, or visit https://www.nims-skills.org/apprenticeship

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 09/30/2020 Download

NIMS Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Launches New Smart Solutions

khurt.nims — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:21:35 +0000

NIMS Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Launches New Smart Solutions khurt.nims Tue, 08/04/2020 - 11:21 am

NIMS (The National Institute for Metalworking Skills), established in 1995, is marking its 25th anniversary in 2020 with fresh, forward-thinking methodologies for skills training, performance validation, and credentialing that address the competencies needed by today’s technology-driven manufacturers. “Manufacturing operations have automation and digital systems in place today that weren’t even concepts 25 years ago,” said Montez King, Executive Director of NIMS. “As such, the skills required and the ways in which those skills are taught and measured are changing as well, both on the job and at educational institutions. NIMS is uniquely positioned, after 25 years in industry and career and technical education, to be at the forefront of this effort.”

NIMS was founded in 1995 as a non-profit organization with the mission to develop and maintain a globally competitive American workforce. Over the last 25 years, the organization has become the industry standard for skills training, validation, and credentialing, providing now over 60 portable credentials in specific technical areas. The organization also is instrumental in developing industry standards that NIMS credentialing candidates are tested against, giving employers confidence in end-performance of any potential employee with a NIMS validated credential. In keeping with the revolutionary, “smart” digital transformation occurring in industry with its new advanced technology roles for employees, NIMS has kept pace with this rapid change by revamping its mission’s approach. The organization has developed new Smart Standards, Smart Training Principles, and Smart Performance Measures as the three main pillars of its effective framework.

Elaborating briefly on each, Smart Standards are highly customized, yet are also standardized and recognized by industry. They enable proper training for employees in manufacturing where technology is developing and changing faster than an average individual can master in their career span. They reveal job roles and adapt to ever-changing technology and workforce requirements. Smart Training Principles are the guiding parameters to establish a quality, highly customized on-the-job training program that reveals true performance validation and a praiseworthy investment return for companies. Smart Performance Measures properly define, validate, and benchmark employee performance, along with the communication mechanisms needed among all stakeholders in a community: Organizations, trainers, and trainees. They measure performance of each stakeholder and reveal end performance, which provides clarity, transparency, and unification of the applied learning.

Further, just as flexibility is one of the hallmarks in today’s manufacturing environments, so too is this new approach that allows manufacturing companies and educational institutions to establish agile, dynamic training programs that can keep up with the rapidity of technology adoption. To help employers assess their own OJT (on the job) training programs, NIMS offers a free evaluation survey on their website for employers to use by linking here.

NIMS has launched new standards and credentials in recent months based on the new Smart Standards framework, such as Dimensional Measurement and Machining, which features new roles in CAM Programming and 5-Axis CNC Machining. Very soon the organization – partnering with Festo Corporation – will introduce Industry 4.0 standards that will culminate in a portable credential for employees and students by the fall. Essentially, the “new NIMS” is an Industry 4.0 network, but in the world of training and certification.

“Gone are the days of conformance to a one-size-fits-all training and workforce development paradigm. As schools and companies brought their challenges to us, we had to develop solutions, and those solutions had to align to ‘smart’ manufacturing and Industry 4.0,” said King. “With the leap in technology and its application in manufacturing over the last 25 years, and the new initiatives at NIMS to meet those skills challenges, I’m confident we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2045!”

To learn more about the new NIMS Smart Training Solutions framework, NIMS hosted an informational webinar recently and invites everyone to use the following link to download, listen, and follow up directly with the NIMS with questions, comments, and more details here.

For more information, contact NIMS at (703) 352-4971, www.nims-skills.org.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 07/14/2020 Download

NIMS Partners with OMIC to Develop Metrology Standards and Certification

scarroll0 — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:32:53 +0000

NIMS Partners with OMIC to Develop Metrology Standards and Certification scarroll0 Mon, 10/07/2019 - 10:32 am

[Fairfax, VA – October 2019] The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center – Research & Development (OMIC R&D) have united to define a set of Metrology standards and to develop a Metrology certification process. Metrology, the study of measurement, has far-reaching applications in the manufacturing industry. The ability to compare and verify a physical part against its CAD model is in high demand, and that demand is predicted to increase.

A Global Industry Analysts, Inc. report, “Metrology Software – Global Strategic Business Report,” stated that the North American 3D metrology market, valued at $482 million in 2014, will grow to $726.8 million by 2020. Dimensional metrology is used widely in industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy, electronics, pharmaceutical, etc. Quality control jobs, like that of a Quality Technician or Manufacturing Quality Manager, are not currently being filled fast enough to meet demand.

Montez King, executive director of NIMS, said, “NIMS is proud to work with OMIC R&D to provide a benchmark for competency within the Metrology field. These standards and the certification process will allow students, employees, and trainers to identify the skills required in high-demand quality control occupations.”

Craig Campbell, Executive Director of the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center – Research and Development said: “An often underappreciated but critical part of manufacturing is the ability to measure. This is especially important in metals manufacturing where failure to measure not only the end product, but throughout the machining process can result in products that do not meet specifications resulting in substantial waste in time, labor, and material. This partnership with NIMS will provide a clear standard for training in dimensional measurement that industry can rely on. I am excited about the impact this will have on manufacturing!”

The skills and certification metrics will be defined by compiling and comparing available metrology reference material, such as job descriptions, occupational duties, and performance requirements. Once this is completed, companies and educational organizations will be recruited to pilot the credentials. NIMS will collect feedback and work with OMIC to finalize all certification questions and standards.

For more information, contact NIMS at (703) 352-4971, www.nims-skills.org.

More About the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC R&D)

Modeled after The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at University of Sheffield with Boeing in Sheffield, England, OMIC R&D is dedicated to finding new manufacturing techniques and technologies in support of metals manufacturing. OMIC R&D’s mission is to further manufacturing capabilities and to educate and inspire the new generation entering the workforce. https://www.omic.us/

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 10/07/2019 Download

NIMS Launches First-Ever Industry Recognized CAM Credentials

scarroll0 — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 20:45:18 +0000

NIMS Launches First-Ever Industry Recognized CAM Credentials scarroll0 Tue, 10/01/2019 - 04:45 pm

[Fairfax, VA – September 2019] The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) is now offering standardized Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) credentials, CAM Milling and Turning. “The CAM field continues to grow and is expected to create almost 100,000 new programmer, designer, and engineer jobs by 2024,” said NIMS Executive Director Montez King. “It is imperative that people entering the field are properly trained and capable, and these credentials show a potential employer that applicants are ready to program CNC machine tools. Further, employees already on the job may wish to secure an official, portable, industry-recognized certification.”

The new credentials are based on standards developed in partnership with and sponsored by Autodesk, a leader in 3D design and engineering software. Over 125 subject matter experts from organizations such as CNC Software, developer of Mastercam; Barefoot CNC; Arkansas State University Mid-South; CamInstructor, and custom machining technology leader, Rosenburger of North America, volunteered their insight during the rigorous development and piloting process of the standards.

Throughout the development process, field experts, within their technical work groups, identified the skills expected for entry-level CAM positions. As a result, these standards now define necessary competencies associated with job preparation, modeling, toolpath generation, documentation, written oral communication, machining mathematics, decision making and problem solving, social skills and personal qualities, engineering drawings and sketches, computer operations, and technologies.

“CAM is the first set of NIMS credentials to use our new Performance Measure (PM) Development Requirements for the hands-on component of the credential,” said Mr. King. “The new model will allow schools and employers to customize their credentialing experience by using their own projects to validate performance for NIMS credentials as long as they meet the minimum NIMS requirements.”

Manufacturing companies are expected to benefit greatly by having properly trained CAM programmers, designers, and engineers. As cycle times decline, material waste and machining errors decrease, and the quality of parts increases with more capable personnel. It is predicted that individuals trained according to these standards will be in high demand in coming years.

To find out more about the CAM credentials, contact NIMS at (703) 352-4971, www.nims-skills.org.

More about Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk makes software for people who make things. If you’ve ever driven a high-performance car, admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a great film, chances are you’ve experienced what millions of Autodesk customers are doing with their software. Autodesk gives you the power to make anything. For more information visit www.autodesk.com.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 09/30/2019 Download

Validate Student Performance with New NIMS Inspector Credential

khurt.nims — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 14:35:47 +0000

Validate Student Performance with New NIMS Inspector Credential khurt.nims Tue, 08/27/2019 - 10:35 am

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) is pleased to announce that it has launched a new credential to validate an instructor’s or evaluator’s parts inspection skills.

According to Montez King, Executive Director of NIMS, “validating skills has become ever more important to employers and of course a necessity for educational institutions offering certificate-type training programs in manufacturing technology. For our current customers, this is a refreshing evolution in the certification process.”

Designed for manufacturers and schools, the new “NIMS Inspector Credential” allows a much faster, more efficient performance validation process within the NIMS online structural framework. Until now, shops and schools had to send test parts to be inspected and evaluated by a NIMS-sanctioned review committee of industry volunteers, which guaranteed quality control, but could take up to four weeks or longer, and often created a backlog of uninspected parts. Now, the validation can be done on-site by instructors themselves, and credentials can be issued much quicker.

Mr. King shared that, “The initial feedback from pilots has been very positive and this credential is one of many streamlining activities we’re undertaking at NIMS surrounding our training, testing, validation, and credentialing services. As industry transforms with digital manufacturing technologies, skills training must evolve as well, and that’s what’s happening now in the education sector and at NIMS.”

For more information, contact NIMS at (703) 352-4971, www.nims-skills.org.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 08/26/2019 Download

NIMS and AMT Launch New and Improved MMRS Level 2 and 3 Credentials

khurt.nims — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 20:38:03 +0000

NIMS and AMT Launch New and Improved MMRS Level 2 and 3 Credentials khurt.nims Thu, 08/15/2019 - 04:38 pm

NIMS and AMT (The Association For Manufacturing Technology) are pleased to announce the launch of the newly updated NIMS Manufacturing and Machine Maintenance, Repair, and Service (MMRS) Updated Standards and Certification Exams for its Level 2 and 3 credentials. The necessary changes were made in response to the availability of new technologies and modernized equipment, which resulted in updated standards and the need for higher level scenario-based final exam questions to be added to the current NIMS exams to validate its new standards.

“AMT has been an industry stakeholder in NIMS since its founding in 1995,” said Greg Jones, AMT Vice President of Smartforce Development, and a member of the NIMS Board of Directors. “AMT supported the update of the MMRS Level II & III standards because we believe that industry-recognized standards and credentials are a necessary tool in assisting companies in recruiting, hiring and retaining a competent workforce and in reducing the overall size of the skills gap in U.S. manufacturing.

With the MMRS standards and credentials, NIMS and AMT seek to assist educators at technical schools in developing programs that lead to career pathways in manufacturing for Field Service Technicians – those individuals who install, maintain and repair state-of-the-art equipment like computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools, robotics and automation equipment.

“We look forward to the positive impact that these new standards will have, not only on educational programs, but on the individuals whose lives and career trajectories will change as a result of earning their NIMS credentials”, said Montez King, Executive Director of NIMS.

Members of the AMT Global Service Committee volunteered their expertise in updating the existing MMRS standards, developing additional standards to address advances in technology and equipment, as well as developing and validating scenario-based final exam questions for the new MMRS credentials. The MMRS Level II & III standards build on the foundation of the NIMS Level I standard for Industrial Technology Maintenance.

For more information, contact NIMS at (703) 352-4971, www.nims-skills.org.

08/15/2019

NIMS and Festo Didactic to Develop Industry 4.0 Skills Standards and Certified Training Program

khurt34 — Mon, 06 May 2019 19:59:24 +0000

NIMS and Festo Didactic to Develop Industry 4.0 Skills Standards and Certified Training Program khurt34 Mon, 05/06/2019 - 03:59 pm

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), in partnership with Festo Didactic, will establish industry-recognized skills standards and ultimately credentials for jobs related to Industry 4.0. In light of the significant trend in digitalization of manufacturing through technology advancements such as Industrial Internet of Things (IoT), training in these skills is vitally needed now. With NIMS’ emphasis on manufacturing skills training, credentialing, and standards, plus Festo’s complete Industry 4.0 learning Factories, courseware and eLearning integration, the two organizations are well poised to provide the training programs for Industry 4.0.

Montez King, executive director of NIMS, made the announcement and said, “This is an exciting development for manufacturers and educators as it directly addresses both the data-driven revolution happening in manufacturing today and the skills gap. There are so many interdependent functions and abilities surrounding Industry 4.0 that this effort will help to bring clarity to the proficiencies required, train people extremely well, and validate their expertise.”

The emergence of Industry 4.0 is new territory for most in manufacturing. As such, among the first tasks to be accomplished is to conduct research to discover and verify exactly what those competencies must be. Then, the training protocols and credentials will be created. “We are hopeful to have the standards identified and the training program in place by the end of 2019,” Mr. King said.

Mr. Thomas Lichtenberger, CEO of Festo Didactic said, “As the production line become ‘smarter’ – collecting data to change processes and create efficiencies – workers and students will be expected to adapt in the same way. Bringing NIMS, Festo, and other industry partners together, we look forward to a collaboration that leads to world class industry standards and learning systems programs.”

During the development of the new Industry 4.0 skills standards, NIMS will ascertain the credentials in its existing programs that support the various Industry 4.0 functions and target new credentials for development. The training outcome is to provide employees in or entering a manufacturing workplace with an understanding of Industry 4.0 concepts and impart certifiable skills as companies increasingly adopt automation and data gathering and management functions in their manufacturing operations.

More About Festo Didactic

Festo Didactic is a leading provider of technical education equipment and training. Festo’s educational solutions evolved from its world-class automation and engineering division and integrates the latest trends in each learning system it offers. The innovative product range allows educators and trainers to equip their classroom with the technology they need, from individual workstations to complete Learning Factories, as well as training and consulting, eLearning, courseware solutions, and LMS integration.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 05/06/2019 Download

New Website Launched as Training Programs for 21st Century Manufacturing Undergo Transformation at NIMS

khurt34 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:31:40 +0000

New Website Launched as Training Programs for 21st Century Manufacturing Undergo Transformation at NIMS khurt34 Thu, 02/21/2019 - 04:31 pm

The National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) announces the launch of its new website – www.nims-skills.org – as the conventional models of training for manufacturing careers are advancing to meet the current needs of manufacturers today. “The courses for apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs are evolving to be much more reflective of what’s happening in shops and factories now and also more flexible for employers,” said Montez King, executive director of NIMS. “As a validator of skills, we at NIMS wanted to get ahead of the transformation in training and create a framework and structure on our website to accommodate the changes that will unfold over the next two years.”

Mr. King cited Industry 4.0, data-driven manufacturing, and the increase of digitalization in general permeating manufacturing workplaces as the driving forces to bring training “into the 21st century.” NIMS will provide training in these areas as well as continuing and enhancing its foundational programs in basic to advanced skill teaching programs for machinists and maintenance personnel. For example, soon to launch will be credentialed programs in CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) and MMSR (Machine, Maintenance, Service and Repair).

Established in 1995, NIMS develops training programs, standards, and industry-recognized credentials for workers, trainers, and educators. The new interactive website leads visitors clearly and deeply into the areas in which NIMS provides current products and services. Mr. King adds, “These are valid, high quality programs and may be what a company or educational institution requires just as they are designed, or we can customize programs to be perfectly aligned with a company’s specific training needs.”

There is also a new and comprehensive testing center on the site that can be accessed by current trainees and proctors. The new platform delivers tools and features to enrich the user experience and better facilitate testing procedures at the 2,500+ education institutions and businesses in the NIMS system. The platform was custom-built in collaboration with an education technology company.

Lynn Gorman Communications LLC lynn@gorcomm.com 352-489-4788 02/21/2019 Download