The Training to Placement to Advancement (TPA) Program

TPA

Developed in partnership with The Center for Advanced Manufacturing Puget Sound, Burst for Prosperity, CARES of Washington and Green River Community College. View photo gallery

What is the TPA Program?

Training to Placement to Advancement (TPA) is a training program seeking to provide a connection between Washington state unemployed and underemployed workers and the manufacturing industry. CAMPS developed the program in partnership with Burst for Prosperity, Cares of Washington, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, and Green River Community College.

As the manufacturing industry continues to rise with the end of the recession, and as many current manufacturing employees reach retirement age, many positions for entry-level and skilled workers will need to be filled. Filling these positions will be difficult due to a disconnect between manufacturing educational programs in Washington state, unemployed and underemployed workers, and the manufacturing industry. CAMPS sought to create a structured on-the-job training program in order to bridge this gap and provide quality candidates to manufacturers seeking to fill entry-level positions.

Why is there a need for this program?

In September 2010, CAMPS completed an in-depth Workforce Assessment Survey that included 45 manufacturing company responses, representing a workforce of 6,600 manufacturing company employees. A few key findings were:

  • Manufacturing companies were hiring in 2010, with a strong focus on entry-level and skilled workers, with lesser on semi-skilled worker.
  • The majority of manufacturers indicated plans to hire in 201.
  • Manufacturers indicated 100% of the time, when hiring entry-level workers, they wanted to see an indication that applicants could demonstrate a "willingness to learn"

The Components of the TPA Program

Pre-assessment and readiness — Applicant intake will be performed by partnering neighborhood centers and agencies. Applicants that are referred to the TPA Program through these agencies will be required to meet minimum standards for basic skills, such as math, writing, and communication; as well as basic technology skills.

Applicant testing — Once referred, all applicants are required to take a mechanical aptitude and interest test. The two tests are the Wiesen Test of Mechanical Aptitude and the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test. Both tests provide feedback on the interest and abilities of individuals in echanical applications. These tests will be used to benchmark applicant training success and not simply to disqualify applicants.

Training Curriculum — The training will be conducted over 4 weeks at the GRCC Kent Campus. Training sessions will have a limit of 25 and the applicant process is selective. Once candidates are selected, they will be notified of their training dates. The training entails approximately 30 hours of classroom training, with a final session involving a manufacturing plant tour. All sessions occur on Saturdays and candidates will not be compensated.

The curriculum is delivered by a professional trainer and entails:

  • Introduction to Manufacturing — a step by step explanation of what manufacturing is all about, such as assembly operations, machining operations, material types, work flow, and how all the operations fit together to make products (s) or provide services
  • Applied Skills:
    • Basic shop math
    • Shop hand tools and instrumentation
    • Technical drawings and related documents
  • Shop Safety — basic safety practices, OSHA/WISHA, MSDS Sheets, and other common requirements
  • Manufacturing processes and workflow — step-by-step process flows and how each step can impact how the entire process works together.
  • Manufacturing Methodologies — understanding quality programs and processes, with an introduction to such things as six sigma, ISO, etc. to enable an understanding of how they may fit into a new environment or culture
  • Plant Tour — Upon completion of the classroom training candidates will be taken on a detailed plant tour of participating companies. The tour will demonstrate how the materials covered in the earlier training sessions are utilized.
  • Work-readiness and Life Skills Support — Cares of Washington is also partnering to offer support through the "Connect for Success" Program to assist candidates dealing with outside obstacles, such as transportation, childcare, and other issues that may affect the completion of the training.
  • Project Evolution — An independent professional evaluation consultant will participate in each step of the program, to provide an evaluation of the successes and challenges. This critical evaluation will help CAMPS to correct weaknesses in the program.
  • Expectations of the TPA Program — At the end of each training session there will be approximately 20 individuals available for CAMPS member manufacturing companies to use as an applicant pool for entry-level jobs, most with a base rate of $12 per hour. CAMPS seeks to monitor the progress of the TPA graduates.

The TPA Goal

  • Identify needed improvements to the training
  • Success of the trainees and advancement
  • Determine if there is correlation with the Wiesen and Bennett tests in success factors
  • Be a model program to enable applicants to secure jobs that can lead to family wage jobs and pursue career pathway as a feeder for certifications and degrees
  • Provide a pre-screened workforce pool of applicants for CAMPS members

Although CAMPS cannot guarantee jobs to candidates that successfully complete the training, our intent is that each candidate will receive a job interview. Completion of an unpaid training program looks great on an employment application and will help to distinguish TPA graduates from other entry-level applicants.