News
Governor Tom Wolf Visits New Century Careers
March 27, 2018
New Century Careers Open House: Exploring Today’s Manufacturing and Beyond
February 7, 2018
New Century Careers invites you to explore the world of manufacturing. NCC’s Training Innovation Center, located in Pittsburgh’s South Side, will open its doors on Monday, May 21 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. for a tour in conjunction with Remake Learning Days. Students, parents, educators and community members are invited to see a showcase of programs through a guided tour and participate in a hands-on matching & measuring activity.
This open house will expose modern manufacturing to students, parents, educators and community members. It will feature programs such as MANUFACTURING 2000 (M2K), Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) BotsIQ and the National Tooling and Machining Association Apprenticeship Program.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-century-careers-open-house-exploring-todays-manufacturing-and-beyond-tickets-42320157731
For more event information:
Ashley Kirsch
412-212-0005
kirsch@ncsquared.com
October 3, 2016
In celebration of Manufacturing Day 2016, New Century Careers (NCC) will open its doors on Wednesday, October 5 to show students, educators, parents and community members the outstanding opportunities in advanced manufacturing!
Two sessions (10AM-2PM and 5PM-8PM) will be available at NCC’s Training Innovation Center, located in Pittsburgh’s South Side. If your party is interested in attending both sessions, please contact Katie Delverne at delverne@ncsquared.com.
Activities include interactive tours with demonstrations showing visitors pathways to successful manufacturing careers and the educational programs and training that New Century Careers provides.
To register, please visit http://www.mfgday.com/events/2016/new-century-careers-4.
For More Event Information:
Katie DelVerne
412-212-0005
delverne@ncsquared.com
Manufacturing Your Career – Open House
April 20, 2016
Join New Century Careers & SWPA BotsIQ for an Open House! As a part of the Remake Learning days, we will be showing parents, students, teachers and community members what the new manufacturing is all about!
To RSVP or exhibit, follow the link below or email Tara at McHenry@ncsquared.com
http://www.botsiqpa.org/event/new-century-careers-open-house/
April 12, 2016
New Century Careers has an Amazon Smile account! When you shop using our account, a portion of your sales will go toward our mission of providing FREE machinist training! A lot can happen when you Start With A Smile!
Manufacturing Your Child’s Career: Explore the New Manufacturing
April 12, 2016
High school students & parents, mark your calendars! New Century Careers and SWPA BotsIQ are holding an open house on May 11! Explore the new manufacturing and see what types of job opportunities & education are available!
Workers are the Biggest Asset in the Evolving Manufacturing Industry
February 19, 2016
“Manufacturing companies clearly understand now that, in order to be exceptional and successful, it’s not just about hiring hands. It’s about hiring and engaging heads and hearts,” says Anil Saxena, Partner at Great Place to Work and an expert on workplace culture.”
February 11, 2016
The NIMS Career Pathway Tool helps employers, job seekers and educators understand the numerous career pathways in the industry and what NIMS credentials really mean—how they help validate skills at a variety of levels and how they can be earned to help students and workers enter and advance in careers. The goal is to help employers enhance HR practices; help educators design better curriculum; and provide actionable career information to job seekers.
January 15, 2016
In 1997, regional manufacturers in southwestern Pennsylvania identified a critical shortage of entry-level machinists and other manufacturing workers. A group consisting of representatives from Steel Center Area Vocational-Technical School, the Institute for Economic Transformation at Duquesne University and executives representing 17 manufacturers partnered to create MANUFACTURING 2000 (M2K).
The M2K entry-level machining program, administered by the non-profit organization, New Century Careers (NCC), is a pre-employment/pre-apprenticeship program that recruits unemployed, underemployed, and low-income individuals in southwestern Pennsylvania. It provides hands-on machining training in collaboration with industry in addition to instruction in technical math, machine theory, blueprint reading and metrology. Skills are verified through National Institute for Metal Working Skills standards and credentials.
M2K was cited as an exemplary regional partnership in Vice President Biden’s report “Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity.” The program emphasizes active career coaching by program staff. This approach enables participants, who often face multiple barriers, to progress along a career pathway to meaningful occupations in the manufacturing industry.
Next Generation Career Pathways: A Manufacturing Case Study
January 14, 2016
There are more than three million open skilled positions and twice as many disconnected young adults neither working nor in school.
In Next Generation Career Pathways: A Manufacturing Case Study, we assert that new market demands are shaping next generation career and technical education opportunities.
The rise of anywhere, anytime learning and competency-based approaches provides the opportunity for Career and Technical Education programs to lead the way in terms of applying blended, competency-based education in practical ways.
Apprenticeships and Their Potential in the U.S.
December 17, 2015
The modern concept of apprenticeships is a “learn and earn” strategy with “work-based learning.” In the U.S., these programs may be categorized as registered apprenticeships (RAs) regulated by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), non-RAs, and youth apprenticeships. This article focuses on RAs, including the expansion of RAs to new industry sectors and disadvantaged populations.
Local Industry Takes Responsibility for Workforce Development Efforts
November 23, 2015
Check out Chapter 28 on page 195 “Local Industry Takes Responsibility for Workforce Development Efforts” written by our President Paul Anselmo! Paul writes about how the Pittsburgh Chapter NTMA partners with New Century Careers, a non-profit, to develop workers for the metalworking industry!
STEM Education, Meet The New Manufacturing
November 17, 2015
In an editorial for TechCrunch, Dana Hackley SWPQ BotsIQ Communications & Relations Specialist wrote about the disconnect between STEM education and the new manufacturing industry. “What about the traditional career paths the have evolved with the changing face of technology, but whose general perception has lagged behind? Industries such as manufacturing continue to be misunderstood and believed to be dirty, grungy jobs for the under-educated, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Why are we not exposing students to these careers, which are not only available, but also are incorporating the latest technology?”
Why Pittsburgh is becoming a hub for additive manufacturing (think 3D printing)
November 4, 2015
In the Pittsburgh region, General Electric is building a $32 million additive manufacturing facility in Findlay Township, and Alcoa is undertaking a $60 million expansion of its research and development center in Upper Burrell to accelerate the development of advanced 3D-printing materials and processes.
Manufacturing experts warn of widening skills gap
October 20, 2015
After years of decline, the United States manufacturing industry is enjoying an upswing. The sector has added 600,000 jobs since 2010.
Manufacturers are optimistic that they are gaining momentum, and according to a 2015 report from Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, the nation will have 3.5 million manufacturing jobs to fill over the next decade.
September 23, 2015
Manufacturing Day 2015 is approaching! Pittsburgh has numerous events for MFG DAY, check out local events around you!
Apprenticeships provide solid career alternatives
September 23, 2015
“Getting a college degree requires initiative, diligence, drive and perseverance. So does completing an apprenticeship training program. The reward can be a lifelong career in your chosen field, a good income, no college debt, and the satisfaction of a job well done every day.”
Registration Begins for the 2015-2016 NTMA Apprenticeship School Year!
July 15, 2015
Registration is now open for the 2014-2015 Pittsburgh Chapter NTMA’s apprentice training. We are pleased to provide the Related Instruction portion for Pennsylvania’s apprenticeship program. Each year, we accept approximately 75 new apprentices into the four-year training program. Do you know someone who would be a good fit? Check out our website for the application forms and process.
Millennials wanted as Boomers expected to leave a crater in the job market
May 19, 2015
In the next 15 years, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development estimates the region will need to fill 144,000 jobs left vacant by workers 45- to 65-years-old who are aging out of the workforce. The advanced manufacturing sector, with one of the oldest workforces in the region, will have to fill tens of thousands of jobs in that time.
Pittsburgh Has the Right Stuff When it Comes to Manufacturing
May 19, 2015
“The Pittsburgh region is known worldwide for its manufacturing legacy,” said Harshman when announcing its $1.1 billion investment in a new hot rolling plant for specialty metals in 2008. “Today, that legacy continues with advanced manufacturing capabilities. The region’s advanced manufacturers are among the best in the world, which gives our region a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.”
STEM lesson opens doors for students
April 30, 2015
Alex Telford thought he’d go to a traditional four-year college after graduating from Highlands High School in June, probably to major in engineering.
But his plans changed when he got a chance to see modern manufacturing processes up close through one of a number of STEM programs — short for science, technology, engineering and math — taking root nationally to meet a critical shortage of workers in these disciplines.
Blue-Collar Jobs Work Well in Unretirement
April 3, 2015
“A common criticism of the Unretirement movement (people earning an income during the traditional retirement years) is that it’s a fine idea for office workers and white-collar professionals. But blue-collar workers? Hardly.
Turns out, that conventional wisdom is flat wrong and many workers who’ve gotten their hands dirty during their careers are proving it.”
NIMS to Lead SkillsUSA Students at World Competition in Brazil
March 26, 2015
Did you know that there is a World Skills competition?! Montez King, director of credentialing for the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), was appointed as a volunteer Expert for the Manufacturing Team Challenge students competing at the 43rd WorldSkills Competition, in São Paulo, Brazil.
Montez will be responsible for preparing and mentoring three students who will join 16 other SkillsUSA students as part of SkillsUSA’s WorldTeam. He will also serve as a judge of the Manufacturing Team Challenge
BotsIQ aims to draw younger workers to skilled labor positions
February 5, 2015
BotsIQ: Teams of students are paired with local companies that teach them how to design and build 15-pound robots that can survive battles with robots built by competing teams. In addition to math, computer-aided design and other technical skills, the students learn budgeting, time management, and how to make an affordable robot that works.
Apprenticeship programs fill gaps in American manufacturing
January 5, 2015
“Apprenticeship programs are more rigorous than standard job-training, and offer an education many put on par with a college degree. Apprenticeships combine several years of practical training with class work that includes math, science and technical instruction.”
Manufacturers seek women for hard-to-fill jobs
December 12, 2014
“Some companies in need of welders, machinists and other skilled workers are now targeting women, who account for nearly half of the US workforce but hold less than a third of the nation’s 12.2 million manufacturing jobs, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.”
Allegheny County Jail inmates receive training as machinists, masons
December 1, 2014
Career Tech joins a network of social programs connected through Jail Collaborative, an interdepartmental initiative that aims to reduce recidivism and prepare inmates for life on the outside. Amy McNicholas Kroll, administrator of the jail’s re-entry services, said the goal is to return productive people to society and help them make a living wage. Early-career machinists, for example, are in high demand and can make $11 to $14 per hour.
More High Schools Teach Manufacturing Skills
November 15, 2014
Manufacturers are increasingly looking to high schools and community colleges to fill current staffing needs and gear up for a wave of Baby Boomer retirements. Educators are trying to dispel student’s misconceptions about the industry and spark their interest before they choose other jobs or head to four-year colleges, a costly career investment that has yielded disappointing results for some graduates.
Selling Manufacturing to a New Generation
November 15, 2014
Manufacturers across the United States are targeting schools and colleges to let young people know there is more to manufacturing than pulling levers on an assembly line.
“People still have the idea that manufacturing is a dirty dungeon place,” said Andy Bushmaker of KI Furniture, a maker of school desks and cafeteria tables in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The goal, Bushmaker said, is to get people to see manufacturing jobs as the high-tech, high-skilled and high-paying careers they can be in the second decade of the 21st century.
November 3, 2014
Check out Millennial’s thoughts on American Manufacturing.
America’s manufacturing comeback
November 3, 2014
“For a generation of young people who live in Greater Pittsburgh today, tales of factory smokestacks and heavy industry dominating the landscape seem like folklore from a bygone era.
The site of U.S. Steel’s sprawling Homestead Works now hosts several shopping, entertainment and dining destinations. And Pittsburgh is recognized around the country as a model of post-industrial growth driven by high-tech innovation.”
This Months Learning Innovation: Clairton Robotics
October 9, 2014
Check out the positive impact SWPA BotsIQ is having on Clairton High School! “Four years ago he introduced what he calls a “smart sport” to the school: Robotics, and especially the BotsIQ program.”
New Century Careers Open House: Pipeline To The Future
September 15, 2014
Join New Century Careers for a celebration of manufacturing in Southwestern Pennsylvania featuring demos, displays, and discussion! LEARN about Machining Classes, Training Programs, NTMA Apprenticeship and Workforce Development Programs! NETWORK with Regional Manufacturers, Local Politicians, Industry and Educational Leaders! CELEBRATE Manufacturing Growth in Southwestern Pennsylvania over the last 15 years!
October 1, 2014 – 10:00am to 2:00pm
New Century Careers
305 E. Carson Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
RSVP: Tara McHenry McHenry@ncsquared.com
Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity
August 1, 2014
A new report from Vice President Joe Biden highlights New Century Careers’ MANUFACTURING 2000 as a successful manufacturing training program. Vice President Biden led the review of all federally funded employment and training programs to make the nation’s workforce development system more job-driven, integrated and efficient.
The NTMA has begun to enroll apprentices for the 2014-2015 Apprenticeship year.
July 30, 2014
The NTMA has begun to enroll apprentices for the 2014-2015 Apprenticeship year. The Apprenticeship Program is designed to provide related instruction classes to support on-the-job training provided by employers. The curriculum supports several metalworking occupations such as Machinists, Tool and Die Makers, and CNC Specialists.
This four-year apprenticeship program provides a comprehensive curriculum that keeps pace with current industry standards, taught by instructors with industry experience. Apprentices have the opportunity for hands-on NIMS credentialing to help them in their advancement and understanding of their field. The credentials they earn are standards-based, and recognized nationally.
Classes will be held at four locations: Central Westmoreland CTC in New Stanton, Northern Westmoreland CTC in New Kensington, New Century Careers Training Innovation Center on Pittsburgh’s Southside and Forbes Road CTC in Monroeville.
Tuition for the program is $1,040 for NTMA Members and $1,240for non-members for the entire year. This covers NIMS registration for each apprentice and up to two credentials per year. The costs of textbooks are additional. The deadline for registration is August 22, 2014. Classes start the week of September 8th, and meet one evening per week for 36 weeks.
For more information or to register, contact Liz Blashock at (412) 258-6628 or via email at blashock@ncsquared.com or visit www.pghntma.com.
Fombell manufacturer Veka rides vinyl demand rise
July 15, 2014
The company is on track for a third consecutive year of double-digit sales growth, which would boost annual revenue from $133 million. It is adding workers, too. It used a $190,000 state grant to hire 38 workers at its Fombell plant in 2013. “We’re growing at a strong rate,”
Your Garage Band Can Land You a STEM Career
July 7, 2014
Did you know that music and the STEM fields are very closely linked? Most people don’t! What you love about your garage band or the instrument you play could actually lead you to a STEM career later down the line. Don’t believe us? Check out these ways music and STEM are related and how you can turn your passion into a career.
3D Printed Sugar Cubes are Here
July 7, 2014
Earlier this year, 3D Systems introduced their ChefJet series of kitchen-ready 3D printers for edibles. The first two printers in the series are the monochrome, countertop ChefJet 3D printer (8x8x6?) and the full-color, larger format ChefJet Pro 3D printer (10x14x8?). Both are expected to be available in the second half of 2014. ChefJet printable materials come in a variety of recipes, including chocolate, vanilla, mint, sour apple, cherry and watermelon!
Help Wanted: Rebuilding the U.S. Manufacturing Skills Pipeline
July 7, 2014
Though U.S. manufacturing is on a steady path of growth, the threat from the skilled worker shorter could derail that. Here are some effective strategies to address the skill shortage.
Western Pa. students prepare for robotics competitions
June 20, 2014
Clairton City School District has been committed to its robotics program for several years and will continue competition with the upcoming BotsIQ event. Two years ago, then-junior Amanda Gillespie, then-senior Charles Shrout, and then-sophomore Eliza Sopko were among those who participated. Eliza, now a senior, still is with the program.
Highmark Local Workforce Initiative opens doors with training programs
June 17, 2014
New Century was one of 31 nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania that received grants of at least $50,000 from the Highmark Local Workforce Initiative, a two-year program that started in 2011.
