Welding Pathways in the Florida TRADE Regions * Education * Workforce * Occupational * Submitted to the Florida TRADE Consortium by The Manufacturing Institute April 2014
Background The Manufacturing Institute has been contracted to provide technical support to the Florida TRADE Consortium. As part of that effort, Key Links Inc. has been sub-contracted to coordinate Career Pathway Development and Curriculum Mapping, as well as the Peer Learning Workshops. This document summarizes the overall approach taken by the Key Links team in working with Florida TRADE representatives to map the current community college programs of study. This work includes identification and application of relevant industry certifications with both academic and workforce programs at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Specifically, it addresses welding-related training. Additional pathways will be defined in Industrial Maintenance, Quality, AutoCAD, and Machining as a part of the Florida TRADE consortium deliverables for the TAACCCT grant. Process and Products With each pathway, the Key Links team is including the following steps: Cluster analysis: A review of multiple sources (e.g., Florida Department of Education, the Manufacturing Talent Development Institute (Manufacturing TDI), national and regional labor market reports) on relevant occupations and training programs in the TRADE region. Scan of existing pathways: Define the skills, ladder and lattice occupations, current and projected growth, and wages for target occupations in the regional labor sheds. Certification review: Research on relevant industry certifications, preparation programs, and workforce partners in the region who require or support them. Partner college engagement: In partnership with TRADE colleges, determine current credit and non-credit secondary and post-secondary programs and services related to the targeted occupations Curriculum alignment: Develop matrices and visuals to capture the current state for each targeted pathway, as well as suggest future possibilities.. Deliverables Several products will be developed for each pathway, including a visual of the current state within the TRADE colleges; a summary chart of college pathway-related training and certifications; and an Executive Report summarizing the pathways and observations on the data gathered during the process. Additional materials and training to support certification alignment will also be created. Florida TRADE Welding Pathway: Current State The map created to capture the Welding Pathway as it currently exists in the Florida TRADE consortium regions (on following page) identifies access points for two populations: Adults and Youth. Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 2
YOUTH High Schools Technical Centers Academy Programs Florida TRADE Welding Pathway: Current State ADULTS Incumbent workers Workforce / Trade Act Adult Basic Education Veterans ACADEMIC PATHWAY WORKFORCE PATHWAY INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS MSSC CPT 15 credit hrs towards AS OSHA 10 & 30 Accelerated Training Model: Awareness Orientation IDP MSSC exam / Training OCCUPATIONS Helper Production Workers SOC 51-9198 OCCUPATIONS First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, & Repairers SOC 49-1011 General and Operations Managers Engineering Technology AS Advanced Technology OR Advanced Manufacturing Industrial Management AS MSSC-CPT 15 credits applied to AS 24 credit hours towards CCC and AS Engineering Technician SOC 17-3023 AWS Certified Welder (American Welding Society) NCCER Welding Certification (National Center for Construction Education & Research) Applied Welding Technologies PSAV Non-credit 24 credit hours towards CCC and AS Welding Continuing Education and Certification Preparation PBSC only Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers SOC 51-4121 Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway 6/19/14 Page 3
Although there are a few secondary Career-Technical (CTE) programs in the regions, none appear to be aligned with any specific college program. Youth must currently enter the TRADE pathway through one of the college programs. Two pathways are defined in the visual: the Academic Pathway, which tracks the credit-based certificates and degrees within the TRADE colleges, and the Workforce Pathway, capturing the noncredit options for occupational training. As part of the TRADE project deliverables, an Accelerated Training Model is being developed as an intake point for youth and adults. Beginning with an active recruiting effort and Industry Awareness Orientation, participants are tracked into several groups (e.g., unemployed workers, industry novices, veterans, incumbent workers) and receive an Individual Development Plan (IDP). After taking the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council Certified Production Technician (MSSC CPT) exam and receiving 10 weeks of accelerated training in the manufacturing industry, those interested in pursuing the Welding Workforce Pathway can pursue additional industry-based certifications (e.g., OSHA 10 and 30) and enroll in the non-credit Applied Welding Technologies program at one of five TRADE colleges. If participants choose the Welding Academic Pathway, successful completion of the MSSC-CPT certification will give them 15 credit hours towards the Associate of Science degree in Industrial Management Technology. However, welding skills are currently only taught in an elective course within that program. In colleges where the Accelerated Training Model is not in place, youth and adults interested in a Welding Pathway can take the MSSC-CPT exam independently (if they have prior experience in the manufacturing industry) or enroll in an online course to prepare for it. All colleges also provide individuals with an opportunity to earn the Ready to Work certificate, which certifies that an individual has the fundamental job skills needed to succeed in the Florida economy. OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are safety training credentials offered through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The MSSC-CPT training program is provided at all TRADE colleges in online, face-to-face, or hybrid (online and classroom combined) formats, part of the first statewide manufacturing industry certification effort. The combination of these Core credentials provides a foundational skill set for the Academic and Workforce Pathways, as well as entry-level Occupational Pathway positions like Helper Production Worker. The primary Welding-related training currently provided in the TRADE colleges occurs in the Workforce Pathway. Five member colleges and eight Technical Centers across the regions offer training that result in Post-Secondary Adult Vocational (PSAV), Career Training, Workforce, or Technical Certificates. All are non-credit and do not transfer to any academic program. The only exceptions are at Palm Beach State College and the Technical Education Center at Osceola (TESO), where students who complete the PSAV in Applied Welding Technologies can transfer 24 credit hours (not specific to replacement of any required course) towards an Associate of Science degree in Industry Management Technology. These certificate programs include training towards industry certifications (e.g., American Welding Society, or Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 4
AWS), depending on the college. Prospective welders can also pursue the Workforce Pathway through Continuing Education and Certification preparation at Palm Beach State College only. With no clear articulation or transition from the Workforce Pathway options, students pursuing the Academic Pathway must enroll directly in the Industrial Management Technology program at either Palm Beach State College or Pasco Hernando Community College. There, the training will prepare them for a variety of higher-level manufacturing positions (e.g., Engineering Technician, First-Line Supervisor, General and Operations Manager), but the programs themselves do not require any Welding courses. Welding Occupations Several welding-related occupations are listed in the Occupational Pathway in the visual. Beginning with Helper Production Worker, these are jobs that are high-demand, high-growth, and offer wages that increase as individuals gain additional skills and experience. As part of the Pathways research process, key data were gathered and included in this Executive Report to assist TRADE colleges in counseling students, building more robust pathways, and linking to labor market opportunities in the region. Table 1 (below) and Table 2 (on the following page) summarize the job growth and wages for three of the occupational fields supported by the Academic and Workforce Pathways for Welding. The data are provided by region and as a whole for all parts of the state where TRADE consortium members are located. Provided by Manufacturing TDI and EMSI, the statistics are defined by labor shed regions; that is, clustered by geographic or cities where workers might seek employment. Abbreviations used include: 1. BGF Bay, Gulf, Franklin 2. LWG Leon, Wakulia, Gadsden 3. DN Duval, Nassau 4. VBF Volusia, Brevard, Flagler 5. OSO Orange, Seminole, Osceola 6. SF South Florida 7. TB Greater Tampa Bay Projected Job Growth Total across Florida TRADE Regions Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, & Repairers Engineering Technician (Electrical & Electronics) Total 2014 Jobs / 2020 jobs 7,315 / 7,648 16,581 / 17,615 4,888 / 4,909 Average annual growth rate across regions 8.7% 6% (-1.2%) Median wage/ hour across regions $16.51 $26.79 $26.01 Table 1: Totals, All Florida TRADE Regions. These three occupational categories are the most common in the Welding Pathway. Welding and Supervision are growing occupations in the region; Engineering Technicians appear to be generally in decline. Table 2 breaks out the data by region. Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 5
(Data from EMSI reports (OCEW Employees EMSI 2014.1, Manufacturing TDI) Projected Job Growth Individual Florida TRADE Regions BGF: Gulf Coast State College Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, & Repairers Engineering Technician (Electrical & Electronics) 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 205 / 251 293 / 315 125/130 Annual growth rate 22% 8% 4% Average wage/ hour $16.55 $25.80 $31.12 LWG: Tallahassee State College 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 81 / 95 410 / 435 78/79 Annual growth rate 17% 6% 1% Average wage/ hour $15.02 $23.62 $24.43 DN: Florida State @ Jacksonville 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 886 / 919 1654 / 1714 723/736 Annual growth rate 4% 4% 2% Average wage/ hour $17.57 $27.18 $30.21 VBF: Daytona State College 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 816 / 840 1117 / 1151 822/797 Annual growth rate 3% 3% (-3%) Average wage/ hour $16.52 $28.18 $22.05 OSO: Valencia College 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 1120 / 1229 3247 / 3512 986/1015 Growth rate 10% 8% 3% Average wage/ hour $16.99 $29.06 $25.77 SF: IRSC, PBSC, Broward 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 1787 / 1837 4847 / 5200 781/793 Annual growth rate 3% 7% 2% Average wage/ hour $16.88 $26.91 $24.70 TB: Polk, Hillsborough, St. Petersburg, PHCC 2014 Jobs/2020 jobs 2420 / 2477 5013 / 5288 1373/1359 Annual growth rate 2% 5% (-1%) Average wage/ hour $16.06 $26.76 $23.77 Table 2: Total by Florida TRADE Region. Welding positions have the greatest annual projected growth in the Gulf Coast region, but the numbers are largest in the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas. Wages for Engineering Technicians appear to be lower overall than that of First-Line Supervisors in 4 of the 7 regions. (Data from EMSI reports (OCEW Employees EMSI 2014.1, Manufacturing TDI) Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 6
As noted in the two tables, while the average growth across all seven Florida TRADE regions is less than 10% for welding-related occupations, there are parts of the state where demand is projected beyond 20% annually. Engineering Technician positions are generally growing, but in many of the regions demand has dropped off. The Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (SOC 51-4121) category of jobs are those targeted by the non-credit PSAV programs; First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers (SOC 49-1011) are jobs with skills developed through the Industrial Management Technology AS degree. The Engineering Technology AS degree, which has two relevant areas of emphasis (Advanced Technology and Advanced Manufacturing) develops the skills needed for the Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technician field (SOC 17-3023). It should be noted that welding skills are not required for occupations in the latter two categories, but they are part of the current Welding Academic Pathway in Florida TRADE colleges. Summary of College Welding-Related Training The Florida TRADE College Profiles: Welding-Related Training chart (see next page) is designed to be placed on the reverse side of the Welding Pathways visual. Together with the TRADE Region summary from the previous section, these two pieces show the Welding Pathways of Training and Certification in the Florida TRADE regions. All the college abbreviations used in the pathway visual are listed, along with the names of the various non-credit training programs at each location. The Optional Certifications Available column provides a simple summary of where industry certifications are either part of the welding training program, where certification testing is provided, or both; it is unclear. Observations While reviewing the data and developing the Welding Pathways, the Key Links team noted several observations about the Florida TRADE region and the industry. These are not recommendations; rather, they are presented for the consortium s consideration as the member colleges determine next steps in building and maintaining a robust welding career pathway for state residents. 1. Occupation-related certifications in Welding are all accessed through the Workforce Pathway. All five training programs currently in place in the Florida TRADE regions are Post-Secondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) or technical certificates. With the exception of Palm Beach State College and TESO, which grant 24 credit hours to their PSAV completers towards the Industrial Management or Engineering Technology degree, none of the colleges appear to acknowledge the value of the skills gained in the Applied Welding Technologies training enough to build on them through the Academic Pathway. In addition, only three of the five Applied Welding Technologies programs appear to provide testing or alignment with the AWS certifications, and just two offer the NCCER exams. None of the colleges appear to include the certification exams as a part of their training programs explicitly; most require students to register and sit for them on their own. Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 7
Region Bay, Gulf, Franklin Leon, Wakulia, Gadsden Duval, Nassau Volusia, Brevard, Flagler Orange, Seminole, Osceola South Florida Greater Tampa Bay College Gulf Coast State College (GSCS) Tallahassee State College (TSC) Florida State College @ Jacksonville (FSCJ) Daytona State College (DSC) Valencia College (VC) Indian River State College (IRSC) Palm Beach State College (PBSC) Broward College (BC) Hillsborough (HCC) Pasco Hernando (PHCC) Polk State College (PSC) St. Petersburg College (SPC) None Welding-Related Training PSAV: Applied Welding Technologies (Gadsden and Lively Area Vocational Tech Centers; Tallahassee SC) Workforce Certificate: Applied Welding Technologies PSAV: Welding Technology (DSC) PSAV: Applied Welding Technologies (Westside, Osceola, and Mid-Florida Technology Centers) Career Training: Applied Technology Welding (IRSC) PSAV: Welding Technology (PBSC; Bradford-Union and McFatter Technical Centers) Continuing Ed: Certification preparation, skills (PBSC) PSAV: Applied Welding Technologies (DC Erwin TC, Traviss Career Center, Ridge Career Center, SPC) Technical Certificate: Applied Welding Technologies (PHCC) Certifications Available Manufacturing MSSC CPT OSHA 10, 30 MSSC CPT OSHA 10 MSSC CPT OSHA 10, 30 MSSC CPT MSSC CPT OSHA 10, 30 MSSC CPT (all colleges in region) OSHA 10, 30 (IRSC, BC) MSSC CPT (all colleges in region) OSHA 10, 30 (PSC, SPC) None AWS NCCER None Welding Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 8 AWS None AWS (PBSC) NCCER (PBSC) AWS (PHCC) NCCER (PSC) Welding-Related Training & Certifications: Career Training Program, Workforce or Technical Certificate: non-credit, no articulation PSAV: Post-Secondary Adult Vocational Certificate (non-credit) MSSC CPT: Manufacturing Fundamentals & Manufacturing Fundamentals (Mfg. Skill Standards Council) OSHA 10 or 30: 10 or 30-hour industry safety training (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) AWS: Certified Welder (American Welding Society) NCCER: Welding Certification (National Center for Construction Education & Research)
Observations (continued) 2. Welding skills are not a part of any Associate of Science degree offered in the Florida TRADE colleges. The focus of the Industrial Management Technology AS is on a broader industry application of management skills, and the welding credits are considered electives. The Engineering Technology: Advanced Technology Associate of Science degree is comprised of two College Credit Certificates (CCC): Applied Technology Specialist, which includes soldering skills primarily for lab use, and Composite Fabrication and Testing, targeting fiberglass fabrication. A student pursuing the Engineering Technology: Advanced Manufacturing AS, focused on pneumatic, hydraulic, and electromechanical systems, may find welding skills useful in repairs, but they are not required. With over 35,000 welding-related jobs in the TRADE regions projected by 2020 (based on EMSI labor market projections), these skills are a core part of the manufacturing workforce. 3. Major manufacturing labor sheds have limited sources for Welding training and graduates. Related to the lack of welding skill sets in the Academic Pathways, several economic regions represented in the Florida TRADE consortium appear to have an imbalance between training opportunities and workforce need. The Greater Tampa Bay area, for example, has nearly 2500 workers in the Welder, Cutter, Solderer, and Brazer category (EMSI report 2014) and a projected need for 75 more each year. Four colleges (Polk, Hillsborough, St. Petersburg, and Pasco Hernando) serve that region, but only one (PHCC) has a welding-related training program. 4. Secondary CTE programs and technical centers can help meet the regions needs. A high school consortium located in Hillsborough County (Jefferson HS, Hillsborough HS, and Tampa Bay Technical HS) has an Applied Welding program but it is unclear how or if that training is connected with any of the colleges. In the Central Florida region (Orange, Seminole, and Osceola ), employers have more than 1100 workers in that same job category; predictions for 10% annual growth beg the question of where the training will come from when there are no programs at the local state college. Three technology centers (OTEC Westside, Osceola, and Mid-Florida) do provide Applied Welding Technologies PSAV programs, but it is unclear how or if these training opportunities connect with Valencia College. 5. Palm Beach State College provides a proactive model for regional consideration. With nearly 1.800 welders in the South Florida region, it appears that Palm Beach has recognized the need for a comprehensive system of training for the welding industry. The college provides a 1-year PSAV certificate and grants 24 credit hours towards the Engineering Technology or Industrial Management Technology AS degree to completers. Continuing education efforts are focused on skills development of incumbent workers and preparation for industry-recognized certifications such as MSSC-CPT, OSHA 10 and 30 hour safety training, AWS Certified Welder and NCCER Welding Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 9
Certification. Building a pathway in and out of academic and workforce training supports the lifelong learning philosophy of robust occupational pathways and lattices. 6. Cross-walking course learning outcomes with occupation-related certifications begins to align the Academic and Workforce Pathways. As part of the Florida TRADE project, work has already begun to identify common industry-recognized certifications and to determine how to incorporate them in credit and non-credit training programs. In the Welding-related industry, four certification systems may prove useful: the MSSC-CPT, OSHA 10 and 30, AWS, and NCCER. The Manufacturing Institute, partners in the Florida TRADE project, is providing support to the consortium in this effort. 7. Industry credentials validate the skills and competencies needed for workers to be productive and successful in the workplace. The MSSC-CPT, which is already in place at all 12 Florida TRADE colleges, and the OSHA 10 and 30 hour training, offered through many of them as well, are considered industry-related certifications. They provide employers with a guarantee of proficiency in cross-cutting manufacturing skills in areas such as safety, quality, and logistics. Occupation-related certifications like those through the American Welding Society (AWS) and the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) focus on specific technical competencies and knowledge needed in welding-related occupations. The MI staff is developing training materials and templates for TRADE college faculty and staff to use in the cross-walking process with current and new curricula. Using industry-recognized certifications also provides colleges with opportunities to develop or expand partnerships with local manufacturers and industry associations. Taking the next step of actually embedding the industry certifications into college instructional programs (credit and non-credit) adds value to the academic credentials of the Florida TRADE consortium. Florida TRADE Consortium: Welding Pathway Page 10