New M3 Credential Will Make WAEM Workforce Competitive

Workers with verified skills will attract modern manufacturing jobs to West Alabama and East Mississippi (WAEM).  That is the cornerstone strategy of the WAEM Initiative sponsored by Governors Bob Riley and Haley Barbour.  Monday, WAEM Initiative leaders announced the final mechanism to put this strategy in place.

“Today we unveil the M3 Credential, the final piece of our new system to create a globally competitive workforce for our West Alabama – East Mississippi region,” said Dr. James Mitchell, president of the WAEM Alliance and president of Wallace Community College – Selma.  The WAEM Alliance is a formal consortium of the eight community and junior colleges in the 37-county WAEM region.

“Coupled with the ‘anytime, anywhere’ modern manufacturing training system announced by Governor Barbour last October and a $4 million direct investment at our eight colleges authorized by Governor Riley, the M3 Credential makes West Alabama and East Mississippi ready to compete for the best manufacturing jobs in the world,” said Dr. Scott Elliott, vice-president of the WAEM Alliance and president of Meridian Community College. 

“M3” in the M3 Credential name stands for “modern multi-skill manufacturing.”  The M3 Credential was developed by the workforce directors and career tech leaders at the eight WAEM Alliance colleges after a summit hosted by Governors Riley and Barbour last May chose advanced manufacturing as the WAEM region’s top priority. 

“We’ve got to get more serious about our workforce and job training needs in our states,” Governor Barbour said at the summit.  “And, we have to expect, rely on, and count on our community colleges to take the lead.”

Governor Riley echoed the call for community colleges to provide leadership.  “If you don’t provide the services we’re going to need over the next two to three years, that will be the limiting factor in our ability to compete,” he said. 

The colleges and their workforce and career tech professionals took this charge to heart.  They identified skills used and needed at local advanced manufacturers as well as those at worldwide companies.

For example, the M3 Credential matches up well with Toyota training requirements. “My review of types of skills taught to workers recently hired for Toyota Manufacturing in North Mississippi shows the M3 Credential matching up very well,” said Dr. Shannon Campbell, Dean of Workforce Development at Jones County Junior College.  “These skills represent the basic requirements that modern manufacturers expect from people they hire.”   

“The M3 Credential is based on national skill standards established for advanced manufacturing,” explained Roger Whitlock, credential taskforce leader and workforce director at East Central Community College.  “The M3 skill-sets will qualify workers in a variety of occupations requiring applications of technology.”

Economic developers see the M3 Credential as a boon to their job creation and retention efforts.

“This will let us prove that our region has competent qualified workers,” said Phillis Belcher, executive director of the Greene County Industrial Development Board.  “A credentialed workforce will make us highly competitive,” said Wade Jones, president of the East Mississippi Business Development Corp. in Meridian.  Both are members of the WAEM Commission appointed by the governors to oversee the WAEM Initiative.

“This region is building one of the most innovative, accessible, advanced manufacturing training systems in the United States” Governor Barbour said. 

The M3 Credential will be available to incumbent workers, dislocated workers, underemployed workers, and students seeking to “verify” their skills.  By verify, the WAEM Alliance means workers actually demonstrate the skills.

“This is not just a paper and pencil test,” says Whitlock.  “This is authentic, hands-on assessment of modern manufacturing skills.”  To accommodate workers, WAEM Alliance colleges will hold open assessment labs on Saturdays.  At least one of the eight colleges in the region will hold an open lab on each Saturday.  Workers interested in being assessed for the credential will need to make an appointment.

The “anytime, anywhere” modern manufacturing training system will allow workers to prepare for the M3 assessments at home, at work, at libraries, and any location with broadband Internet access.  The eight colleges will also offer instruction on these skills.

The eight colleges intend to have all components of the training system and M3 Credential operational by June 1.  For more information, contact one of the eight participating colleges:  Alabama Southern Community College, Bevill State Community College, East Central Community College, East Mississippi Community College, Jones County Junior College, Meridian Community College, Shelton State Community College, and Wallace Community College – Selma. 

For more information on the M3 Credential and the WAEM Initiative, go to www.WAEM.us on the Internet.

The WAEM Initiative and the M3 Credential result from a Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.  The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs serves as the fiscal agent; The Montgomery Institute as the program manager.