In Minnesota, only 2 percent of high school students express an interest in manufacturing careers while Minnesota manufacturing businesses post 27,000 manufacturing job openings every four months. This presentation showed how the nationally organized Dream It. Do It. recruitment strategy is being utilized in Minnesota by 360, a manufacturing-based center of excellence. Strategies and resources will be described and shared to help others consider how they present manufacturing as a career of choice. Best practices from across the national Dream It. Do It. network were also shared. Presented by Jaimee Meyer, Dream It. Do It. MN Executive Director and Jessica Gehrke, 360 Communications Specialist at the 2015 HI-TEC Conference in Portland, OR

1. HI-TEC Conference
July 29, 2015
Attracting Manufacturing Talent

2. 360 is an innovative education and industry
collaboration to RECRUIT, EDUCATE, and TRAIN
workers for dynamic careers in advanced
manufacturing.

3. Section Title Here
Section subtitle goes here
COLLEGE PARTNERS

4. Section Title Here
Section subtitle goes here
THE CHALLENGE IS REAL

5. THE CHALLENGE IS REAL

6. MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Enhanced Pipeline Industry-driven Curriculum
 Dream It. Do It. Tour of
Manufacturing
 Youth Outreach
 STEM Events
 Robotics Competitions
 Career Success Skills
 Robotics
 Program Improvement
Funding
 New Education Models

7. Enhanced Pipeline

8. Dream It. Do It. Minnesota is a
manufacturing career recruitment strategy
that works to EDUCATE,
INFORM, and PROVIDE RESOURCES
for youth, their influencers, educators and
engages industry to develop the next
generation of skilled workers.

9. About Dream It. Do It. MN
 The purpose of the Dream
It. Do It. Campaign in MN
is:
• Inspire young people to
prepare for and seek
careers in advanced
manufacturing
• Improve the public’s
image of manufacturing
• Influence schools to
embrace manufacturing
careers
• Involve Minnesota
manufacturers in a
leadership role

10. Statewide Tour of
Manufacturing

11. Overview
• Offers schools, families,
and the general public a
chance to see how modern
manufacturing is high-tech
and innovative
• 3 days of tours occurring
statewide, held in October
in alignment with
Minnesota manufacturing
week

12. Objectives
• Improve the perception of
manufacturing
• Demonstrate positive
career opportunities in
manufacturing
• Engage industry and
influencers

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRKt6gTFH2o
Tour Video

14. 2014 Participant Tour Survey Results
I used to think factory jobs
were just for people that
could not get jobs anywhere
else. They had great jobs
and made good money.
 2014 Student
Tour Attendee

15. 2014 Host Tour Survey Results

16. 2014 Statewide Tour Highlights

17. Resources

18. Teacher’s Guide, Grades 6-12, provides
lessons, activities, and videos to introduce
middle school and high school students to
manufacturing and careers in manufacturing
Teacher’s Guide

19. Gives Minnesota manufacturers a structured
framework for engaging with their local school
system and best practices for building
relationships with educators
Adopt-A-School Guide

20. Features Minnesota companies,
testimonials from employees
showcasing modern
manufacturing settings. Includes
facts about Minnesota
manufacturing, an event
calendar, YouTube videos,
resources connecting visitors to
information, career opportunity
profiles, ways to get started on a
career path, or encourage
careers in manufacturing
A Dynamic Website

21. Highlights opportunities,
salaries, and the wide
variety of jobs found in
modern manufacturing,
including profiles of
manufacturing businesses
throughout Minnesota
Marvin Windows:
https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=lZ43vX0hygw&feature=
player_detailpage
Videos

22. A creative way to introduce
manufacturing to middle
school students
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
CqLc_BxMBI4
Build It Better! Game App

23. Social Media, connect with
students, manufacturers,
and anyone interested in
manufacturing
A Monthly E-Newsletter, that
includes upcoming events,
testimonials about
manufacturing careers, news
stories related to manufacturing
and much more
Social Media & E-Newsletter

24. Youth Outreach Toolkit provides
easy-to-use materials to integrate
information about manufacturing
careers at youth outreach events
Direct Mail, connects with potential students
who want to learn more about manufacturing
and what it has to offer them in the future
Billboards, promoting
manufacturing careers
Other Resources

25. Robotics
Competition

26. Objectives
• Interest students in
manufacturing careers
• Show career pathway from
robotics to manufacturing
• Show connection between
manufacturing & STEM
• Improve confidence in
STEM skills and subjects
• Increase enrollment in
college programs

27. Ideal Tool
Optimist Club
College & Industry Partners
Lab Midwest

28. Robotics Highlights

29. 2014-2015 Youth Survey Results
[I learned] how much the
jobs in Minnesota will
revolve around
manufacturing in the future.
 2014-2015 VEX
Robotics participant

30. 2014-2015 Parent Survey Results

31. 2014-2015 Educator Survey Results

32. Collaboration
• North Central
• Career Expo
• Tours
• West Central
• Billboard Campaign
• Career Expo
• Tours
• Northwest
• Career Expo
• Tours
• Northeast
• Tours

33. Partners/Sponsors

34. Dream It. Do It. National Best Practices
“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” Video program
• Teams of middle school students, led by teacher coaches, are provided
with instructional materials and matched with local manufacturers.
• Each team has two months to create a short video profile of their partner
company and the career opportunities they offer to answer the contest
question, “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?”
• Entries are judged by an expert panel and public vote---hosted on
dreamitdoitmn.com and winners are recognized at an awards ceremony
by industry, education leaders, dignitaries, and elected officials.

35. Making It Real | Girls & Manufacturing
• Summit invites middle and high school girls to hear from
women leaders and practitioners about manufacturing
careers and the skills needed to be successful, and
participate in experiential, hands-on activities and
demonstrations that showcase today’s manufacturing
workplace.
• Goal is to expose girls to dynamic, successful,
businesswomen and educators who are passionate about
their careers and the contributions they make to our world.
• Hopes to spark interest in world of manufacturing and the
potential opportunities it offers
Dream It. Do It. National Best Practices

36. Dream It. Do It. National
Best Practices
Summer Teacher STEM experience
• Hosts a professional development week for area educators.
• Satisfies professional development for administrators,
professors and teachers of all disciplines, including math,
science, art, languages, history, and technology.
• Full week of activities and seminars, community college
presentations, information regarding certifications, and degrees
in advanced manufacturing.
• Tours of manufacturers
• Attend workshops where they learn how to use CAD software
and CNC machines

37. Questions & Answers
Jaimee Meyer
Executive Director
Dream It. Do It. MN
jmeyer@bemidjistate.edu
218-755-2206
dreamitdoitmn.com
Jessica Gehrke
Communications Specialist
360
jgehrke@bemidjistate.edu
218-755-2209
360mn.org
An affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and educator
These programs are supported by an NSF ATE Program Grant,
award number 1204550. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation
(www.nsf.gov).