Latest News
Dream It. Do It. National Executive Committee Holds Semi-Annual Meeting in Southeast Indiana
Mayor of Columbus, Indiana Proclaims October 23rd “Dream It. Do It. Day”
Dream It. Do It. National Executive Committee Holds Semi-Annual Meeting in Southeast Indiana
Columbus, IN., Columbus Mayor Fred Armstrong has issued an official Mayoral Proclamation declaring Thursday, October 23rd as “Dream It. Do It. Day” in recognition of the many benefits that manufacturing has to offer the Southeastern Indiana regional economy. The proclamation is also in recognition of the National Dream It. Do It. Executive Committee, which has chosen to conduct their semi-annual meeting in Southeast Indiana on October 22nd through 24th, hosted by the Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. team (an initiative of the Region 9 Workforce Board.) The meetings will be held at the Cummins Light Duty Diesel Engine Plant.
Armstrong cited the following factors in bestowing the Dream It. Do It. Day proclamation:
1. The manufacturing industry sector is the largest employment sector in Southeast Indiana and drives the regional economy; and in May 2007 Indiana’s Region 9 Workforce Board, in partnership with educators, business, government, and economic development officials throughout a 10-county area, launched the Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. campaign- an initiative designed to increase broad awareness about manufacturing careers.
2. Dream It. Do It. is designed to redefine the image of manufacturing and to showcase the industry’s wide range of career opportunities.
3. Dream It. Do It. demonstrates how young people and adults can secure well-paying advanced manufacturing jobs through training and education; and Dream It. Do It. serves as a vehicle to bring together Southeast Indiana’s education and workforce systems.
The National Dream It. Do It. Executive Committee membership includes representatives from throughout the United States. “In a short period of time, Dream It. Do It. has established a national reputation for increasing awareness and interest among students to the terrific careers available in advanced manufacturing,” said Cummins Vice Chairman, Joe Loughrey, who also Chairs Conexus Indiana, which has obtained the rights to license Dream It. Do It. across Indiana. “Dream It. Do It. is a critical part of the state’s effort to elevate and better align educational offerings with the needs of business to help ensure a better future for all Hoosiers, and playing host to the national Dream It. Do It. convention is recognition of the collaborative efforts taking root in Indiana.”
President of the Manufacturing Institute and senior Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers, Emily DeRocco, said, “I am delighted to be in Columbus with the Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. team. We have put into place an experienced, accomplished team who can effectively meld the Manufacturing Institute’s two strengths-an understanding of workforce and education needs and in-depth research that helps us design and implement an action agenda to address the economic challenges we face.”
John Burnett, Chairman of the Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. team, said, “We are honored to be hosting the Dream It. Do It. National Executive Committee, whose purpose is to implement a national campaign creating broad awareness about manufacturing careers while-redefining the image of manufacturing. Locally, success of the Dream It. Do It. campaign relies on linking together advanced manufacturing education programs of the middle schools, thirty-four-high schools, four Ivy Tech Community College sites, Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, Purdue College of Technology, Hanover College, six WorkOne-sites, and ten learning centers (one in each county) of our region into an aligned learning system.”
The long term vision of the Southeast Dream It. Do It. campaign, is to build a pipeline of future advanced manufacturing workers within the Southeast Indiana region to help boost the regional economy, as well as-to share best practices based on the needs of participating regional sites. The Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. team is a partner in the statewide effort, which is being conducted by Conexus Indiana, focused on aligning resources and expertise to make Indiana a leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics.
“The monumental achievements of the Region 9 Workforce Board and its partners are impressive,” said Carol D’Amico, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “The increased enrollments in educational programs that they have generated will have a lasting positive impact in Columbus and surrounding communities, and that is what Conexus Indiana will work to achieve when we launch the statewide Dream It. Do It. campaign.”
“The challenges that the Southeast Indiana region addressed and continues to work to improve are the same challenges faced by cities and towns across Indiana. Conexus Indiana is grateful to have the support of the Region 9 Workforce Board as we begin our own effort to deliver equally impressive results in the Northeast, Southwest and Central regions of the state.”
The key measures and outcomes of the DIDI Campaign include the following:
• Increase per capita income relative to Indiana and United States average
• Increase student enrollment in manufacturing related courses
• Increased graduation rates
• Increase number of manufacturing certifications
• Increase in number of manufacturing degree programs
Jim Battin, Director of the Southeast Indiana Dream It. Do It. team, said, “Student enrollment in high school manufacturing related programs has increased by 7% in the last year. Student enrollment in post secondary manufacturing certification programs has increased by 21% in the last year and Manufacturing Skills Standard Certification (MSSC) programs have been added in three high schools. The number of high schools with Project Lead The Way programs has increased from eight to fifteen in the last year.”
|
