MSESP Grantee Webinar

1. MSESP Grantee Webinar August 7, 2012

2. Agenda • Record Webinar • Welcome • Administrative Updates • Getting to know you…. • Grantee Presentation: Agristrand/MN State University, Mankato • Participant/Outcome Projection Updates • Other Updates – RAD, etc. • RAD Mini-Training – Using Notes/Export Report • Grantee Updates • Next Meeting

3. Administrative Updates • DOL Extension Request – Approved! • Information Needed: • Are you on track to achieve your goals and spend your grant funds by your contract end date? • If not, please explain. • What would help you increase your participant job placements and follow-ups? • Updated Expenditure/Outcome projections • Meetings with all sub-grantees

5. Quarterly Narrative Report Clarification on Outcome Summary Table – Rows I-M should include ONLY participants who are NOT entered in RAD

6. Outcome Summary – Qtrly Report

7. Poll #1

8. Grantee Presentation • Agristrand/MN State University, Mankato – John Frey

9. GreenPride for Green Products Dr. John Frey, Director of International Renewable Energy Technology Institute of MN

10. Mission • The mission of this training proposal is to provide Agristrand Mankato, LLC the workforce training needed to develop their workforce for the production of construction materials, principally door cores and particle board for the construction industry. • This is a startup company that purchased the Environ plant that made similar products. The Agristrand goal was to hire 50+ employees • Agristrand Mankato is a subsidiary of the parent Agristrand Biocomposites located at Panora, Iowa. • This training was open to others in the Biomaterials/Bioenergy area. • Examples: • BioPlastics Solutions of Blooming Prairie • CAB Construction of Mankato

11. Process for Partnership and Curriculum Development • Early meetings with company leadership prior to submission of proposal • Exchange of information on training needs for new company • Discussion of how training would foster: • Hiring process • Employee Expectations

12. Company Desire • To become a place where people aspire to work; • Have a strong focus on being Green; • Become a company known for its positive attitude toward employees; • Become a company where each employee is informed of the work of other employees • Basis of Training – Provide overview with an emphasis that each employee should recognize problems but realize their limits in expertise

13. Training Program • Minnesota State University and MN West • CurriculumCEU’s • Teamwork 2 • Ethics 1 • Quality 1 • Mechanical Transmission 1 • Hydraulics and Pneumatics 2 • Electro-Mechanical Operations 4 • PLC/Networking 2 • Being Green 1 • Leadership 2 • Total 16 • Goal: Completion of all credits would allow them 8 MSU academic credits

14. Issues of Training • 1) Delayed Start Up • The original plan was to start the training process in April; however, two unexpected problems occurred: • Inability to attract employees to establish the needed workforce due in part to the unemployment level in region • Bringing the plant into functional working order • Condition of Facilities • Unexpected problems • Renovation outsourcing needed due to complexity • Dialogue with the Company • Company position: Need for a product to satisfy investors • Training Position: • Need to keep training on schedule • Difficulty in establishing classes for individuals without employment uncertainty

15. Now Producing Products • As of July 16th, the plant is now producing two products: • Door Cores- which are bonded together under low pressure to reduce the weight of product • Particle Board (3/4”) perhaps other thicknesses as time moves on (this requires much more pressure to gain the high board density that is required)

16. Progress to Date • Courses presented: Employee base at present: 24 • Teamwork 1 CEU • Ethics 1CEU • Quality Assurance* 1 CEU • Mechanical Transmission 1 CEU • * Part of course delayed due to factory issue

17. Being Green/Local Product • Being Green is one of the areas where the company wants to distinguish itself • Soy straw has qualities of wood • Soy straw adds very little carbon to soil, particularly in a corn – soy rotation • Carbon footprint: The carbon from soya is pulled from the atmosphere in one year vs. that of wood which comes from trees that pull carbon but may store it without recycling for 40-50 yrs. Therefore, an annual plant will recycle carbon faster. 1,000 lb bale 85% C ≈ 3060 lbs of CO2 pulled from atmosphere annually • Local Product/Local Resources

18. Lessons Learned • One can get very excited about the possibility of a new company start up; however, with a new start up, unexpected issues can arise (and in this case did arise)

19. Contact Information John Frey john.frey@mnsu.edu 507-380-6001

20. Participant Update

21. RAD Update • Make sure that all participants are enrolled and updated in RAD • All entries MUST be up to date by August 10 • Training Activities – must be entered in training activity in RAD for participant to be counted for DOL • Placements – Make sure all are reported in RAD • Follow-ups – Qtr 1 & 2

22. Follow-ups • Remember to do your 1st Qtr/2nd Qtr Follow-ups!

23. Program Completion/Credentials • Program Completion – when participant has completed the entire series of courses or activities included in his/her plan • Credentials – only enter credentials rec’d after program completion. If rec’d prior, report in narrative report

24. Additional Completion/Credential Info • If you offer multiple training courses, AND • Completion of one course of your training is sufficient for a participant to be considered as having completed the training program, AND • The additional courses are extra… • You could enter program completion/credentials after the first training, and then add the additional training/credentials • If you try to do that in RAD, you will get a caution message, but should be able to move past it

25. Caution Message (RAD)

26. Placement • RAD will not accept a placement that occurs prior to program completion • If enrollee starts job prior to program completion, and • It is not “official” until they complete training, • Enter start date as the same date (or after) they complete training • If this does not apply, then report in the narrative report – Outcome Summary, Line I

27. Additional RAD Info • Supportive Services- Services such as transportation, child care, dependent care, housing, etc., that are necessary to enable an individual to participate in activities • Basic Skills Training - Training associated with improving basic skills in English reading, writing, mathematics, computer skills, or other skills that are widely required in training and employment settings • Placement - If participant gets job without completing program – report in Narrative • Notes Tab - Use to report details such as placement without completion, incumbent worker that moved into new position, incumbent worker not new position, etc.

28. RAD Mini-Training – Notes Tab/Export Report

29. Poll #2

30. Single Participant Summary

31. Outcome Summary – Qtrly Report

32. Poll #3

33. Participant Export Report

34. Select your report criteria

36. Notes – Sorted

37. Notes: Examples • Obtained employment before completion • Incumbent worker, completed training, did not obtain new position • Incumbent worker, retained position 2 quarters • Obtained employment, did not complete • Credentials prior to completion/#

38. Grantee Updates • Let us know what is happening with your MSESP project

39. Next Grantee Webinar Presenters: Northwest Technical College Rebuild Resources Tuesday, September 4 10:00 AM