To address these challenges, the Automotive and Metal Fabrication cluster developed two action initiatives in which their members would participate, the first linked closely to one of the region's flagships.

1. Improving Access to Skilled Labor for Automotive and Metal Fabrication Cluster (Flagship)

Objective: Improve the image of a career in automotives and metal fabrication and strengthen training capacity through marketing and direct bridge building with the education system.

Activities: Expand training capacities and implement manufacturing career promotion.

• Link with Community Colleges: Develop a manufacturing cluster representative to work with the regional community colleges (e.g., KVCC).
• Coordinate Industry Training Programs: Develop a detailed database of manufacturers in Southwest Michigan. Include information on firms with their own training and apprenticeship programs that might be shared or adopted by other firms.
• Career Promotion: Start a program to develop an image that will promote careers in manufacturing. Activities should include: strategic communications, promotional media, tours of facilities, expanded Voyager program, career nights for manufacturing and automotive professionals teaching in high schools.
• Use Available Incentives for Workforce Training: Review, endorse and make greater use of the Governor's Scholarship program within the automotive cluster.
• Recruitment: Immediately reach out to manufacturers who are closing in surrounding regions and seek to recruit their employees to this region using job fairs.
2. Establish a Regulatory Information and Technical Assistance Service

Objective: Reduce time required to comply with regulatory requirements and costs by sharing information and providing technical assistance on regulatory compliance process.

Activities: Organize a jointly funded service providing regulatory compliance information and assistance.

• An Industry Network Sponsored Activity with a Central Staff or Service: This will be achieved by working with the existing Regional Manufacturing Council of the Chamber of Commerce.

Status of Action

The Automotives and Metal Fabrication cluster has already taken steps to organize a collaborative program to provide coordinated information and technical assistance on regulatory issues facing this cluster and is extending participation to other manufacturing clusters.

A database team has been growing its membership to create a timely, useful, efficient tool that will increase access to and development of the regional labor force.