Earn-and-Learn in Practice: A Proven Model for Talent Development

Manufacturers continue to face growing pressure to attract, develop, and retain skilled talent while replacing an aging workforce. At SME FUSION, the session Earn-and-Learn in Practice: A Proven Model for Talent Development showcased how manufacturers and community colleges are building sustainable workforce pipelines through collaborative earn-and-learn programs. Rather than waiting for qualified talent to enter the workforce, these organizations are co-creating it through structured partnerships that combine classroom education with meaningful, paid industry experience.

Speakers

Dr. Patty Weaver, Vice President of External Affairs, Pellissippi State Community College

Jeff Carson, Plant Maintenance Superintendent, McKee Foods Corporation

Jay Easter, Central Services Maintenance Superintendent, Arconic Manufacturing

Elizabeth Hibner, Program Manager, Workforce Development, SME

A Different Approach to Workforce Development

Traditional hiring often leaves manufacturers hoping that graduates have the skills needed for today's production environments. Instead, these organizations have adopted a co-education model where employers help shape curriculum while students gain real-world experience throughout their education. Students spend two days each week in the classroom and three days working alongside experienced professionals. By graduation, they have earned an associate degree, developed practical technical skills, and accumulated two years of industry experience. For manufacturers, that means hiring candidates they already know and have worked with.

Industry Must Help Design the Pipeline

Panelists emphasized that workforce development begins with employer engagement. McKee Foods partnered with its local community college after discovering graduates lacked some of the practical industrial skills needed in the field. An employer-led advisory board became the foundation of the partnership, allowing manufacturers to continually shape curriculum and ensure students learn current technologies and practices.

Students immediately apply classroom concepts inside active manufacturing facilities. From electrical work and troubleshooting to preventive maintenance and engineering projects, every lesson is reinforced through real-world application. Exposure to multiple technical career paths also helps students discover where they thrive before graduation.

Soft Skills Matter Just as Much

Technical skills alone are not enough. Communication, teamwork, professionalism, accountability, and time management were repeatedly identified as critical for long-term success. Close communication between employers and college coordinators allows challenges to be identified early, helping students succeed both academically and professionally.

Building a Pipeline Instead of Filling Vacancies

Employers gain even more than interns. Over two years they evaluate technical ability, work ethic, and cultural fit while students gain valuable experience. By graduation, organizations have a proven pipeline of talent and significantly reduce hiring risk while improving retention.

The panel encouraged manufacturers and colleges to begin outreach in middle schools and high schools. Student ambassadors, facility tours, signing events, and parent engagement all help reshape perceptions of manufacturing careers while showcasing rewarding technical career opportunities.

A Model That Scales

Pellissippi State Community College has successfully expanded the earn-and-learn approach beyond manufacturing into additional technical disciplines. The speakers emphasized that the model scales through strong partnerships, dedicated coordinators, and active employer participation—not organizational size.

The session concluded with a simple but powerful message: employers and educators must build workforce solutions together. When industry helps shape education and colleges provide structured learning opportunities, students graduate with meaningful experience, employers develop dependable talent pipelines, and manufacturing gains a sustainable strategy for closing the skills gap. For manufacturers looking to develop these types of partnerships, SME can serve as a trusted partner to help identify opportunities, connect the right stakeholders, and get collaborative workforce efforts started. See how SME can help your workforce today.