Manufacturing in Manitoba

www.daretocompete.ca 4 • Manitoba Manufacturing Week 2013 Sharing our Strength Manitoba manufacturers make powerful connections through CME C anadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) knows there's strength in numbers. With more than 100,000 companies in its extended nationwide network, Canada's largest trade and industry association harnesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. "At the core, we're a network organization, connecting manufacturers to each other and to the resources available to them, CME vice-president Ron " Koslowsky says. Ron Koslowsky Vice President CME Manitoba "Our mandate is to help manufacturers and exporters become more competitive and grow their business. That's what drives us every day. " all year round, in a number of ways. It gives members — about 85% of whom are small and medium-size companies — a voice in shaping government policy as a strong advocate for competitive taxation, investment in research and development and other key issues. And the Manitoba division, which has supported the industry since 1919, provides direct services in four core areas manufacturers have identified as top priorities: Human resources, LEAN and productivity, technology and innovation and trade and business development. CME takes a meaningful, hands-on approach to helping companies grow and increase competitiveness. During Manitoba Manufacturing Week (March 18 to 22), CME celebrates an industry that produces and markets everything from meat and potatoes to rockets and satellites — and employs some 61,000 Manitobans in the process. Its Dare to Compete Conference, March 19 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, brings together business leaders and experts in fields such as innovation and technology, human resources and productivity. The conference is one of the association's most highprofile events of the year. But CME fulfills its mandate "Each of these areas has a champion in place, and they are experts in that area who spend one-on-one time with companies to help them better understand what the issues are, what the potential solutions are, who we can connect them with, or what training that we deliver, " Koslowsky says. "There's a lot of power in having a collection of best practices – if you will – of ideas, of resources, of contacts that can really help your business. That network that can help your business is really what it's all about. " CME's Core Services Human Resources Attracting and retaining skilled labour is a top priority for manufacturers. In an increasingly competitive labour market, companies might tap into under-represented sources — women, immigrants and aboriginal communities — or develop training programs for existing workforces. CME can help with labour market intelligence, tools and resources. The association works with partners to help identify needs and address them, whether that means providing language or essential skills training or even life-skills training to make sure people are ready to be successful in the workplace. Koslowsky says manufacturers also want to attract young people. "Our youth initiative is reaching out to high schools, connecting with post-secondary institutions and generally helping the public and the future workforce understand what modern manufacturing is, what the skills are and what the opportunities are. " CME's Discovery Program helps high school students develop skills through a hovercraft-building competition, and HR champion Debbie Leiter works with the program's partners to show high school students the variety of careers in modern manufacturing and sketch out the education paths they should follow to land the job they want. Hundreds of students representing a dozen Manitoba high schools will attend the Discovery Program Final Competition, where they will showcase their hovercrafts' abilities and present their supporting business plan to a panel of industry and educational judges, vying for a top spot and over $30,000 in scholarships and bursaries. LEAN/Productivity LEAN champion Ian Marshall helps companies improve productivity by applying LEAN concepts to all facets of their operations. CME offers a variety of LEAN training programs and events. With a focus on activities that increase value to customers, LEAN eliminates waste, improves inventory flow and streamlines processes. Five CME-supported Consortia in Manitoba bring teams of companies together to share advice and strategies, inspire one another to continually meet new goals and find workable ways to

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