VMEC Is Turning 30!
2025 marks VMEC’s 30th anniversary supporting Vermont Manufacturers. With over 200 years of collective experience behind those 30 years, we'll be celebrating all year long and you will benefit from our important milestone.
We're starting the new year off with a thank you to YOU; effective immediately, we're reducing the fee of our Lean-based "standard" public training opportunities to 30% of their cost! Or put another way, a 70% discount!
This benefit is just the beginning of what's to come this year. We're working on other exciting announcements on how we can celebrate together - Stay tuned!
Learning Opportunities for You!
Start this new year on a high note; view our Training and Events page to read the full descriptions and register for any of the events below.
Lean 101 Food Production Fundamentals
Thursday, January 9 / 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Do North Coworking, Lyndonville / $350 pp
(this training is a re-schedule from the December 5 cancellation)
AND
Tuesday, January 14 / 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
VT State University, Williston / $350 pp
Is your focus in the food manufacturing operations area? Whether you grow, bake, mix, package, retail, wholesale or warehouse “it”, Lean 101 Food Production Fundamentals with B-TARTS is for you! Taking the roots from our standard and popular Lean 101 Fundamentals learning opportunity, we take it one step further by customizing this offering to what’s in the best interest of VT food producers to help you with your workflow challenges, eliminating waste in your processes and systems and so much more.
Strategy Deployment – Engaging Everyone with Focus, Alignment and Swiftness
Friday, January 24 / 12 Noon - 1:00 pm
Virtual and Free
Join us for a Noontime Knowledge webinar led by Otto Funke, GlobalFoundries Manufacturing Engineer, as he shares effective practices he uses to:
- Initiate Strategy Deployment
- Implement Standard Strategy Deployment Elements
- Sustain Strategy Deployment year to year
- Apply Accountability Systems That Work
- Carry out the Strategy Deployment process to develop leadership and problem solving skills.
And stay tuned for a Strategy Deployment training and coaching
session announcement soon!
Certified Quality Inspector (CQI) Course
January 24 - February 21 / 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
BETA Technologies, South Burlington and Virtual Options / $595 pp
VT ASQ and VMEC are pleased to present the Certified Quality Inspector (CQI) - Certification Exam Preparation Course. The CQI is qualified in the use of proven techniques included in the CQI body of knowledge. Under professional direction for quality engineers and managers, the quality inspector evaluates hardware documentation, performs laboratory procedures, inspects products, measures process performance, records data and prepares formal reports as required by the company’s inspection and testing QC system. This professional certification is recognized throughout the US and globally and it's good for life, no recertification required.
Lean 101 - Lean Transformation
Thursday, January 30 / 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
AllEarth Renewables, Bristol / $325 pp
Lean is a learning system that develops capability and adaptability in people and processes. Lean 101 workshops have created and reignited the spark for improvement in countless organizations in Vermont and across the globe. When paired with the commitment to further engage and develop employees at all levels, Lean has proven to result in the competitive edge that attracts customers, employees and investors. We have streamlined our popular Lean 101 training opportunity to ensure it's applicable across all environments including manufacturing, administration, healthcare, government, services and much more.
Tooling U-SME
Various training options that fit your schedule!
With nearly 600 online classes, virtual labs, instructor-led training, certifications, apprenticeships, consulting and more, Tooling U-SME works with thousands of company industry leaders, including more than half of all Fortune 500® manufacturers, 1,000+ educational institutions across the country and more than half of the states in our MEP National Network.
Food Safety Certification and Training Programs
Various training options that fit your schedule!
If you are a VT food manufacturer, this is for you! As someone whose livelihood depends on keeping Vermonters and others around our country and possibly international populations with the highest quality of food and beverage the Green Mtn. State has to offer, we bring to you several opportunities to engage in programs to further develop your company’s success as it relates to food safety.
View our Training and Events page to read the full descriptions and register for any of the events above.
Manufacturer Supply Chain Assessment
What are you doing about the health of your Supply Chain? It wasn’t that long ago that the global economy was practically shut down. And it's highly likely that supply chain disruptions will continue to surprise us.
Let VMEC help you proactively manage change by identifying issues, gaps and risks in your current supply chain – and then guide you to proven resources and solutions. We can offer our Supply Chain Assessment - at no cost to you. Following the assessment, we will provide a “Supply Chain Health Report” identifying gaps.
We invite you to take 60 seconds and visit either our Cybersecurity and Supply Chain page or our Connex VT page to fill out the quick and easy assessment. VMEC’s Business Growth Advisor – Supply Chain Mark O’Hearn works with Vermont manufacturers to assess areas critical to building and maintaining a strong supply chain. Let us help you with your SC health!!
Reminder: NERDIC Ecosystem Quarterly Meeting
Wednesday, January 15
8:30 am - 2:30 pm (new/ extended end time)
Hula, Burlington
FREE! / Register Today! (Registration is open until day of and will be available on-site)
Getting Our New England Workforce Ready for the Future NERDIC looks forward to their ecosystem coming together for an inspiring session. The agenda's been updated to include a speaker panel; also, the event will be kicked off with an evening prior social networking event also at Hula from 6 - 8 pm, separate registration here.
For more information, contact Cameron Ainsworth, VT Dept. of Economic Development, (802) 556-4366, [email protected] or David Beurle, Future iQ, (612) 757-9190, [email protected].
Dual Retirement Celebration!
Last summer, we announced the retirement of Rebecca Stygles, VMEC's longtime CFO. This year, Lisa Henderson, VMEC's Director of Client Services, will be retiring, the exact date TBD. In early December, the VMEC team gathered for a holiday celebration and just as importantly, to celebrate numerous contributions both Rebecca and Lisa have made over their careers assisting VT manufacturers. We'll announce Lisa's departure in a future e-newsletter later this year.
Part of the nationwide MEP National Network and hosted by Vermont State University since 1995, VMEC operates as a not-for-profit with a primary mission, “to strengthen and empower Vermont manufacturers.”
A local resource and trusted adviser to manufacturing enterprises of all sizes, the VMEC team brings expertise in consulting, coaching, hands-on implementation support, training and education for leaders and workers. VMEC is the official representative of the MEP National Network in Vermont.
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