Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center Last month, we released our annual impact report. And now we're unveiling a 30th Anniversary edition to further celebrate our three decades in business!
Highlights include job creation and retention, increased and retained sales, client investment and our history along with stories and words from manufacturers and others we've had the honor to partner with since 1995.
Vermont Manufacturing Day Rescheduled
April 2 (originally scheduled for February 26)
8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Vermont State House, 115 State St., Montpelier
Join industry leaders, manufacturing businesses and policy makers to celebrate the manufacturing sector’s significant contributions to Vermont’s economy. The event will feature a full day of programming, beginning with coffee with legislators, Lt. Governor Rodgers, and Governor Scott (invited), followed by business testimony before key committees, listening sessions with policy leaders, and a press conference underscoring the importance of Vermont's manufacturing industry. RSVP today! (If you RSVP'd for the original date, please RSVP once again)
Questions? Contact Karen Duguay, VT Chamber of Commerce, Senior Director of Programming, at [email protected].
Learning Opportunities for You!
2025 marks VMEC’s 30th anniversary supporting Vermont manufacturers and you benefit in a big way! All year long, we'll reduce the fee of our Lean-based "standard" public training opportunities at a 70% discount!
Lean 101 Food Production Fundamentals
March 12 / 8:00 am - 3:00 pm / Brattleboro / $105 pp / Register!
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 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.
The 5S System: Workplace Organization and Standardization
Three dates and locations to choose from!
March 20 / 8:00 am - 12 N / Rutland / $98 pp / Register!
March 27 / 8:00 am - 12 N / St. Albans / $98 pp / Register!
April 3 / 8:00 am - 12 N / Waterbury / $98 pp / Register!
Bring new order to your work environment – eliminate waste, clutter and inefficiencies from your work space! Let VMEC help you organize your work spaces for greater efficiency and savings! The 5S System – Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain – is a proven, effective way to identify and eliminate wasteful practices from your workplace.
This session will be delivered in two parts: the first portion (four hours) takes place in a classroom style setting followed by an additional four hours (scheduled at a later date and held at your company) where your team will be coached on the 5S methodology. Join us to achieve more consistent operational results by maintaining an orderly workplace!
Connect, Engage and Strive toward Strategic Goals Together
April 3 - October 31 / Various times
Remote and In-person sessions / $269 pp and $895 pp /
Register! (see Pricing section for details)
VMEC advisors have long been practicing, teaching and facilitating Strategy Development, Activation and Deployment. And while we may agree that “Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast”, we have also experienced the powerful impact of Strategy Deployment to focus, align, and develop capability and adaptability.
This dynamic multi-session opportunity will take you from mission, vision, and values to an executable, engaging plan and repeatable process. You will leave Session One with a roadmap, a few steps already taken, usable templates and a plan to work with VMEC one-on-one to be specific about your scope and method for using structured and dynamic Strategy Deployment; view this 18-second time lapse Strategy Deployment clip which gives a taste of the process.
Lean 101 - Lean Transformation
April 16 / 8:00 am - 3:00 pm / Fairfax / $98 pp / Register!
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.
Participants will begin this workshop as a new employee in a chaotic manufacturing company. The results of the first round of simulation provide the basis on which Lean principles will be applied. Participants revisit the manufacturing environment and apply the Lean fundamentals that are taught “in the classroom”. Simple financial statements prepared after each round of the simulation show the impact of the improvements on a company’s bottom line. Participants will walk away recognizing the 8 wastes and with an introduction to mindsets and methods that they can use to eliminate these wastes in their own companies.
View our Training and Events page to read the full descriptions and register for any of the events above.
Food Safety Certification and Training Programs Updates
Calling all food manufacturers! Don't forget - we have partnered with highly accredited and acclaimed food safety experts in their respective fields to offer our VT manufacturers food safety certifications and training programs. Two exciting updates below:
Dairy and Food Safety Virtual Office Hours - March 5 - 12 N - 1:00 pm - FREE!
Open to anyone in the food industry from farm to fork, join Cornell University's panel of experts as they discuss Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAIV) and the risk to human health including the potential risk of consuming raw milk. This moderated Q&A session will provide the latest information and recommendations for the dairy industry and dairy consumers. Register!
New to the food industry? Our sister center, TechHelp Idaho, has created a “New to Food” e-learning course with its first module available now: Keeping Our Consumers Safe. It provides an overview of food safety and compliance. In just three hours, you’ll gain the knowledge needed to create safe, reliable food products! This course is perfect for:
- Small food business owners
- Operators & team members new to food manufacturing
- R&D, marketing, and supply chain professionals learning the ropes
- Supervisors growing into leadership
And the best part - It's FREE with code “EDA-Subsidy”; enroll now and start learning today!
Visit our Food Safety Certification and Training Programs page today to learn about opportunities to engage in programs to further develop your company’s success as it relates to food safety.
Economic Insights - Tariffs
March 11
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Virtual and FREE!
Join the Vermont Chamber of Commerce for their second installment of Economic Insights, a valuable resource for Vermont businesses to stay informed about the federal landscape and its economic impact. This session will focus on tariffs, providing insights into their implications for businesses. Kenneth J. Entenmann, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer & Economist at NBT Wealth Management, will offer expert analysis and guidance on this critical topic. Register!
From Manual To Automated
April 3
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Rigorous, Williston
FREE!
Kicking off their new quarterly Made Local event series, Rigorous is bringing industry professionals together to explore real-world manufacturing challenges and solutions. Topics covered will include:
- How to assess robotic readiness
- What makes automation successful (and what doesn't)
- Lessons from real-world implementations
VMEC's Advanced Manufacturing Technology Advisor Chris Coulter will be a guest speaker sharing his practical automation strategies. Registration is required - Register!
VT Registered Apprenticeship Open-Door Session
March 11
11:00 - 11:30 am
Virtual and FREE!
Learn about Vermont's Registered Apprenticeship Program and get your questions answered! This time is about you and what you want to know. Whether you're a Registered Apprentice, employer, sponsor, or just interested in the program, feel free to join the VT Dept. of Labor for this interactive session! Registration is required - Register!
Also, National Apprenticeship Week is moving from November to April! To allow for time to transition, 2025 will feature a single National Apprenticeship Day on April 30. In 2026, the celebration will re-expand to a full week. Learn about the transition at National Apprenticeship Day 2025.
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.
Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center | Post Office Box 12 | Randolph Center, VT 05061 US
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