Interview With Cory Blaylock

Bridging the Gap in Apprenticeship Regulations Across States

Welcome back to another episode of Workhands Interview! Today, host Patrick Cushing sits down with Cory Blaylock, Director of Workforce Partnerships at IPC International, an influential trade association for electronics manufacturers. With her rich experience in apprenticeship programs, both from her current role at IPC and her previous tenure at Lockheed Martin, Cory offers well-versed insights into the complexities of managing apprenticeship programs nationally. The discussion pivots around the recent implementation of IPC's national program standards and explores the challenges of streamlining apprenticeship documentation, compliance, and recruitment across different state regulations. Cory also shares her thoughts on simplifying these processes for employers and training providers, emphasizing the need for a uniform system to facilitate apprenticeships better nationwide. Join us as we delve into the intricate world of workforce training and what it could mean for the future of the electronics manufacturing industry across the United States.

Speaker Bio

Cory Blaylock Linkedin Profile | Website: IPC.ORG

A progressive vision has marked Cory Blaylock's career in workforce training and development. Formerly with Lockheed Martin, Cory managed an apprenticeship program, where she gained firsthand experience and identified key areas for enhancement in apprenticeship initiatives. Her critical observation centered on overcoming operational challenges such as cumbersome documentation and the need for streamlined organizational tools.

Eager to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of such programs, Cory focused on making apprenticeship training easily adoptable by any employer, regardless of size. She saw the value in simplifying the documentation process, which she adeptly managed by incorporating WorkHands, a tool that centralized and simplified record maintenance. This eradicated the need for manual spreadsheet maintenance and eliminated the complex setup of customized systems like SharePoint from scratch.

Cory further leveraged the data from WorkHands to streamline compliance, especially with national program standards critical for maintaining a program's good standing. Her innovations allowed seamless adaptability with RAPIDS, enhancing compliance management, making the process more efficient, and facilitating broader implementation across different states. Cory’s dedication is rooted in a firm belief in the power of structured apprenticeship programs to train and prepare a skilled workforce efficiently. Through her efforts, Cory has contributed substantially to improving operational efficiency and regulatory compliance in workforce development programs.

Insights

Industry Leadership in Electronics Manufacturing: "IPC International, which is the international trade association for Electronics Manufacturers. We have over 3200 members worldwide."— Cory Blaylock 00:00:1300:00:21

National Program Standards Initiated: "So we actually celebrated the official signing of our national program standards in November of 2023."— Cory Blaylock 00:00:4900:00:58

Streamlining Apprenticeship Management: "This was very easy to implement as far as the documentation goes of tracking and managing apprenticeships."— Cory Blaylock 00:02:1300:02:20

Navigating Employment Laws Across States: "So working with multiple states and multiple employers across the US is a little difficult and challenging simply because every state has its own rules and guidelines."— Cory Blaylock 00:03:1300:03:27

Navigating State Training Provider Lists: "Trying to be added to eligible training provider lists at the state level have been, I don't want to say seamless, but making the request. Some of the states have different requirements and guidelines that have to be provided for and so having the addition to that list is important."— Cory Blaylock 00:04:2500:04:47

Standardizing Employment Protocols: "I think that just having a standardized protocol and process that every state inherently abides by, so that it would make it easier for both employers that have production facilities across the US, as well as sponsors who may have ability to work with employers across the US, easy."— Cory Blaylock 00:05:5700:06:40

Themes

1. Complexity of state-specific apprenticeship regulations.

2. Documentation management in apprenticeship programs.

3. Importance of national program standards compliance.

4. Challenges of multi-state apprenticeship program management.

5. Simplifying apprenticeship processes for wider adoption.

6. Integration of apprenticeship programs in educational systems.

7. Standardized protocols for national program consistency.