LANSING The Automotive and Manufacturing Training Consortium is hosting a webcast on May 20 for distance learning content providers to find out how they can co market with the state and industry backed-group – a sort of coming out party.

John Potter, Director of Marketing and Sales for AMETC, said 65 potential partners have been targeted by the state, and so far 10 have signed up for the webcast.

I expect a flurry of activity in the next few days, Potter said Friday.

Built upon the success of Michigan Virtual Universitys Manufacturing Training Network, the AMETC is a collaboration of automotive and manufacturing companies, institutions of higher education, state and federal government agencies, and professional and trade associations coming together to improve the technical capability of the manufacturing workforce.

The AMETC is sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, General Motors and the UAW, and is funded by a three-year federal grant
administered through the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth.

But Potter admits the consortium has been low profile for its first year of existence, but now in the middle of year two is finally stepping up the marketing machine.

Were now communicating with our customer base and letting them know were alive and well, he said. We view April 15 as our official launch date, although I would consider it a soft launch.

AMETC has launched its web site (www.ametec.com) and is expanding its offerings. The group is launching a fee based marketing partnership program in which an annual licensing fee buys distancing learning companies a marketing partnership with AMETC.

Rick Rothermel, Chief Learning Officer for AMETC, said he works closely with companies to help them better understand the benefits and opportunities of online learning as an employee development strategy.

We help them understand the readiness issues, help their employees change buying set and attitude to using the computer and off line technology as a training tool. We work with them on technology and participant readiness, he said.

We figure out how to get computers off the plant floor for training. We figure out when to do training? We began working all of those change management issues with the various businesses, he said. Thats the foundation for outreach.

Besides the webcast on May 20, AMETC has scheduled another eLearning readiness seminar June 10 at the Macomb Community College MTEC Center. To find out more, click on AMETC.Com