CONFERENCE DAY ONE |
Tuesday, September 30
7:30 am Registration & Breakfast
8:30 am What it Takes to Make a LEAP a Reality
8:40 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Streamlining Onboarding & Training to Build a Resilient Workforce
8:50 am Discover: Building a Centralised Talent Hub to Streamline Onboarding & Training & Create a Reliable Workforce Pipeline
Synopsis
- Explore how creating a structured, repeatable talent pipeline has improved hiring volume, retention, and workforce readiness in a tight labor market
- Discover how cross-functional teams came together to launch a 100,000+ sq ft public-facing Career and Learning Center that integrates hiring, skills assessments, onboarding, and hands-on training, all in one centralized hub
- Learn how Textron Aviation tackled chronic workforce shortages and skills gaps by testing a variety of recruitment and training approaches, including high school internships, second-chance hiring, and large-scale career fairs, and how those insights led to a bold new workforce development strategy
9:10 am Develop: How Can Manufacturers Build Scalable, Centralized Talent Pipelines to Solve Workforce Gaps?
Synopsis
- What are the foundational components of an integrated talent hub that unifies hiring, onboarding, and hands-on training to support long-term workforce growth?
- How can cross-functional teams align to create centralized infrastructure that accelerates skill development and addresses labor constraints at scale?
- What practical insights can manufacturers draw from this multi-pronged approach to recruiting and workforce readiness to shape their own high-impact talent strategies?
9:30 am Action: How Can You Design a Unified Talent Strategy to Strengthen Your Workforce for the Future?
Synopsis
- What immediate steps can you take to identify inefficiencies across your current talent lifecycle and begin designing a centralized, streamlined approach?
- How can you collaborate with education partners, local organizations, and alternative talent pools to broaden access and engagement?
- What near-term actions such as launching pilot programs, redesigning onboarding pathways, or consolidating training efforts can help you begin building a more resilient, future-ready workforce pipeline?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
9:50 am Speed Networking Break
Empowering Workforce Growth Through Digital Training & HR-Driven Tech Integration
10:30 am Panel Discussion: How Can HR Lead the Charge in Supporting Workforce Skills for a Technology-Driven Manufacturing Future?
Synopsis
- How can HR take a proactive role in aligning technology initiatives with the evolving needs of the manufacturing workforce, ensuring that digital transformation complements both operational goals and employee development?
- How can HR departments cultivate a culture of innovation and technology adoption, addressing resistance and fostering an environment where employees feel engaged and empowered to embrace new tools and systems?
- How can HR support seamless technology integration by prioritizing talent development, offering relevant training, and ensuring employees possess the necessary skills to thrive in a technology-driven environment?
11:10 am Discover: Transforming Frontline Workforce Training Through Tailored Learning Pathways to Increase Retention
Synopsis
- Learn how to implement scalable training solutions through digital platforms and utilise role-specific learning pathways to enhance onboarding and employee development
- Explore how personalised upskilling programs, tailored to specific roles, can drive retention, increase engagement, and minimise reliance on temporary labor in a high-volume manufacturing environment
- Discover how Palermo’s Pizza has leveraged a Learning Management System to streamline employee development processes, reduce administrative overhead, and provide leadership with real time skill gaps and insights into workforce competencies
11:30 am Develop: How Can Manufacturers Personalise Training to Boost Retention & Operational Performance?
Synopsis
- What are the key considerations for designing role-specific learning journeys that align with real-time business needs and frontline skill requirements?
- How can digital training platforms be leveraged to deliver scalable, personalized development programs that improve onboarding and long-term workforce capability?
- What can manufacturers learn about using technology to uncover skill gaps, streamline training, and reduce dependency on short-term labor solutions?
11:50 am Action: How Can You Apply Targeted Learning Strategies to Strengthen Frontline Capability & Engagement?
Synopsis
- What steps can you take to evaluate your current training methods and begin building personalized learning pathways that meet the needs of specific roles?
- How can you select and implement the right digital tools, such as LMS platforms, to track, optimize, and scale employee development efforts?
- What actions can you take to link training outcomes to retention and engagement goals, and empower frontline teams with clear paths for growth and advancement?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
12:10 pm Lunch
Attracting Skilled Talent by Broadening Labor Access & Elevating Your Employer Brand
1:10 pm Discover: Securing Skilled Labor in Tight Talent Markets to Expand Your Talent Pipeline, Reach New Geographies, & Build a Sustainable Workforce
Synopsis
- Explore effective methods for identifying and attracting skilled labor in new and emerging markets, including strategies to overcome geographic and demographic barriers
- Learn how collaborating closely with marketing and branding teams can enhance your employer value proposition and target recruitment efforts to the right candidate segments
- Discover how Cacique Foods leveraged state partnerships and innovative recruitment marketing campaigns to build a reliable and skilled workforce, earning recognition as an award-winning workforce developer in a highly competitive labor environment
1:30 pm Develop: How Can Manufacturers Attract Skilled Talent by Expanding Market Reach & Strengthening Employer Branding?
Synopsis
- What practical steps can manufacturers take to penetrate new labor markets and reach underrepresented or geographically distant talent pools?
- How can deeper collaboration between HR, marketing, and communications enhance employer branding and sharpen talent outreach strategies?
- What can be learned from the use of public-private partnerships and targeted recruitment campaigns to scale hiring in competitive regions?
1:50 pm Action: How Can You Widen Your Recruitment Funnel & Position Your Brand to Compete for Top Talent?
Synopsis
- What actions can you take to assess untapped labor markets and develop outreach strategies that overcome regional or demographic hiring challenges?
- How can you build cross-functional alignment to craft a compelling, authentic employer brand that resonates with skilled candidates?
- What partnerships, platforms, or campaigns can you activate in the next 6–12 months to attract and retain high-quality talent in today’s tight labor landscape?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
2:10 pm Networking Break
Developing People-First Leaders to Strengthen Culture & Drive Frontline Engagement
2:40 pm Discover: Empowering Leaders in Manufacturing to Preserve Company Culture & Drive Frontline Employee Engagement
Synopsis
- Discover practical strategies to collaborate with leaders at all levels, from plant managers to executives, ensuring leadership practices align with cultural values while addressing unique industry challenges
- Explore methods to enhance communication and engagement between hourly and plant-level employees and leaders in non-digital workplaces, fostering cultural cohesion, motivation, retention
- Learn how Whitebridge Pet Brands has enhanced leadership capabilities through tailored approaches, including coaching on soft skills, improving communication flow, and fostering trust, all while navigating resistance to change in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
3:00 pm Discover: Transform Orientation Into a Culture-Driven Onboarding Experience That Reduces Turnover & Builds Connection From Day One
Synopsis
- Discover how a leading manufacturer reimagined traditional orientation into a two-day, high-impact onboarding program aligned with creating a sense of belonging, establishing meaningful connections, and culture immersion.
- Learn how HR-led continuous onboarding, featuring department-driven tools like engagement through gamification, reinforcing cultural alignment through experiential onboarding, and improving early employee training efforts.
- Explore how Florida’s Natural Growers is driving long-term retention by equipping HR to build meaningful connections, implement interactive learning, and tailor onboarding to plant-specific needs
3:20 pm Develop: How Can HR Champion a Culture-First Approach Across the Employee Lifecycle, From Day One to the Shop Floor?
Synopsis
- How can manufacturers design onboarding and leadership development experiences that reinforce shared cultural values from a new hire’s first day through their long-term growth?
- What strategies are most effective in equipping frontline and plant leaders to build trust, communicate consistently, and foster engagement across diverse, shift-based teams?
- How can HR ensure onboarding and leadership enablement aren’t siloed efforts, but part of a connected culture strategy that drives retention, motivation, and performance?
3:40 pm Action: What Can You Do Now to Build a Cohesive Culture Through Onboarding & Leadership Enablement?
Synopsis
- What are the first steps you can take to assess cultural gaps in both onboarding and frontline leadership, and where are the biggest opportunities for immediate improvement?
- How can you introduce practical, scalable tools, such as coaching, experiential learning, or peer mentoring, to create a stronger sense of connection across roles and shifts?
- What role can HR play in ensuring culture isn’t just a message at orientation or an expectation for leaders, but a lived experience at every level of the manufacturing environment?
Output Focused Action Session Facilitated by the Chair
4:00 pm Comfort Break
4:10 pm Panel Discussion: How Do We Future-Proof Belonging in Manufacturing Amid Shifting Expectations Around DEI?
Synopsis
- How can HR take a more proactive role in shaping internal narratives around inclusion especially in environments where workforces are often multigenerational, multilingual, and geographically dispersed?
- How can ERGs and inclusion efforts evolve beyond their original purpose to become practical, everyday tools for building belonging on the plant floor and across the wider organization?
- How can we embed authentic allyship into the day-to-day culture of teams, especially in frontline and operations roles, so that it’s both meaningful and sustainable in an industry navigating significant cultural and generational change?