The M.O.S.T. qualified workers

A Crestview defense contractor has 13 new high-wage earners on its production floor thanks to the Mobile Outreach Skills Training (M.O.S.T.) program that recently visited town. In addition to top-notch, intensive manufacturer-designed training, the program’s graduates have a 91 percent job retention rate.

“Job retention for manufacturers is between 18 and 21 percent,” M.O.S.T.’s senior manager of partnerships Ted Astolfi said. “Our program is a huge cost savings.”

The Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Emerald Coast Aviation hosted an open house at Crestview Bob Sikes Airport following the recent two-week training program.

M.O.S.T. boasts a 97 percent graduation rate and a 95 percent placement rate for its training programs, Astolfi said. The M.O.S.T. training program is so intensive, he said, most applicants drop out before the end of orientation.

“Many pre-select themselves out of the process,” Astolfi said. “But if you make it through the process, you get an interview with the company. We want people to come out of this program with a job at the end.”

Before applicants even begin the two-week training course, they must pass drug and background checks, demonstrate basic educational skills and undergo behavioral interviews.

During the course, the M.O.S.T. vehicle, in this case a semi-trailer equipped with 20 student workstations and training equipment, parks at the jobsite. Becoming familiar with the company and its culture is part of the program.

“We emulate the work environment. They can’t be late to this program,” Astolfi said. “After the first tardy attendance, we’re going to ask you to leave the program. Frankly, we don’t have any bathrooms on board, so they have to start becoming familiar with the place they might be working in.”

Celebration-based Time Wise Management Systems operates the M.O.S.T. vehicles all over the country. They include two recreational vehicles and five tractor-trailer rigs like the one visiting Crestview.

M.O.S.T. works in partnership with local workforce boards. Locally, JobsPlus selects applicants for the program. Many more applicants than the number of actual open positions are chosen.

“It took us about 200 applicants to get the 13 that just graduated the course,” JobsPlus veterans services representative Don Holloway said. “We’ve started a list for the next class.”

The first week of training includes basics such as shop math, reading blueprints, the importance of quality work, and workplace safety.

“It’s intensive training,” Astolfi said. “There’s a lot of stress that first week.”

The second week is customized to specific job openings. At the end of the course, there’s a celebration.

“We have a little graduation ceremony for them,” Astolfi said. “Some people who go through the program have never graduated from anything before.”

M.O.S.T. continues to be involved in its graduates’ lives for six months after they start their new jobs. Sometimes it’s to help them adjust to real-life work challenges.

“They don’t want to tell their supervisor, ‘Hey, I’m not getting this,’” Astolfi said. “We act as the intermediary. Every week we touch base with the new-hire and their supervisor. When we leave, they know their career paths. We don’t just train for jobs; we train for careers.”

For more information, contact JobPlus at 689-7823.