MAG IAS joins manufacturing leaders as the newest partner in MIT's prestigious Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) graduate program, adding another high-level initiative to the company's workforce development programs that include apprenticeships, co-operative education and internal leadership development programs.

MIT LGO is the nation's leading dual-degree graduate program in engineering and management, equipping students with a master's of business administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a master of science from one of seven programs within the MIT School of Engineering. LGO benefits from the wealth of resources, world-renowned faculty, and connections offered by MIT, the world's leading institution focused on science and technology.

MAG joins 20 other MIT LGO partner organizations that include world leaders such as Boeing, Caterpillar, Dell, General Motors, Raytheon, United Technologies and Amazon.com. As an MIT LGO partner company, MAG gains access to MIT faculty and research, as well as best practices of other partner companies, with the potential for joint operations projects. Partner companies host in-depth site visits and six-month student internships with MIT faculty support.

"We anticipate a mutually rewarding relationship with the MIT LGO program and look forward to the knowledge both parties will gain from the shared experience," said Bill Horwarth, president, MAG Global Services. "As a longtime supplier of manufacturing technology for many current LGO partners such as Boeing, Caterpillar, Spirit AeroSystems and United Technologies, we hope to provide LGO students with opportunities to contribute to significant projects and relationships we have in play with these global giants and to develop career opportunities at MAG."

MIT LGO interns offer high-value return by addressing critical business needs including production network strategy, energy waste reduction, and supply chain optimization. Partner companies also provide input into MIT LGO's curriculum and activities, ensuring that the program stays relevant and responsive to their most pressing operations challenges.

"MIT LGO students and faculty are enthusiastic about the opportunities that the MAG partnership provides, especially in the realm of advanced manufacturing, where MAG's innovative technologies and worldwide operations provide many opportunities for our students to take on leading-edge challenges," says Don Rosenfield, senior lecturer, MIT Sloan School, and LGO program director.

MAG takes an active approach to developing its future workforce, applying a philosophy that combines formal education with workplace experience under the guidance of knowledgeable employees. "Finding and training the people who will carry on our tradition of innovation and continue to advance our technology is critical," said Bill Horwarth, president of MAG Global Services.

MAG America's apprenticeship program, was re-started in 2005 and is a partnership with local community colleges. Students in the program work full-time at MAG in addition to taking college classes, working toward an Associate's degree. MAG invests approximately $200,000, including tuition, salary and benefits, for each apprentice earning a degree. This program gained national attention in an NBC Nightly News report "America at the Crossroads."

"Employees coming out of the apprenticeship program have a head start in taking over the reins from our veterans," said Horwarth. "It maintains continuity and allows us to push forward with developing new solutions, without having to search for the talent to drive the project."

Other internal programs include Future Leaders and the Accelerated Leadership Program (ALP), which are designed to fill the pipeline at the company's management and executive levels. Future Leaders participate in a one-year program that combines classroom training with developmental assignments and mentoring from senior managers. Accelerated Leadership candidates have been identified as employees who have the potential to assume executive-level positions within MAG, and the program provides a series of high-impact job assignments coupled with advanced educational opportunities. MAG recently provided a leadership seminar for high-potential employees involving small group instruction and coaching by Company Chairman and CEO Mo Meidar. The company also has co-operative education programs with a number of well known regional and national engineering schools. Horwarth came to MAG via the co-op program, which has produced more than 50 current MAG employees. MAG also offers training opportunities and sponsorship at many international universities.