"Business growth isn't random."
That's one of my favorite quotes, from manufacturing pundit overall bad cat-daddy Doug Hall. He was quoted this past March addressing a group of manufacturers in Rockford, Illinois - considered by many the cradle of the machine tool business in the U.S.
I was reminded of that quote when I read "Manufacturer Finds Certification Pays Off" from the Olympian. This story documents the investment in training personnel made by Wisconsin-based manufacturer Federal Tool & Engineering. So, what's the story in that?
Federal won work worth $1.5-million (US) directly due to its commitment to training.
What clinched the recent deal ... was that the customer could have confidence that Federal Tool has at least six employees certified by the American Welding Society to aptly weld a variety of materials of various thicknesses. "Anybody can buy the equipment," says Federal's owner. "We're willing to invest in the people and develop the training."And what really caught my eye was where Federal is based.
Wisconsin.
It's a familiar theme for manufacturing SMBs in the U.S. Wisconsin just seems to "get it" in regards to growing and protecting its manufacturing base - at least, more than most other states.
"In many ways, Wisconsin is the leading state," Leo Reddy, chief executive officer of the Virginia-based Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, said before a recognition ceremony last month at Federal Tool. Reddy cited Gov. Jim Doyle's commitment to have 40 percent of Wisconsin's manufacturing work force complete at least one component of the certification by 2016. Thanks in part to state grants to technical colleges and workforce development boards, Wisconsin also has one of the best systems for assessing worker skills and providing standardized training, Reddy said.But one thing that Wisconsin has in common with many other states is something not to be so proud of:
None of the four employees receiving their certificates for manufacturing skills training had received any such schooling before they began factory work. All agreed that what they learned is essential knowledge for manufacturing workers now.
As with most states, "essential training" isn't readily available. What a shame. Add to that the fact that the Federal employees who were certified represented the training they received as high-end in important categories - process/production, puality, computers, communications, math and science, to name a few.
Hmmmmm. Maybe training your people can pay off.
Go figure.
HAT TIP: Kid Rock
I've been down this road. paid the guys extremely well invested in their training heavily. only to be told I'm not doing it like the other shops. Granted I'm not like other shops here I wasn't training them to sit on and run the time off on one CNC machine I wanted them skilled enough to run all the equipment well and be able to bounce from machine to machine as needed follow through on a project no matter which machine they were needed on. Thats what a tool room is all about. having people skilled on lathes mills 3 axis 4 axis what ever. The guys just want to sit on one machine and take advantage of all they can get, and soak up all the payroll they can get me for. I'm not certain training alone is the answer. Mitch wrote a blog I read not to long ago wanting to know what happened. wheres this entitlement society come from? it is so destructive.
At this point of the game for all I have invested in people I should have 12 or more people on the floor and a huge anual revenue. They say its me I'm not willing to give them more and more of the pie. I say its them their not willing to actually work for their paycheck, they just get it if they work for it or not. Mitch wrote "run your business like a team and not a family". I say it doesn't quite matter anymore your not going to get the devotion from the employees you need. they are too spoiled on union wages and benifits. with todays technology there is more than one way to get this done and there is more than one way to rid yourself of employee's all together. I've pretty much had it with the whole idea of training and employees. I'm not entirely certain employees are apart of the future of manufacturing anyways so why not start early.
lets automate to the maximus and drive down the costs of product till anyone with employees trained or not, foreign or domestic is completely out of business, wouldn't that be adding value to my business?
people make mistakes, they get hurt and they reqire a living wage if they are to give you their time. If we eliminate them we have eliminated almost all that could possibly go wrong with a job and that makes doing business with me benificial to a buyer not how many trained people I have on staff.
Or am I wrong in my thinking?