Saturday, August 24, 2013

Executing Good Works

US Airways has become my airline of choice as of late. Even with the inconvenience of knowing that I will probably have to connect thru the Charlotte airport, I appreciate the value tradeoff between time and cost. This week, as I was waiting on a flight to take off, I casually picked up the latest copy of the US Airways Magazine and was pleasantly surprised to read the 50 page spread introducing a large audience to the nation’s HBCU colleges and universities and their longstanding traditions of curriculum for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing) related careers. To read more about the schools, visit the full article found at

Just as I hope the US Airways article helps to shatter myths associated with HBCUs to a broader audience, I feel the need to do a better job of executing our plans of educating the masses about the good works and careers available in manufacturing. There is an information gap about the jobs that are available in the industry. Part of the lack of knowledge is that when people think of manufacturing, the connotation of a dirty, oily, smelly work environment comes to mind. Based on my experiences in manufacturing, I can tell you that:

§  Manufacturing productivity is at an all-time high.

§  Manufacturing jobs continue to pay very competitive wages and benefits.

§  Modernized facilities have excellent working conditions and plant safety procedures have improved.

There are typically four career pathways in manufacturing: production workers, skilled trades, engineering, and support/managerial services (which include a wide variety of functional, professional, and executive-level vocations). What are the typical functions of production workers, whose work is generally a measure of time and cost? In other words, let’s answer the question of what are the best entry level jobs and training to begin a career in manufacturing. For example:

  • Assembly Operators tend to manually put together or operate equipment that produces a finished product (just this morning I have seen ads for jobs ranging from assembling Igloo coolers to super microcomputers).
  • Packaging and Filling Operators set up or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment.
  • Material Handlers or Conveyor Operators control equipment or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from various production processes or locations within the plant.

So looking at the job functions, I agree that the responsibilities are not exciting, initially. If you can read basic instructions, perform basic math operations, and meet basic safety/quality/production goals, then there are job opportunities waiting for you. What if I re-engineered the job description to read that we are looking for people for good works with the ability to Measure! Anticipate! Communicate! Correct! Execute! Would that get you more excited about the good works that are available?

Most people do not recognize the humility of beginning as an entry level production worker and advancing their way up to executive level. I have gained some of my most insightful experiences in work and life because I have been there, done that, and can call a spade a spade. I value time and cost, two essential elements for executing good works. What do you value, tend to plan/measure, in your pursuit of your purposed work? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Promotion for Good Works

…promotion does not come from man.
It is God who judges…
(Psalm 75:6-7)

It’s back-to-school season. We registered our son for the new year and realized that our family is entering a new season, with a higher level of expectancy. Middle School is a lot different than elementary school. Our first reality check came when we saw his class schedule. In 7th grade, his courses include pre-algebra, conversation Spanish, robotics, and athletics. Initially, it looked like a heavy load, but after consideration, we realized that this was a reward for all of the previous hard work and efforts. He has been prepared for the new challenges. In other words, he has been promoted.
 
Promotion is defined as advancing to a higher level. Back in school, we learned via a pre-determined process. Our math teachers always reminded us to show our work, that way, there was a record to see errors in our efforts (for correction purposes). We became obedient to following the process in the given examples, and over time, we learned the material. Our reward was promotion to the next challenge, the next course, or the next grade.
 
Promotion, in life, follows a similar process. Remember all of those previous tests and trials? That served to prepare us for our pre-destined purpose, that painful suffering is where glory is revealed. Remember all of that praying about how to solve a problem? That served to remind us to place our burdens at the altar, that He opposes the proud but gives grace and wisdom to the humble. Remember all of the pressing ahead when there seemed no way? That served to remind us of our faith, that all things work for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Remember that praising when we passed the test? That served to remind us to trust in His process, that He who has begun a good work in us shall perfect it. Promotion for our good works requires us to pray, to press ahead, and to offer praise. In other words, in mathematical expression:

Promotion = Prayer + Pressing + Praise
 
At the beginning of the school year, our pastor reminds us of our responsibilities as parents: Raise your children in the church house, so that they can do well in the schoolhouse, never have to visit a courthouse, and one day, will invite you to their house (J. R. Adolph).  God will never give you a heavier load than you can bear. He gives you challenges to prepare you for your purposed work. What are you doing to prepare yourself or your children for the challenges and responsibilities that come with promotion to a higher level in life? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Ready for Good Works

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works,
to be generous, and to be ready to communicate
(1 Timothy 6:18)

I find it both disturbing and unacceptable that this country has 600k (yes, 600 thousand) manufacturing jobs that are not filled in this current economic season. I spend a lot of time in small-to-mid-sized shops and often hear business owners and operations managers say that they cannot find good talent to fill open positions. At the same time, I spend a lot of time in low-to-moderate income communities and often hear people complain that they cannot find good paying jobs. If the jobs are available and the people who desire to work exist, where is the disconnect? My theory is that there is a lack of awareness about manufacturing and career opportunities for non-traditional employees.

When I first started Latrobe, one of my goals was to increase consciousness among women and girls about the potential careers in manufacturing. As I have spent time in the field, my vision has broadened as I realized that parents, as well as young people in general, could benefit from knowing more about 21st century manufacturing, the cultural expectations of working in an industrial environment, and the work ethic required to be successful. As a result, our team developed a training and education program on workforce readiness in manufacturing.

What is workforce readiness? Our working hypothesis is to address how we can help to equip and prepare potential employees to be productive in a manufacturing environment. Employers are looking for more than just skilled workers with technical competencies. Most companies have on-the-job-training programs and procedures specific to their operations. Our workforce readiness training focuses on the critical skills required to be successful in industrial manufacturing environments, which differs from working in a service or retail organization. Interactive training and assessment includes the following:
 
1.      The four career pathways of manufacturing
2.      Manufacturing 101
(safety, basic shop math, gauging and measuring, and problem solving)
3.      Industrial Environment
(employer expectations, personal attitude and behavior, work ethic)
4.      Communication
(verbal, written, listening, social media, and networking)
5.      Life Management Skills
(time balancing, conflict resolution, and decision making)
6.      Financial Literacy
(job vs. career and the difference in lifetime earning potential)
7.      Prepare for Success
(resume writing, interviewing etiquette, proper dress/attire/hygiene)
8.      Onboarding
(matching prospective industrial employers with qualified entry-level employees)

I have to admit, that none of this training is rocket science. In fact, much of it feels like topics that should have been taught in high school. Employers expect young people to arrive with a core set of basic knowledge and the ability to apply those critical thinking skills in the workforce – but the reality is not matching the expectation. I know that not every young person will develop an interest and passion for manufacturing, so this training also serves to give those participants who successfully complete the program a confidence booster that they can succeed in this sometimes challenging environment. As parents, we have a requirement to make sure that our kids are ready for the good works available for them today and to prepare them for the future. My purposed work is to educate and inform about potential careers in manufacturing. What’s yours? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Repeatable Good Works

…the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8)

My favorite Maya Angelou quote is “when you know better, you do better.” I am learning some things about myself in this process of walking in my purposed work. One thing that I have realized is that I have to have order and structure. I get up at the same time every morning, I start my day enjoying two cups of coffee while I record my daily reflections, and I follow what’s on the calendar. The other day, I had a 6:30 am teleconference scheduled. One of the participants called me at 6:15 to ask about the dial-in number…before I finished e-journaling and drinking my second cup of coffee. After the call, I was driving to my next appointment and wondered why I prefer to do things the same way.

In a manufacturing environment, we say that a process is in control if you can predict the outcome. How do you increase the probability of success? The best method is to develop a repeatable process, where the functions are performed the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This allows you to monitor the progress, measure the performance, and make adjustments for further improvements. This same repeatable process methodology can be applied to address everyday life problems.

When I first made the commitment to blog, I was concerned about the time requirements to post consistently. We happened to have a visiting preacher at our church, and ironically, I had a hard time following his sermon. He delivered on style and pageantry…it’s just that my preferred learning method is for the preacher to present a three point message (introduce the subject, give three to four supporting facts from the bible, and close). This is the same process that I learned for writing good essays in elementary school. As I started to write more blog posts, I realized that I was following a similar pattern that allows me to have the order and structure I need for consistency. Since I practice writing daily, I noticed that I have reduced my process time for blogging from over three hours to less than an hour to come up with a topic, write the blog, edit (although I tend to update grammar mistakes throughout the week) and hit PUBLISH. The next frontier for me to conquer (besides grammar edits) is identifying a consistent day of the week to post, in lieu of this busy family and business season!

When you know better, you do better…the same principle applies in business and customer satisfaction. Customers prefer to transact with people and organizations that are consistent in the delivery of goods and services. Why? Because it allows them to predict the outcome and the probability of getting what they expected. Repeat customers tend to share their positive experience with others who could benefit from what you offer. Over time, the predictable outcome is an increase in activity, and prayerfully, revenue for the business.

How do you use order and structure in order to have consistency in your relationships with your family, co-workers, and customers? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.