Skip to main content

Manufacturing success through leadership training

 

Megan Ware is no stranger to Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). She first partnered with SLCC’s Workforce & Economic Development in her prior role at Stadler Rail to create the first of its’ kind Talent Ready Apprenticeship Connection (TRAC) apprenticeship. Ware was impressed with SLCC’s commitment and responsiveness. When she started her new journey as the Workforce Development Director at the Utah Manufacturing Association (UMA) she heard there was an opportunity to partner with SLCC again and jumped right in to make it happen. 



“When I first started at UMA I sent out a workforce survey to all of our member companies. The response was overwhelming: we need workforce, help with leadership, help with culture, help with all the things.” 


Not unique to the manufacturing industry recent workforce shortages have companies looking internally to promote into leadership positions and quickly. Oftentimes, strong workers technical line find themselves in positions of leadership and suddenly it comes to light that they are lacking those written and verbal communication skills.   


Within the manufacturing sector there is large group of “frontline leaders.” There are supervisors, foremen, and team leads, and they just don’t have these foundational communication skills. Says Ware: “We really wanted to make sure we are bringing in those skill sets that would allow them to succeed in their newfound leadership roles. It came to light that an agreement had been signed for the Frontline Leadership training with my predecessor, but nothing had been done with it. We were able to, obviously with Corporate Training Director Diana Guetschow’s wise help, really take that Frontline Series and dial it down into four topics that we really thought were probably the hottest topics at this moment for our manufacturers.”


After months of collaboration with the Corporate Training team, UMA was ready to offer training to their first cohort of members. Already, Ware is receiving positive feedback about the training. As one member put it “It really is putting a plug in a really big hole that we didn’t know how to solve.” In fact, one company who was already in development of their own leadership program has chosen to scrap what they had and go with this training instead. Several companies have approached Megan and asked how they could bring this training internally for their company’s use. For those looking for more than the four topics offered she actively encourages them to take the full Frontline Leader Workshop Series at SLCC.    


“It so refreshing to work with Corporate Training because we are so responsive. I think you are much quicker at listening and responding and not just trying to sell us something you already have. And I think that it really important. I knew it [the Frontline Leader program] was going to be popular, but it is 100% more popular than I anticipated.“  


Focusing on the continued development of the workforce means there is always another project coming down the pipeline. Currently training 65 people between two cohorts, Ware is also working on how to offer this training to partners in the rural areas. 


The full Frontline Leader Workshop Series through SLCC is open to the public and accepting registrations. Learn more about the Utah Manufacturing Association.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Serving their community through translation

It seems so long ago and at the same time just yesterday – October 2021 – that Utah welcomed and resettled roughly 1,000 refugees from Afghanistan, the majority of them settling along the Wasatch Front. Over the years the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) recognized the need for translators especially in the medical field. Five members of the Afghan community stepped up to fulfill that call completing the first ever Medical Interpreter for Pashto and Dari program and become eligible for the Tier 2 interpreter license.  This short-term licensure training is based on a Medical Interpreter course for Arabic developed by Salt Lake Community College and DWS. With the foundation for a new program already in place, DWS, SLCC and current Dari/Pashto Instructor Abdul translated the existing curriculum to best serve the Afghan community. One of Abdul’s biggest challenges was the lack of a written dictionary for Pashto or Dari. To solve this problem, he used his contacts in the medical ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seeing U at SLCC

 Among the noise of breaking fibers and the cheers from the audience, the University of Utah Materials Science and Engineering students were learning key skills and lessons related to advanced composites.  In a new partnership with the University of Utah, students were given the opportunity to take an Advanced Composites Technology workshop at the Salt Lake Community College Westpointe campus. Students were introduced to materials characterization and processing for various materials such as glass, ceramic and more.  Program manager and instructor Zachary Ingrey demonstrates how to properly vacuum seal. Claire Krammer, a junior in the Materials Science and Engineering program, found “the process of making composites is important for any material science application and the testing process. Zachary Ingrey, advanced manufacturing program manager, is a graduate of the University of Utah’s Materials Science and Engineering program. Zachary also took the SLCC Intro to Compos...
Post a Comment
Read more

Top 5 Reasons to Join SLCC ROTC

 The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is the largest commissioning source for U.S. Army officers. Joining an ROTC unit is the only way for college students to explore military service—with no commitment to join the military itself—while paying for? college. If you are considering the ROTC, here are five reasons it could be a great fit. The ROTC helps you—    1. Build Leadership Skills The Army ROTC numbers among the best leadership programs in the country. It teaches cadets leadership techniques that help them to progressively lead larger groups of people. The leadership training and experiences you have in ROTC will provide you with a foundation to inspire results and lead by example. These foundational skills will serve you in any career field.  ROTC cadets mingle with college students 2. Pay for College Participating in ROTC makes you eligible for a robust number of scholarships to help pay for college. These scholarships cover the full cost of tuition, fees ...
Post a Comment
Read more