2 minute read
Making Milwaukee a destination for manufacturing careers
// By Babatu Short - Head of Integrated Talent Management, HellermannTyton NA
Joining the Manufacturing Talent Roundtable was something I was uncertain about initially. While I was enthusiastic about making a difference, there were some underlying question marks: How? In what time frame? And will working with competitors for talent really bring forth tangible results?
I’m happy to say these questions were answered through a very favorable experience.
The development of manufacturing talent initiatives was run like a start-up, with “design thinking” principles and guided workshops where context would be set, then small groups or the full group of top-tier Southeastern Wisconsin manufacturers would be let loose on problem-solving and solutioning work. Timelines and frequent stakeholder validation helped ensure alignment. This approach also resulted in a clear way to measure progress against core milestones.
One of the more memorable design sessions involved addressing “uncomfortable truths” —frequent negative perceptions of manufacturing. This led to a pivotal shift in thinking. Rather than treating talent like a supply problem (not enough people), we realized it was a demand problem (not enough people seeking manufacturing as a career). This epiphany shifted our collective
Rather than treating talent like a supply problem (not enough people), we realized It was a demand problem (not enough people seeking manufacturing as a career). thinking and empowered the group to tackle a much more actionable problem. The question shifted to, “How can we get more people to choose manufacturing careers?”
Fulfilling, interesting, challenging and fun are words that characterize what it was like working on solving macro talent challenges in Southeastern Wisconsin. The diversity of perspectives created an environment in which everyone was able to contribute thinking and empowered the group to tackle a much more actionable problem. The question shifted to, “How can we get more people to choose manufacturing careers?”
Fulfilling, interesting, challenging and fun are words that characterize what it was like working on solving macro talent challenges in Southeastern Wisconsin. The diversity of perspectives created an environment in which everyone was able to contribute and learn from one another. Like any team formation, the group started with a lack of strong relationships, trust and clarity of roles. But as the work evolved, the team really came together around common items that would help everyone.
The leadership team reinforced that we should be selfish first and think about what would help our employers, which really helped drive engagement. This enabled us to find common ground where we can collectively add value where we don’t compete. As the team matured, discussions shifted from generalities to openly sharing organizational best practices.
I believe this is just the beginning of something good for the people of Southeastern Wisconsin. My hope is that with additional participation and focus, we build momentum and serve as a model for other parts of the country. If you’re a company considering contributing to this work, I encourage you to accept the invitation. Your time will be well spent, and you’ll make an impact.
