Success Story: NMC-Traverse House partnership wins award

Feb 27, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

February 27, 2019

Brenda Clifton and Scott WilliamsDishwasher is not a job that lands on many top-ten career lists, meaning many hospitality employers, including NMC’s Hagerty Center, struggle to find them.

But for someone like Brenda Clifton, it can be life-changing.

“It helps me a lot because it gives me responsibility,” said Clifton, the Hagerty Center’s newest kitchen steward, who was initially hired through a transitional employment partnership with Traverse House, a unit of Northern Lakes Community Mental Health. “People depend on me to be there.”

Next month, the Hagerty Center will accept a statewide award for the partnership, which offers a vulnerable population an important hand up to independence and addresses an NMC strategic goal of building collaborative relationships.

“Of our independently employed individuals, probably 70 percent have been placed in a transitional experience,” said Traverse House Director Hannah Driver. She nominated the Hagerty Center, led by Executive Chef Scott Williams and Director Chad Schenkelberger, for the award, to be presented by state Rep. Larry Inman.

“They had faith in us and faith in our program, and it’s worked out wonderfully,” Driver said. “We choose the best employers.”

Under the program, two Traverse House members work as Hagerty Center kitchen stewards between 12 to 15 hours per week for six to nine months. Traverse House selects the employees, bypassing the interview process. Selected employees get work experience and an employer reference. After the transition period, ideally the individual goes on to independent employment, and a new Traverse House member takes the kitchen steward job.

Clifton, 63, says it’s the best job she’s ever had.

“I love it. The people there are really nice,” said Clifton, who now works up to 20 hours a week. She can walk to work from her home, and it offers structure to her life.

Transitional employees are usually scheduled for shorter shifts during the day. Traverse House provides backup if the employee misses work. Williams credited the entire Hagerty Center team for helping Clifton adapt to the often hectic work environment.

“It can be an intimidating environment, walking into a kitchen, for anybody,” he said, noting that Hagerty meals often seat 200 people.

Since completing the transition period, Clifton can work longer shifts on nights and weekends and doesn’t need much supervision, Williams said.

“She’s a rock star now. We love having her.”

Schenkelberger agreed the center benefits as much as the employee. “This position traditionally has one of the highest turnover rates in the hospitality industry. So this partnership has brought us a sense of security knowing we have additional members of Traverse House looking to fill the position if a spot opens up,” he said.

In fact, Williams is hoping to convert another Traverse House transitional employee to permanent status: Justin Reed, 32. For his part, Reed, a former Goodwill Inn resident, says both employment and housing help him get through daily challenges.

“I would be more hesitant to work at that employer, if there wasn’t support,” he said. “I’m a strong advocate for mental health services.”

Success Story: 16 employers choose NMC Training for Going Pro funds

Feb 13, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

February 13, 2019

In a matter of one hour Tuesday, Traverse City’s ABC Aerospace increased airplane production 15-fold, flipped from losing money to turning a profit, cut overhead by more than half and reduced product backlog.

ABC Aerospace may be a fictitious company, whose airplanes are made of paper. But the lessons the Lean manufacturing simulation exercise taught participants will have real payoff for their northern Michigan employers: Grand Traverse Plastics and Bay Motor Products in Traverse City, Petoskey Plastics, and Tube Fab in Afton.

The four companies are among 16 northern Michigan employers NMC Training Services will work with this year in the latest round of state Going Pro Talent Fund grants, totaling $1.4 million regionally. Training is offered on-site at the employers’ facilities as well as in multi-company collaborative trainings like Tuesday’s kickoff, hosted at NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building.

“We think very highly of the program. All the teachers there are very strong,” said Bay Motor Products President Andy Robitshek. Since 2015, about two-thirds of the company’s 40 employees have taken NMC Training’s Lean courses, including multiple employees Tuesday.

“Rich (Wolin, Training Services director) has assembled a great team and they are providing a significant benefit to the manufacturing organizations in the area,” Robitshek said.

Tuesday’s training exemplified the Lean goal of continuous improvement: “Each time we’re doing it, we’re getting better,” said Brandon Cary, a process engineer at Grand Traverse Plastics, of successive paper airplane assembly “shifts.” Cary said he had been exposed to some Lean principles in the past, but was looking forward to learning more in the 96-hour training and sharing it with 120 colleagues at GTP.

“It’s just good. I want to move on to great,” he said of his Lean knowledge.

“It’s bringing problem-solving out into the open,” said Cary’s Tuesday teammate Connie MacLeod, who works in quality control for Tube Fab, which employs about 150 people to manufacture small diameter specialty tubing.

In addition to Lean manufacturing, NMC will train companies in ISO compliance, leadership skills and welding. Going Pro funding comes through Michigan Works and is capped at $1,500 per employee. Funds are spread across 31 different project and must be used by Sept. 1.

“It really makes a difference,” said Betsy Williams of NMC Training Services. “A lot of organizations couldn’t afford to do the training without it.”

Companies range from large to small. Photodon, a Traverse City manufacturer of computer screen protectors and privacy filters, has 10 employees.

“We’re hoping to have a lot less scrap,” said office manager Mandy Peterson. “Also to have us a little more standardized in our workflow, so when new employees come in, they know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Williams said that in addition to manufacturers, service-oriented companies are now seeking Lean training, such as Traverse City’s TruNorth Landscaping.

Success Story: 16 employers choose NMC Training for Going Pro funds

Feb 13, 2019 | Intercom, Student News

February 13, 2019

In a matter of one hour Tuesday, Traverse City’s ABC Aerospace increased airplane production 15-fold, flipped from losing money to turning a profit, cut overhead by more than half and reduced product backlog.

ABC Aerospace may be a fictitious company, whose airplanes are made of paper. But the lessons the Lean manufacturing simulation exercise taught participants will have real payoff for their northern Michigan employers: Grand Traverse Plastics and Bay Motor Products in Traverse City, Petoskey Plastics, and Tube Fab in Afton.

The four companies are among 16 northern Michigan employers NMC Training Services will work with this year in the latest round of state Going Pro Talent Fund grants, totaling $1.4 million regionally. Training is offered on-site at the employers’ facilities as well as in multi-company collaborative trainings like Tuesday’s kickoff, hosted at NMC’s Parsons-Stulen Building.

“We think very highly of the program. All the teachers there are very strong,” said Bay Motor Products President Andy Robitshek. Since 2015, about two-thirds of the company’s 40 employees have taken NMC Training’s Lean courses, including multiple employees Tuesday.

“Rich (Wolin, Training Services director) has assembled a great team and they are providing a significant benefit to the manufacturing organizations in the area,” Robitshek said.

Tuesday’s training exemplified the Lean goal of continuous improvement: “Each time we’re doing it, we’re getting better,” said Brandon Cary, a process engineer at Grand Traverse Plastics, of successive paper airplane assembly “shifts.” Cary said he had been exposed to some Lean principles in the past, but was looking forward to learning more in the 96-hour training and sharing it with 120 colleagues at GTP.

“It’s just good. I want to move on to great,” he said of his Lean knowledge.

“It’s bringing problem-solving out into the open,” said Cary’s Tuesday teammate Connie MacLeod, who works in quality control for Tube Fab, which employs about 150 people to manufacture small diameter specialty tubing.

In addition to Lean manufacturing, NMC will train companies in ISO compliance, leadership skills and welding. Going Pro funding comes through Michigan Works and is capped at $1,500 per employee. Funds are spread across 31 different project and must be used by Sept. 1.

“It really makes a difference,” said Betsy Williams of NMC Training Services. “A lot of organizations couldn’t afford to do the training without it.”

Companies range from large to small. Photodon, a Traverse City manufacturer of computer screen protectors and privacy filters, has 10 employees.

“We’re hoping to have a lot less scrap,” said office manager Mandy Peterson. “Also to have us a little more standardized in our workflow, so when new employees come in, they know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Williams said that in addition to manufacturers, service-oriented companies are now seeking Lean training, such as Traverse City’s TruNorth Landscaping.