Anne Baye Erickson

 

RELYING ON ABILITIES HELPS DRIVE CAREERS FORWARD

 

WHEN IT COMES TO EVALUATING VEHICLES, A FEW FIGURES STAND OUT: DRIVERS ARE CONCERNED WITH MILES PER GALLON AND SHOPPERS FOCUS ON STICKER PRICE. BUT SOME OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS COME FROM AN OVERVIEW OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

 

IN JANUARY, THE CENTER FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH (CAR) RELEASED AN INDUSTRY ANALYSIS REVIEWING ITS ECONOMIC STATUS AND FORECAST. AS OF 2014, NOT ONLY HAVE AUTOMAKERS REBOUNDED FROM THE GREAT RECESSION, BUT THEY ALSO POSTED SALES SURPASSING THOSE RECORDED BEFORE THE FINANCIAL DOWNTURN (5.8 PERCENT MORE THAN 2007). ALSO, ANALYSTS PREDICT THE UPWARD MOMENTUM WILL CARRY OVER INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS, CLIMBING AS HIGH AS $17.6 MILLION IN SALES BY 2018.

 

OF COURSE, SALES AREN’T THE ONLY IMPORTANT GAUGE. EMPLOYMENT FIGURES ALSO INDICATE THE VIABILITY OF AN INDUSTRY, AND CAR CALCULATES MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY AUTOMAKERS, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS (OEMS), AND RETAIL DEALERS. RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THE INDUSTRY ALSO GENERATES ANOTHER 5.7 MILLION JOBS IN RELATED ROLES. AND AS CONSUMER DEMAND FOR NEW VEHICLES AND AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES GROWS, EMPLOYMENT NEEDS SHOULD RESPOND IN KIND. IN FACT, CAR ANTICIPATES WORKFORCE NEEDS TO INCREASE BY MORE THAN 10 PERCENT IN THE SHORT-TERM FUTURE.

 

FOR OEMS, THAT MEANS RECRUITING AND RETAINING QUALIFIED WORKERS BASED ON WORKPLACES ABILITIES MUST REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY.

 

NEXTEER AUTOMOTIVE EMPOWERS PEOPLE

"THE THING I ENJOY THE MOST IS THE PEOPLE. IT’S LIKE A FAMILY NETWORK HERE.” — JEFF KRUEGER, PRODUCT ENGINEER.

 

As a youth, Jeff Krueger found himself frequently driving past the Nexteer Automotive campus in Saginaw, MI, and he remembers being curious about what was going on inside its walls.

 

“I remember telling my parents I was going to work there one day,” he recalls.

 

It may have taken him a detour or two with other employers, but not long ago, Krueger fulfilled that youthful dream when he signed on with the steering and driveline manufacturer. More specifically, Nexteer Automotive (www.nexteer.com) specializes in electric and hydraulic steering systems and steering columns. Krueger is a product engineer and he concentrates on the electrical power steering unit.

 

“There is not a typical week. I could be at my desk doing specs on the computer or making drawing changes,” he explains. “I could be updating prints for dimension schemes or I might be in the labs to oversee tests for strength of housing.

 

There are a lot of different disciplines that I use in this role.” The most challenging aspect for Krueger isn’t derived from dealing with intricate design details. Rather, the engineer finds budgetary constraints a bigger challenge.

 

“It’s easy to over-complicate things and add costs to a design. It’s difficult to take costs out of products and maintain optimal function. It’s easy to put more money into products to make them more robust, but it’s hard to make them more robust and more cost-effective,” he says.

 

What doesn’t complicate Krueger’s job is his multiple sclerosis. Diagnosed in 2004, Krueger has adapted to his mobility limitations by first using forearm crutches and now through the use of a scooter. In a manner of speaking, though, Krueger’s condition helped bring him to Nexteer Automotive. While living and working in Minnesota, he sustained an injury due to a fall. At that time, Krueger realized he’d rather be close to family back in Saginaw.

 

“It was easier to have a support network around me,” he acknowledges.

 

Krueger also decided he wanted a similar support network in his professional realm. In order to create that, he realized the onus to inform his employer and colleagues of his requirements fell on his shoulders.

 

“I’m not trying to get pity, but to let them know these are the types of things I kind of struggle with, and that helps quite a bit. It’s trying to set yourself up for success by being open,” Krueger comments.

 

Other than accommodating his scooter, Krueger has not required assistive technology. But that’s not to say he won’t accept a helping hand from time to time.

 

“It’s a large company, but it seems smaller because everybody knows everybody and helps out,” he notes.

 

At the same time, Krueger stresses the value of taking charge whenever possible, and not just in coping with a disability. He supports an assertive attitude toward professional development.

 

“You can be proactive in how you look at the job and how you can expand it and keep on the cutting edge,” Kruger advises. “If you are not putting in the effort to achieve greatness, it will not be given to you.”

 

DETROIT DIESEL DELIVERS OPPORTUNITIES

“I HAVE NOT HAD TO ASK FOR ANYTHING, BUT I’M SURE IF I NEEDED SOMETHING, THE COMPANY WOULD BE FORTHWITH WITH IT.” — JEFFREY TRUSSLER, JOURNEYMAN PIPEFITTER

 

May 7, 1967, began like any other day for 16-year-old Jeffrey Trussler. He arrived to his part-time job at a local grocery store and was tasked with grinding beef. It was something he’d done before. On this morning, Trussler noticed a bone in the grinder. Although he had the wherewithal to turn the machine off before trying to retrieve the bone, a faulty switch caused the motor to engage again, trapping his hand.

 

A co-worker rushed to his aid and managed to pull the machine’s plug, but not before Trussler lost several digits. In emergency surgery, doctors amputated his entire right hand and three inches above the wrist. So since age 16, he has relied almost exclusively on a traditional prosthetic hook.

 

However, the incident didn’t alter the teenager’s professional goals. Coming from a family of plumbers, he had always wanted to join the trade, but the local union didn’t share his enthusiasm.

 

“They told me they would not have a handicapped individual working for them as a plumber,” he remembers.

 

Undeterred, Trussler and his father joined forces to form a family business installing fire safety equipment. Thus began a 40-plus-year career as a journeyman pipefitter.

 

After running that business for more than a dozen years, and after his father’s passing, Trussler was ready to take a turn as an employee. He shuttered the firm and joined a local company that had been extending various employment offers to him as a client of Trussler’s business. And that’s where he stayed for 15 years until economic conditions forced layoffs.

 

Fortunately, personal circumstances allowed Trussler to take his time while deciding his next career move. It was during this period that he became aware of Detroit Diesel Corporation (www.demanddetroit.com). The Detroit-based subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America manufactures on-highway heavy-duty diesel engines and axles. Trussler was impressed enough with the manufacturer and its operational setup that he dropped off his resume. In December 1996, he received a full-time offer of employment and has been on staff ever since.

 

“My partner and I take care of the assembly line. If anything happens—whether it be pipes, airlines, or hoses—we make sure to keep what is supposed to be in the hoses is in them,” he explains. “We do a lot of rebuilding on small part fittings. Sometimes it takes putting four or five parts together for a one-piece unit.”

 

But he’s also become a safety advocate. Instead of relying on assistance to do his job, Trussler has contributed to a workplace safety awareness campaign.

 

“I brought in photos of my arm in the meat grinder in the hospital. The grinder had to be taken apart with a chisel. The company is using the photos as part of training sessions,” he says. “They explain that the photos are of an employee, also explaining the employee did not lose his hand while on the job at Detroit Diesel. The message is to take precautions to be safe and lockout machines. We’re trying to make sure other people stay safe.”

 

In the nearly 50 years since his accident, Trussler has made a career in a field that requires a deft dexterity of hand, proving that abilities count most.

 

OUTREACH PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR AUTOLIV

“WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH BOTH PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES ON THE PRODUCTION FLOOR, AND IN MY OPINION, THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.” — SHAUNAANTES, MANUFACTURING TEAM LEAD

 

By its very nature, manufacturing production work is repetitive, assembling the same products or parts over and over in quantities of thousands or millions. Even for the most seasoned assembly workers, certain tasks may become too mundane. While that may not sound like a big deal, negative perceptions can impede production and compromise a company’s ability to deliver orders.

 

Nearly 20 years ago that was the circumstances at Autoliv’s Ogden, UT, plant. Autoliv (www.autoliv.com) produces various vehicle safety features, such as airbags, seat belts, anti-whiplash systems, and integrated child seats. Seventy-two percent of its approximately 60,000 employees worldwide play a role in manufacturing.

 

This particular task involved assembling very small pieces, which was not only repetitive, but also demanded extra focus. To alleviate strain, supervisors limited the amount of time people were assigned to this specific task.

 

“We would pull people off the line for an hour,” remembers Mike Quayle, human resources manager.

 

The strategy delivered results; however it was a temporary fix. Around this time, Quayle and plant manager Steve Smith remembered a fieldtrip they took to EnableUtah, an advocacy organization dedicated to training people with disabilities in various work and life skills.

 

“EnableUtah has been contracted to work with businesses throughout the West, everything from sorting dog food biscuits to building television [components]. Our plant manager was a member of the Ogden Chamber of Commerce [and] EnableUtah came to the Chamber to explain its services. The plant manager wanted to see more of what they do, so we toured the EnableUtah facility,” says Quayle.

 

Quayle joined Autoliv 25 years ago when he decided to make a career change after being a stockbroker. He began as a security guard, and within four years, reached his original goal of a position in human resources.

 

“I learned the company hires from within, so I took a chance. It may have seemed like a step backwards, but I felt good things would happen,” he recalls.

 

Shauna Antes also attended that field trip. She started with the company 26 years ago based on recommendations from friends who were on staff.

 

“They made it sound like a great place to work. I liked the way the company treated people, the opportunities, and the challenges,” says the manufacturing team lead.

 

After checking out EnableUtah, the trio was convinced Autoliv could benefit by contracting with the organization under the appropriate circumstances. Not much later the above-mentioned production problem arose, and the idea to engage EnableUtah was revisited.

 

Autoliv representatives consulted with the agency’s organizers, and after a workplace assessment, an agreement was reached. That was 1998, and 17 years later, the two entities are still partnering, mostly be - cause the participants have excelled. According to Quayle, the group averages 120,000 parts per shift.

 

As their direct supervisor, Antes insists the group contributes more than just production output. She explains, “They are underestimated on their abilities. They are passionate about what they do and don’t bring drama or politics to the workforce. In fact, they are the best crew I have ever had as far as their work ethic. Others love being around the EnableUtah people because it changes their perspective.”

 

In fact, the team has changed Antes’ attitude toward her own career goals. During her tenure with Autoliv, Antes has received offers to promote, but has always declined because she doesn’t wish to leave her EnableUtah team.

 

“There are rewards we get from them, and that’s why I stay where I’m at,” she confirms.

 

ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS RELIES ON A BREDTH OF TALENT

“MAKE A GOOD CASE WHY YOU’RE THE BEST FOR THE JOB THROUGH YOUR APTITUDE, SKILLS, AND DESIRE.” — J.R. MAXFIELD, LEAD TALENT ACQUISITION SPECIALIST

 

You may not realize it, but every time you book a rental car, you initiate a vast system of business operations.

 

“There are people behind the scenes, such as payroll and marketing, to run the company,” says J.R. Maxfield, lead talent acquisition specialist for Enterprise Holdings Inc (www.enterpriseholdings.com).

 

Indeed, the corporation behind Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car boasts an extensive nationwide support system of 83,000 employees. This workforce accounts for each retail center as well as corporate offices in St. Louis, and for jobs in a variety of disciplines, such as information technology. After all, so much of each transaction involves inputting, storing, and processing customer data. Maxfield hopes to expand the company’s IT expertise by recruiting top young talent. As the department’s university liaison, he not only visits campuses to scout potential new hires, but also to connect with potential future interns. In fact, Maxfield recently assumed that responsibility.

 

“I’m building a new internship program to enhance what we have and improve entry-level hiring. I’m targeting summer 2016 and we’re hoping to have a large, diverse internship class,” he says. “Also, I get to be an advocate for Enterprise and share my experiences and what I love about the company.”

 

Among the messages he shares with students is the extent of professional possibilities offered throughout the privately owned company.

 

“There are a lot of opportunities for growth and development. You can build a resume at Enterprise and you don’t have to leave the company to do it,” says Maxfield.

 

This ingrained potential is actually what attracted him to the company when he was preparing to leave the US Army.

 

“The company has a great reputation. It was high on my radar,” he says.

 

As Maxfield learned more about the organization, the more he felt it mirrored the best of his military experience. He explains, “There’s a professional demeanor in how people treat and speak to each other. The leadership, development, and training given to employees is much the same as the military,” he says.

 

During his four years of active duty, Maxfield deployed to Iraq with an infantry post. Stateside, he was assigned to an artillery unit. It was also during his service that Maxfield suffered a training accident that culminated in two surgeries on his elbows to repair nerve dam- age. Additionally, he has chronic back pain. Although these medical concerns don’t impede his duties as a recruiter, Maxfield appreciates the flexibility the company grants staff.

 

“There is significant scarring in my arms, and I do experience some numbness in my fingers and hands,” he explains. “Also, it’s a challenge to sit for a long time. Working here, you have a lot of autonomy, and if I need a break, I take one.”

 

He also appreciates the attention Enterprise Holdings gives veterans.

 

“We try to hire as many veterans as we can if the skill set fits,” he says. “If they’re coming out of the military and looking for a second career, this is a place where they can develop skills and build toward long-term futures. We also have focused more on university ROTC programs.”

 

Regardless of whether a new hire candidate comes with a military background or as an undergraduate student, Maxfield looks for a few key characteristics he believes translate into success.

 

“I’m interested in an aptitude and passion for IT and technology, and a passion for the company,” he advises. “I want someone who might be focusing on a career path into management or architecture rather than just what are the core duties of the job. I want someone who is looking to grow a career.”