Crystal Bristow
Marketing & Industry Awareness Committee Member
Jenkins Electric Co.
When in doubt, ask a fellow EASA member. In January of 2023, I was searching for management and leadership training for our company’s leaders. After an exhaustive Google search, I asked that question in the Women of EASA Facebook group. Within minutes, my question was answered by the resourceful Jan Schmidlkofer, general manager of K&N an Impel Company. Not only did she share her experience, but she even found and shared the local resource in my state with me. I am reminded daily of the power of the EASA organization and each member’s willingness to lend a helping hand and share resources.
That single question and answer was the springboard that enabled us to work with the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) at a local level, through our community college and North Carolina State University system, to create an 18-month grant to train our workforce in critical areas such as customer service, leading across generations, continuous improvement with lean manufacturing and safety. Once I realized the resources available to shops and manufacturers like us, I knew it was a program that could benefit our entire industry. Below you will find critical resources and FAQ’s that will help you get started today.
1. What is the MEP?
A public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. Their mission is to strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturers.
2. How do I connect with my state’s MEP?
Visit www.nist.gov/mep/centers to find the MEP director in your state and send an email. Each MEP works through the community college and university systems in each state.
CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL MEP CENTER
3. Who develops the training?
Training is developed by the partner community colleges and universities and presented by a faculty or staff member. You simply select the training topics and schedule your teams when convenient.
4. How much does it cost?
Costs vary by state and are based on the types of training. For Jan, she worked with the MEP for a single training. For Jenkins, we worked with our local resources to first do a needs assessment with our leadership and management teams, which then created the roadmap for our training. In our specific situation, all trainings were funded through the state MEP program.
5. Where can I learn more?
Join me, Jan Schmidlkofer, and Nathan Ginty, MEP Division Chief, for an informative session at EASA’s Convention & Solutions Expo in Las Vegas, June 23- 26. The session “Workforce Development Assistance and Resources in Your State” is on Monday, June 24, at 10 AM. Mark your calendars and save the session in your EASA app today!
6. Does my shop qualify for this training?
Short answer, yes! We worked with the MEP nationally to confirm that the following NAICS codes, which many shops use, do qualify for the program. Cleared codes: 335311, 811310, 334416. Many other codes likely qualify, so if you don’t see yours here, reach out to your local contact.
As you may know, EASA recently launched the Electromechanical Repair Technician (ERT) Certificate Program, which delivers a structured learning path to become a well-rounded service center technician. The MEP program can serve as a complement to that certificate by helping you train the leaders in your shop on soft skills such as effective communication, leading multiple generations and excellence in customer service.
We’ve been working with our local resources for a little over six months now and the change I have seen in our leaders and our team is something I couldn’t have accomplished alone. It has created positive momentum, collaboration and unity. As we all know, workforce development and retention are the biggest threats to our organizations; this program can help you engage and retain employees.
If you have questions or would like to chat, please connect with me on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/crystalbristow/).
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