Thanks to a Going PRO Industry Led Collaborative grant, Springs Window Fashions was able to send four employees to the MMTC Advanced Supervisor Skills & Training course held in Vanderbilt and Grayling.
Training was provided by Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center for frontline leaders to improve communication, engagement, and productivity of frontline workers. Using MMTC's exclusive Active Learning Model (ALM), participants learned through assessment, practice, application, and reflection. The training will help the participating employees develop the skills needed to bring them into higher positions, as they ascend in the company. Springs sent those in who they saw leadership potential to the training, hoping to build the skills they will need as they step up in management roles.
John Metts, HR Manager at Springs Window Fashions, states, “This training is essential to our business as it shows our people what hard work, dedication and training can accomplish. We have sent associates to this training in the past and it has allowed us to promote from within our ranks. We will be filling several supervisor and manager positions in the next 1-5 years and this training will help our people fill those positions.”
Metts continues, "We recognize that strong leadership trickles down to a strong workforce. This will allow for both companies in the Northeast Lower Peninsula to continue to be successful with a skilled workforce. Training empowers our workforce to be not only more contributing at work, but also in the public and at home. In the current workforce environment, it is critical to have good leaders, supervisors and managers to retain talent and help stabilize our workforce across the company, and the industry. We are excited to have our teams work together and grow and advance within our organizations."
All of the attendees spoke highly of the training and trainers. Each of them was excited about what they were learning and they were anxious and optimistic about bringing these learned outcomes back to Springs’ facility.
"The feedback from our facility has been positive and we have noticed an uptick in morale and productivity and the learning outcomes have begun to manifest themselves in positive ways,” reports Metts. “Two of our attendees are on the Safety Team and we have noted their increased diligence and advanced problem-solving skills in the facility. They are bringing more solutions to the table and these are well expressed and thought out."
Springs Window Fashions maintains a strong partnership with Michigan Works! and Michigan Works! continues to provide assistance through the On-The-Job Training programs that helps with wage reimbursement for their new hires and incumbent workers.
“It's a great program, and we are grateful for the partnership we have with them," states Metts.