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I believe that the general occupation title Tradesperson as applied to those who maintain industrial systems and machines is a bit weak in its capability to communicate the complexity and importance of the work. There is indeed science involved in industrial maintenance work and so perhaps the title Para-engineer or Machine Medic carries more of the reality of the job today. There is a science to understanding the sounds that machines make and the noises that indicate that a problem is developing. Vibrations, odors and heat levels all come in to play as well for an observant machinery doctor. Diagnosis of system problems involves a sound scientific approach and often utilizes sophisticated tools and data analyzers.
Art vs. Science
On the other hand, machinery maintenance is also an art. Working with components, materials and tools requires an artful approach. Without question there is art in great installation and parts replacement work. Perhaps the title of Artisan or Craftsperson captures these finer points. I have always admired neat wiring and layout work in a cabinet where a contactor or variable frequency drive was just replaced. It means the Electrician cared enough to do her best work. When I observe a Millwright polish the end of a machine shaft by hand before installing a new bearing I know that this person wants this service job to last.
Lack Lustre?
The sub-titles of Machinist, Millwright, Industrial Mechanic, Heavy Duty Mechanic, Industrial Electrician, Instrument Technician and so on bring more focus and specialty to the title. Though in some industrial environments, these titles have lost their luster and may instead refer merely to compartmentalized thinking where one group is segregated from another. In some cases the segregation is so extreme that there are separate lunch rooms for the different trade titles. A sense of responsibility and ownership is often left adrift among such groups. Blame and disdain for trade groups other than your own is not discouraged in some of these industrial cultures.
Pride in Workmanship
Whatever the title is, let it inspire all who work in the field of industrial maintenance to feel and fuel a sense of pride within,...the pride that comes from stretching to learn your chosen craft to its very highest level. I believe that this level of pride is the right of someone who accepts that there is more to learn and has some ongoing training plans in place. This person also respects the knowledge and skills acquired by others with senior experience in their chosen trade and in other trades within the plant.
Doing the job right, even re-doing it if need be and accepting responsibility for the learning that was needed between the first and second attempt is the sign of someone who desires to master the trade.
Are economic conditions improving for your operation? If they are not already improving, they will! Hang on to your passion and your principles for doing things right!
The downturn has been wreaking havoc on common sense management within heavy industry. In my visits with clients over the last two months, I noticed that many of the hard fought battles to establish disciplined maintenance were being surrendered. Maintenance departments are surrendering to corporate management's request to spend almost nothing.
Absolutely No Training Allowed
One client at a very complex plant told me that he would probably be found face down floating in a nearby river if he asked management for a budget to build some troubleshooting job aids that he needs. In response to my queries he said "not only are we not conducting maintenance training, we're not even doing basic maintenance". He went on to tell me that they will gamble on maintenance for the next six months and pay the price later. He said that he knew that the price would be very high.
Did this client really want me to believe that there was a threat to his life for proposing an investment in skills and performance? Of course not. But he was making it very clear that a serious edict had come down from above. He was also making clear that maintenance management progress was now in reverse.
Stay in the Game!
I have to wonder, does this mean that many of us who earlier fought hard to make progress in maintenance, have now let go of that passion? I can understand that if the company is nearly out of cash, that gambling on the maintenance of the plant might mean the difference between continuing to operate versus shutting down and laying everyone off. I suppose that like anyone else, a maintenance manager is thinking of his own family needs and his grocery bills and mortgage payment. If the company then instructs you not to spend on anything, you have to go along. Who wants to get laid off?
Another client who directs maintenance training and development for a large organization told me that his new game is tennis. He told me that serious liabilities come with the ball when it lands in his court. He told me that as soon as the ball arrives, he now hits it hard to get the ball as far from himself as possible. While describing the troublesome politics that plague his work I asked him to just imagine what the ideal solution might be. He told me that retirement was only a few years away now. Clearly he has removed himself from constructive and optimistic participation.
Basic Skills
This final story is a brain warper. I visited a client where we are producing job aids for a complex machine. I was there to gather additional data. The superintendent sent me out on to the plant floor with a supervisor. The supervisor first had me stop off in the machine shop. He had me help a group of tradesmen with a problem completely unrelated to the purpose of my visit.
They were struggling over a problem with a hydraulic cylinder that was creeping when it should not be. It was causing a lot of problems in the plant. After a few minutes of discussion in the machine shop it became apparent that the tradesmen were struggling with basic directional valve and hydraulic cylinder knowledge. I taught them what I could in the time I had during my visit. I took them online to show them where our free training resources are kept on our website. They were very grateful for the help.
When I got back to the superintendent's office I mentioned the discussions in the machine shop and that a two-day seminar that we provide would be very helpful. I was told that even though the plant was operating at near capacity, upper management had insisted that no training take place at this time as a cost saving measure.
Training Budget Trimmed?
Should expenditure on training be looked upon as a burdensome cost of production? Is it realistic to treat training and human development budgets in the same way as office supply and freight budgets? In the end a plant full of machinery only runs, or only runs well if a sharp and skilled crew is looking after it. In fact, if the plant cannot hire more help for the maintenance department, then you have to do better with the people you have. If the market has put pricing pressure on the plant's products, then the machinery has to run better than ever.
Fight - Put it on The Line!
Is training and development still at the forefront of your plant's operating philosophy? In the end it's all about people isn't it? We may once again have to fight for the good stuff,...the training as needed in our respective industrial departments.
