Area educators from Nebraska and Iowa spent days brushing up their skills in manufacturing, in partnership with Lozier.
The ten teachers took part in Lozier’s Educator Externship, an intensive, on-site experience, giving real-world lessons to both college and public school counselors and instructors.
The group gathered on July 23, spending the morning meeting executive leadership and listening to a kickoff presentation from Chief Process Officer / Chief People Officer Tammy Carlson. The team then toured the Main Office Showroom with Design Concept Manager Scott Mueller before learning about Lozier’s HR and training goals with Director of People, Communications & Marketing Hannah Bolte and Learning & Development Manager Suzanne Ritchie. Monday afternoon saw a safety overview with Safety & Environmental Coordinator Tanya Shaul, before heading to the North Plant and Distribution Center for in-depth tours.
Tuesday, the educators started the morning with a practical look at manufacturing in action. Quality Engineer II Steve Deane and Sr. Learning & Development Specialist Joe Collins conducted the Airplane Exercise, a demonstration that dramatizes the inherent difficulties of manufacturing rules, roles and responsibilities. The team learned how an eye toward constant improvement and evolving processes allows manufacturing operations to grow and evolve without compromising on safety or quality.
The educators next welcomed Bolte back to the room, alongside Brand Manager Josh Gear and Social Media Intern Maddie Randby to discuss the importance of Communications and Marketing in building the Lozier brand, both internally and externally. Lunchtime brought insightful conversation from Director of Operations Dave Ciavarella and North Plant Manager Linn Kroeger, who shared stories and insight from their careers. After lunch, Gear returned with a demonstration called the Red Bead Experiment, an activity that highlights the difficulty of achieving high results with a process that is inherently flawed from the start.
Wednesday Afternoon and Thursday morning saw two shifts of on-the-job training and shadowing, with educators spending time watching work in action. The roles included Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Skilled Trades, IT, Product Design/Drafting, Planning/Logistics, Accounting and Safety. The event concluded with a panel discussion, featuring insight from a number of Lozier employees from across the operation. Director of Human Resources Lisa Taylor Jones, Plant Engineer Alex Sunwoo, Production Operations Supervisor Marquevis Finley, Welder Lead NPII Rachel Swanger, Precision Machining Brandon Gallo and Mechanical Engineering Intern Anna Hadan answered a variety of questions for the group.
Organized by Community Outreach & Engagement Manager Ralph Kleinsmith, the gathering drew rave reviews from the educators, with many wishing for even more time spent at Lozier for learning opportunities. The group promised to schedule return trips, for students and fellow educators, building the awareness of Lozier’s educational outreach and opportunities for Omaha-area graduates after high school and college.