The Voices of Manufacturing Dozuki

In this episode of the Voices of Manufacturing podcast, we interview Samantha Lawrence, the Learning and Development Coordinator at Johnsonville. Samantha shares her unique career journey from being an English teacher and learning leader in the Sheboygan School District to her current role at Johnsonville. She discusses the joy of supporting diverse member goals, ranging from becoming the best operator to starting a nonprofit. Samantha highlights her certifications in various areas, including mental health first aid and talent optimization, and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and innovative training methods. The episode also touches on the significance of transferable skills, mentorship, and creating an environment that fosters personal and professional growth.

Allen's impressive career spans from being an automation engineer at Colgate Palmolive to holding significant roles at Walmart, Tesla, and various tech companies. Tune in as we delve into Allen’s journey, starting from his childhood in Long Island, his hands-on experiences in global manufacturing, and his transition into tech leadership as VP of Product at Dozuki.

Starting at the Canada Department of National Defense, Echo worked on aircraft avionics systems and later transitioned to the private sector, becoming an engineering manager and now a senior advisor. She emphasizes a key lesson: ambition doesn’t always equate to capacity. Echo also discusses the importance of mentorship, the challenges of moving from public to private sectors, and her interest in green energy's future.

In this episode of the Dozuki podcast, Andrew Dendis from RTX discusses his experience in a leadership development program, emphasizing the importance of versatility, networking, and dynamic problem solving in manufacturing and aerospace industries.

Thomas has been observing the trends of the manufacturing workforce over the past decade as a training manager. He’s noticed the workforce has changed dramatically over that time. In this episode, Thomas breaks down the modern manufacturing employee and what they want in a job and employer. During this interview with Thomas, we will cover the three big areas that employees are focused on and how manufacturing companies can align their operations to meet these demands.

A seasoned value stream mapping facilitator, Karen Martin, shares insights into effective process mapping for manufacturing companies. The discussion walks through the multi-staged process, emphasizing the importance of the charter phase, defining the present and future state, collecting and understanding data, the role of leadership, and creating transformation plans. Karen discusses the ideal team composition for mapping, how to manage the level of detail, and ways to ensure that improvements are aligned with key business metrics. Throughout the conversation, Karen highlights the necessity of having an outside, skilled facilitator for the successful execution of value stream mapping.