Workforce shortages, rising costs and high product demands are propelling area businesses to boost efficiency through Lean efforts. To that end, 11 area business professionals explored ways to eliminate waste, improve production quality and work more efficiently through Moraine Park’s Six Sigma Green Belt certification training.

Class members presented their final projects Monday, November 14, 2022, and received their certifications upon successfully completing the program. Program participants included Joel Arend, Whisker LLC; Jacinda Buss, Richelieu Foods Inc.; Kenneth Beckrow III, Tenneco; Andrew Ford, Alliance Laundry Systems; Cody Genthe, Keiding Inc.; Laura Libera, Grande Cheese Company; Bethany Newsome, Tenneco; Jinal Patel, Centro Inc.; Brian Rosik, Plastic Components Inc., a division of Rosti; Jon Vogt, Alliance Laundry Systems; and Travis Wuesthoff, Amsted Automotive. Presentations took place on the Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac campus with business representatives, sponsors and project champions attending.

The participants completed independent class projects, which included how variability in quality measures affect the final product; efforts in reducing scrap, defective components and production change-over time; ways to optimize the packing process; and how to increase throughput on a profitable production line. Participants that calculated a cost savings as part of their project averaged a $168,800 return on investment for such things as reduced scrap, the cost of escape due to shipping defective components and missed production opportunities.

Six Sigma training provides participants with techniques and tools needed to improve processes that results in better business performance. MPTC will be offering its next Six Sigma Green Belt Certification training on Mondays February 20-May 22, 2023. The deadline to register is January 31, 2023. For those who have completed Green Belt Certification, MPTC will offer a Black Belt Program from January 30-March 6, 2023. The deadline to register is January 6, 2023.

To register for either training, email training@morainepark.edu or call 920-924-3449.

More than 50 leaders gained practical advice they can use to help build on the success of their businesses and organizations during Moraine Park Technical College’s inaugural Live2Lead event. Leaders from area businesses, as well as non-profit and educational organizations, heard from world-renowned leadership speakers during the live simulcast Oct. 8, 2021.

The event was offered in partnership with The John Maxwell Company, which helps individuals and companies reach their full potential through leadership coaching.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was thrilled with the depth of the information shared by leaders that spoke that day,” said Shari Buerger, human resources manager at Marchant Schmidt, Inc. “Each speaker shared their leadership journey with passion and excitement.  It was impossible not to get excited about the opportunity to bring back these experiences and try to live them in my workplace.  I will definitely attend again in the future!”

Each speaker brought their leadership journey to life through shared personal stories and lessons learned:

• John Maxwell shared two of the laws discussed in his book and online course, “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”. The Law of the Inner Circle says those closest to you help determine your level of success—they can be a great asset or a great liability. The Law of Legacy helps leaders understand that they will be valued by the legacy they leave in people rather than in the organization.
• “Know What You’re FOR” author and entrepreneur Jeff Henderson asked participants two questions: What are you known for? What do you want to be known for? To succeed as an organization, Henderson said, you have to switch from self-promotion to showing care and being an advocate for your customer, for your team, for your community and for you.
• IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima used her rags-to-riches story to help those whose success may be stymied by self-doubt. To succeed, it takes belief in yourself, grit and listening to your gut, rather than listening to those who tell you no, she said.
• Certified personal and executive coach Valorie Burton walked attendees through questions that would help them define their vision and values so that they could lead authentically. Burton said opportunities, challenges and relationships—today and in the future—will guide leaders toward their vision.
• Author and host of the top-rated “Max Out Your Life” podcast Ed Mylett encouraged everyone to be an evangelist for their cause and their company. People don’t have to believe what you’re saying, he told the audience, but they have to believe that you believe what you’re saying.

After the simulcast, existing and senior leaders had the opportunity to share ideas and discuss how they could use what they learned within their businesses. Some of the discussions centered around cultivating employee and customer advocates, enhancing company cultures, defining what success looks like and opportunities for future growth.

MPTC’s Economic and Workforce Development division was able to bring the Atlanta-based live simulcast to Fond du Lac through generous sponsorships from Marchant Schmidt, Inc., Presenting Sponsor; J.F. Ahern Co., Book Sponsor; Kondex, Wabash National and Fortfi Bank, Lunch Sponsors; Apache Stainless Equipment and Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Value Sponsors.

If you missed the live event on October 8th, you can now watch every minute of the 2021 Live2Lead Leadership event virtually! This virtual rebroadcast option gives you 3-days of on-demand access starting the moment you activate your pass. To learn more about the event and how to register for the virtual rebroadcast, visit morainepark.edu/live2lead.

The Moraine Park Technical College Economic and Workforce Development Department welcomed Kelli Karpinski as a new Business Representative. In her role, Kelli partners with area manufacturers to identify individual and regional workforce development needs. Working collaboratively, her goal is to create performance-minded business solutions through short- and long-term strategies to close skills gaps – all to help area firms remain competitive and profitable.

Before joining MPTC, Kelli spent more than six years as a senior consultant at Oshkosh marketing firm Blue Door Consulting. She also has an economic development background through a previous role at the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and served as an adjunct instructor at Fox Valley Technical College, teaching introductory business and marketing courses.

Kelli earned a Bachelor’s degree from UW Eau Claire and an MBA from UW Oshkosh.

Kelli enjoys giving back to her community and has spent the past eight years on the Oshkosh Women’s Fund Board, currently serving as immediate past president. She and her husband like to kayak, tackle home DIY projects, listen to live music, travel, ride their Harley-Davidson and hang out with their Australian labradoodle.

“Being a part of the EWD team brings together my passion for education and training with my background in building business relationships. I’m excited to see the results of our work—the advancement of the area workforce and the positive impact that will have on our businesses.”

Welcome to the team, Kelli!

Written by: Pamela James, MBA, MPH, MPM, MT(ASCP), NBC-HWC, PMP

What do you use to clean your house, your dishes, your body?  Unfortunately, your common everyday products are putting the health of you and your loved ones in danger.  Every time you spray something, you inhale some of it.  Every time something gets on your skin (accidentally or on purpose), it can get into your bloodstream. 

Maybe some of you are thinking, “Yep, that’s why I buy ___ which is natural.  It says so right on the label.”  But did you know that even many “natural” products are full of chemicals, phthalates, parabens, and hormone disruptors?  And that doesn’t apply only to cleaning products but also to all those lotions and potions that we knowingly put on our skin every single day.

Here’s the great news. Making your home healthier does not have to be expensive or complicated.  There are many natural and safe options to choose from including essential oils, vinegar, castile soap, and baking soda. 

Essential oils?  Wait, aren’t those just a nice smelling alternative to candles?  Actually no, essential oils can be used in a number of ways and have been for thousands of years around the world.  I won’t bore you with all the science, but here’s the basics. 

Essential oils are naturally occurring compounds found in the various parts of trees, flowers, and other plants.  Plants make essential oils for their own health – to repel insects, protect them from the environment, resist microbes, and more.  When we use a 100% pure essential oil, those same properties work for us too! 

Have you ever used a scented candle, cleaning product, or lotion?  Ever had a cup of tea, put a lemon in your water, or added herbs and spices (fresh or dried) to your food?  Then you’ve used essential oils! 

As we’ve already discussed, we want to decrease (or eliminate completely) the use of dangerous household chemicals.  And the best way to do that is to start with simple swaps.  Make your own products and know exactly what’s in them!  Don’t let the idea of essential oils or DIY (do it yourself) overwhelm you.  Here are a couple easy DIY recipes to try.

Look at how easy it is to swap out expensive and dangerous cleaning chemicals!  Simple recipes with simple ingredients for a healthier home in just minutes.

A couple final notes.  Firstly, always use caution with essential oils as they are extremely concentrated and powerful.  A couple drops goes a long way.  Secondly, watch out for impure and synthetic essential oils as you lose all the great benefits when they are made in a lab instead of by nature.  Even those essential oils labeled as 100% pure are usually diluted or adulterated.  Do your research.

Interested in learning more about using essential oils in your life? There are a number of classes coming up that will help you get started. Visit https://www.morainepark.edu/academics/continuing-education/ find an essential oils class for you.

We all have goals of living independently and being self-sufficient but often obstacles and challenges get in our way.  After successful participation in a combination of virtual and in person instruction due to Covid,  two students were able to celebrate completion of a 2-year Learning for Independence (LFI) Program, moving them one step closer to meeting their goal of independence. 

Learning for Independence is a cooperative transition program offered in partnership by Fond du Lac Area High Schools and Moraine Park Technical College.  The students ranging in ages from 18- 21 years of age, have a documented disability and are current students at various Fond du Lac County High Schools.  “It is inspiring watching the transformation from the first day our LFI students set foot on the MPTC campus to the completion ceremony two years later! Our students arrive as high school seniors and leave as confident adults with life skills and plans to continue with their present job or pursue new employment or enroll in classes to pursue a certification or degree at technical college. This amazing program would not be possible without the great partnerships of MPTC, Fond du Lac Economic and Workforce Development, the Fond du Lac Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, surrounding Fond du Lac County Schools and the School District of North Fond du Lac!” states Chris Schultz, LFI Program Director.  

 “When students start their LFI experience, they are anxious, excited and ready to embrace the program. During their two years, they meet students from different high schools and become friends quickly.  They start to become a close group and help each other when needed.  Their confidence levels and self-advocacy skills are completely turned around and almost mastered! The skills learned from each class will be ones they will be able to use when out living independently.  At their completion ceremony each student speaks about what they learned, what they liked about the LFI program, and where they see themselves in five years.  This is quite a transformation and all the instructors, people at MPTC, Chris Schultz and myself are so proud of all of them.  We send them out with a job lined up, or already employed, and some have gone on to attend MPTC.”, states Jo Marchionda, LFI Coordinator and Instructor. 

In person classes will be starting again in fall.  For additional information on the LFI program or applications for enrollment, please contact Chris Schultz, School District of North Fond du Lac, at cschultz@nfdlschools.org or call 920-929-3750 ext 6143.

When was the last time you took an Excel course? If you are like most of us you have probably googled a command or two or watched a YouTube video on a specific function when needed. You get the work done, but the experience was uninspiring.  Over the course of a few weeks, you’re lucky if two or three of the new commands or functions you learned make it into your daily routine.  Sound familiar?

Here are some simple Microsoft Excel tricks you can use to be more productive at work.

Select All. This quick keyboard commands can cut your computer task time by seconds, which quickly adds up to minutes and hours.  [Ctrl]+A can be used to select all of the data in your Excel spreadsheet at one time. It also works in Word and other Windows applications.

Display formulas. Not the original author of a spreadsheet than you will find this helpful. When you hit [Ctrl] + ~, all of the formulas in a spreadsheet will be visible, allowing you to edit or tweak them as needed.

Using Quick Analysis. Who doesn’t want to analysis data quickly? Right click inside the table you wish to work with. Select the Quick Analysis button to open the menu. Hover over one of the tabs: Formatting, Charts, Totals, Table or Sparklines to preview the effects. Click on the button to apply the feature.

Moraine Park offers a host of Microsoft Excel classes that can teach you basic and advanced skills, or can be used as refresher training.  Consider what skills would make you more productive. Here are some options: 

Excel Level 1

Excel Level 2

Excel Level 3

If you’re looking to update or improve your Excel skills, please feel free to contact us today for more information on everything we offer!

Chairs spread out across the cafeteria.

Air fives for congratulations.

Alumni and business partner videos.

Masked pictures.

Family and friends attending on zoom.

Individually wrapped “cake”.

The Fall 2020 Welding and CNC Boot Camp completion definitely looked different from the ones MPTC’s Economic and Workforce Development has held before. But then, so did the entire boot camp.

Boot camp is always intense. The phrase, “We call it boot camp for a reason,” gets thrown around often as the normal stresses of learning to be a student again, balancing home and work life, and life hurdles get in the way. This semester the addition of quarantines and resulting virtual attendance and loss of hands on time added to the challenge.

But nine remained and we celebrated your accomplishment the only way we could. EWD wishes the best to our boot camp completers and acknowledges the extra hurdles you overcame, the extra patience you showed, and the extra flexibility it took to make it though.

We’re proud of you and your unique accomplishment.

We hope the unique ceremony showed just how much.

MPTC’s Economic and Workforce Development boot camps have been held continuously since fall of 2012 at little or no charge to students. Recruiting for spring has already begun. If you’re interested in being part of boot camps, or just want to know a little bit more about them, look us up at www.morainepark.edu/bootcamps.

The Learning for Independence (LFI) students, as part of the program at Moraine Park Technical College, like to plan a project that includes giving back to the community. This year 9 students and 3 instructors went to the Fond du Lac Fairgrounds Expo Center to help organize and set up for the Salvation Army Christmas distribution program on Thursday, December 10^th.

The Salvation Army doubled the distribution this year as close to 700 families were seeking assistance for almost 1,800 kids. They helped sort thousands of items, including toys, clothes, books, stuffed animals and more that have been donated to the Christmas distribution programs, like Toys for Tots, the Angel Tree, and Adopt-a-Family. Some students helped to unload big trucks with gifts from businesses in the community. 

The students enjoyed it, were overwhelmed by all of it and were exhausted at the end of the day.  They volunteered on their last day of class before semester break and ended with a positive and giving note.

Learning for Independence is a cooperative transition program offered in partnership by Fond du Lac Area High Schools and Moraine Park Technical College.  The students range from 18- 21 years in age, have a documented need for transition services in education, employment and/or independent living. The students have completed four years of high school and met desired level of academic proficiency for graduation at various Fond du Lac County High Schools.

For additional information on the LFI program or applications for enrollment, please contact Chris Schultz at cschultz@nfdlschools.org or call 920-929-3750, extension 6143.

Last winter, just a few weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic, Brenda was beginning the CNC Boot Camp training through the department of Economic & Workforce Development.  She already had years of manufacturing experience but wanted to upgrade her career in the field of computer operated machining. 

When this training was forced to go virtual, Brenda struggled. But MPTC staff encouraged her to persist and even allowed her to seek an internship outside the region when she was forced to move closer to family. Ultimately, Brenda flourished in this field and earned her Entry-Level CNC Certificate and a job offer by June. Her new employer was impressed with her CNC training and complemented her instructors. 

Brenda says, “I’m glad I stuck with it! And when I was offered a better position last month, they were glad I knew how to run multiple machines; I’m earning more money today than I ever have!” 

Are you interested in getting into a new career in just 3 months like Brenda? What about earning a college level certificate with hands on training and a PAID internship as part of the program? Even better – there is NO TUITION for students! Tuition and materials are covered 100% by a combination of grants and community agency support. No experience necessary and no income limits applied!

Spring Boot Camps are starting soon, so check out the upcoming opportunities to learn more about this amazing program.  Visit morainepark.edu/bootcamps to sign up for an upcoming information session.