From Line to Leader: Homegrown Employees to Guide Your Company’s Future

In an all too common theme, manufacturers nationwide struggle with external applicant searches to fill their open positions. Many invest in hiring events and recruitment strategies to fill the critical roles for their operation’s success. Yet, setting their sights inward on existing employees may hold the best promise to meet those needs. 

“Taking homegrown talent and turning them into leaders can be the best strategy for success,” said Jeff Frost, Senior Industry Advisor, Northeast Indiana with the Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). “It is a natural progression for the most capable person running a segment of a manufacturing line to step into a leadership role, but while they may be a subject matter expert, many have not been taught how to be an effective leader, equipped with soft skills to keep their workers engaged.” 

One Purdue MEP course, Leadership Skills for Success for Frontline Leaders, does precisely that. The ultimate goal of the course is to provide successful employees with the essential tools and knowledge to succeed in a leadership role at their existing company. Purdue MEP experts lead the six-month intensive course, and participants learn and practice critical leadership skills necessary to ensure success applicable in any industry or organization. 

Wabash support

Grow Wabash County hosted a Frontline Leadership course in late 2023 at its office. Individuals from numerous companies in Wabash County, like Real Alloy and Wabash Castings, met for a total of nine sessions over the next six months to discuss and practice techniques in communication, project management, stress management, team-building and more. 

“These companies are very supportive of programs like Frontline Leadership because they understand their existing employees are truly their best asset,” said Chelsea Parson, Grown Wabash County Project Manager - Development & Marketing. “Purdue MEP has developed a program that puts those individuals on the path to not only support their employer goals but build a base for their career aspirations.”

Businesses need leaders who are both skilled in their area of responsibility and capable of guiding their personnel. Companies often identify employees with potential but do not necessarily have the skills needed to perform the next role up the ladder effectively. At the same time, management may not have the time or ability to train them properly.

“The Frontline Leadership class targets those individuals with soft skill development in people management, conflict resolution, etc., to effectively deal with contention between two workers,” said Frost. “Purdue MEP is like an extension of a company’s staff with the training and experience to perform that training.”

Another benefit of the class is as a recruitment tool because current and prospective employees can visualize the opportunity to grow with a company. While employees desire upskilling for career progression, employers benefit from increased employee engagement and retention, reducing the potentially high cost of turnover.

Facilitating the course in Wabash County makes perfect sense, said Frost. 

“Wabash County is a community with a strong manufacturing backbone,” he said. “There are a lot of talented folks there with the ability to adapt, learn, grow and continue to improve their skills, thereby keeping themselves and their companies vibrant.”

Economic development

Purdue MEP provides training, personalized consulting, and implementation in the areas of productivity, growth, and technology for small- to medium-sized companies with 35 full-time staff associates who are all industry veterans and very familiar with manufacturing surroundings. It is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, which seeks to support manufacturing as an essential backbone of the entire country. 

“We are here to serve Indiana businesses with hands-on, practical training, not a professor-student relationship,” said Frost. “Our role is to play a part in facilitating a robust economic base in Indiana.”

Grow Wabash County is a one-stop-shop for business development efforts, focusing on the five main pillars of service: business development, entrepreneurship, livability, workforce development and investor services. We provide local incentives and other benefits to businesses looking to locate or grow here. Email or call us at (260) 563-5258 today to learn how you can grow with us, too!