Home > Articles > Crisis Corner

Voices: Crisis Corner RSS

Fix It Forward All Stars tackle the Maintenance Crisis

Joel Leonard recognizes industry leaders and organizers who are nurturing the next generation of talent.

By Joel Leonard, contributing editor

What we glorify is what we get, right? Just look at the explosion of poker players after being featured on numerous TV shows. So the purpose of this column is to shine the light on the innovators and pioneers of maintenance and reliability technologies by announcing this year’s selection of Fix It Forward All Stars.

With the recent passing of Steve Jobs and numerous other lesser-known but very important M&R industry leaders, such as John Moubray, author of “RCM2,” and Willard Moore, the first Fix It Forward lifetime achievement honoree, and with millions in industry retiring, there’s even more need to support leaders and organizations who are leading major initiatives to fix it forward and nurture the next generation of talent to innovate, improve, and advance our industry by overcoming stereotypes, obstacles, budget limitations, and societal negative perceptions that inhibit our performance.

Have you heard of Carl Peters of Lincoln Electric (www.lincolnelectric.com)? SkillTV interviewed him three years ago when the technology was in its infancy. His team of innovators has been working to expand, upgrade, and mass produce Lincoln’s virtual welding systems to accelerate the learning process so more talent pools are developed to weld. Visit www.skilltv.net to see more videos on this new method to make welding accessible, fun, and interesting to all ages. If you are fortunate enough to have an educational outlet to possess or acquire such a system, encourage them not to leave it locked up in a classroom, but carefully take it to the shopping malls, community festivals, PTA meetings, industry conferences, tradeshows, and high schools so that the masses will discover its capabilities. Hopefully corporate resources may also be engaged to provide scholarships, jobs, and perhaps mentoring programs to foster more budding talent.

University of Cincinnati Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems’ (www.imscenter.net) director, Dr. Jay Lee, hosted the 2011 World Congress of Engineering Asset Management (www.wceam.com). His work to push the envelope of lithium batteries and develop smart hoses for electric vehicles will help us transition to more reliable vehicles with alternative fuel sources. These are just a couple of the dozens of applications he and his cadre of very capable graduate students are developing, along with software, algorithms, and other advanced technology that will help propel the next generation of M&R products.

Have you heard of Deborah Wince-Smith, CEO of the Council on Competitiveness (www.compete.org)? She is a regular fixture on CNBC and other business, national, and international news outlets. She recently spoke at the Sustainable Manufacturing Mini-Summit and the 13th U.S.-Brazil Innovation Learning Laboratory, where government officials, business leaders, academics, and labor leaders participated in a lively exchange of ideas to advance sustainable business practices and energy initiatives and uncover suggestions to address the population boom, as we will need the resources of 2.5 planets to meet the world’s growth needs. Wince-Smith’s team just hosted a national manufacturing summit and published recommendations on how to advance U.S. manufacturing.

Gene Holder, NIM metals instructor at Weaver Academy in Greensboro, North Carolina, deserves special recognition too. This passionate educator has been in the trenches battling stereotypes, attitudes, and budget cuts and working with parents, administrators, employers, and even congressional leaders to fight to keep his program funded and to convert traditionally “dud” students into scholarship winners, high-earning employees, and future M&R leaders.

Do you remember watching “The Jetsons” and dreaming of one day being able to transport via a personal jet plane locally and to galaxies beyond? Well, perhaps the FAA, NASA, and other regulatory agencies, along with technology shortfalls, have grounded capability for now; however, the innovation and vision of Bill James, founder of JPods (www.jpods.com), will provide a stepping stone, if given enough green lights to proceed. He is working to create ski-lift-type monorail systems that run on self-powering electricity via the solar panels above the track to transport people, parcels, or even refuse throughout a network on systems that are much more fuel efficient. West Point, Duke University, and cities in Saudi Arabia and China are in the process of exploring pilot projects.

If more U.S. regions provide green lights, projects such as this new transport system and others will stimulate thousands of engineering, construction, and maintenance jobs. Know of others that need to be included in the Fix it Forward All Stars? Let me know.

Email Joel Leonard at joel@skilltv.net.

---

More Voices

Fix It Forward All Stars tackle the Maintenance Crisis
02/10/2012
Joel Leonard recognizes industry leaders and organizers who are nurturing the next generation of talent.

Educated plant maintenance
11/07/2011
Joel Leonard says career and technical education can fill the gap in American school systems.

Reliability rescue
10/07/2011
Joel Leonard says better inventory management frees up training funds.

Can our educational system fill the skills gap?
08/17/2011
Joel Leonard advocates funding of quality vocational programs.

Transforming students into journeymen
07/11/2011
Joel Leonard advocates development of Tech Corps.

Thermography can detect failures before they occur
05/18/2011
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, explores infrared technology and the fight for maintenance tools.

Use virtual training to convert the gamer generation into a skilled workforce
04/11/2011
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says Lincoln Electric is using welding simulators to attract the next generation of skilled workers.

Use education and training to elimate the skilled labor shortage
03/10/2011
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says community colleges and associations are joining the maintenance recruitment campaign.

U.S. educational system can learn from Finland
02/14/2011
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says schools in Finland can teach something to U.S. schools.

Next-generation maintenance professionals need more education opportunities
01/20/2011
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says the Maintenance Crisis will find you, no matter where you go.

Spread the word about the maintenance and reliability career
12/09/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says correct the ignorance of the reliability profession.

Powerful ideas for revitalizing American technical leadership come in many forms
11/05/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says maintenance and reliability are keys to industrial economic prosperity.

Count the ways you can bring new recruits to the maintenance profession
10/07/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, asks readers to become an ambassador for tomorrow's problem solvers.

Australia pitches in to fight the Maintenance Crisis
09/13/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, is getting more people to take a stand and fight the Maintenance Crisis.

More signs urge us forward to fix the maintenance crisis
08/09/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, continues to cross the globe, spreading his maintenance message to everyone he meets.

Ensure long-term sustainable success, not just short-term gains
07/08/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, travels the world in an effort to resolve the maintenance crisis.

Let's open a can-do of maintenance excellence
06/15/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, is taking it to the bayous.

Overcoming stigmas and communication challenges
05/10/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, asks are communication failures affecting your facility.

Break-through training
03/01/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, interviews Martin Tauber and explores how one plant upgraded staff performance.

New challenges call for new traditions
02/03/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says we can reach new and unskilled workers in a more contemporary manner.

C'mon maintenance!
01/11/2010
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says now is our chance to make serious progress in the fight against the 2010 Maintenance Crisis.

Reality vs. TV
11/25/2009
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says solid customer service is the right way to promote the profession.

Reliability Vortex to battle storm
10/26/2009
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says this program will develop regional strengths in reliability skill sets.

Frustration from the field
09/28/2009
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, says the name has been withheld to protect the honest.

The future is coming at you
08/25/2009
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, explores how virtual and 3-D technologies will form tomorrow's skilled workforce.

Inspired precepts
07/23/2009
Joel Leonard, contributing editor, compiles commandments for today's reliability pros.

You have options
06/29/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard supports simple efforts to help fight the maintenance crisis.

Crab bucket syndrome
05/22/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says climbing the ranks of maintenance is going to get more difficult if we don't intervene in the skills shortage.

Hot heads prevail
04/27/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard demonstrates the power of an infrared camera at a chili cook-off.

Let's get out of this hole
04/08/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says it's time to prepare for the economy to turn around.

Time to skill up!
03/10/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard finds new ways to use Skill TV and social networks help get the word out about solving the maintenance crisis.

Dubeautiful Dubai
02/10/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard makes a visit to the Middle East and helps tear down barriers to progress.

Maintenance renaissance
01/13/2009
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says now is our chance to fix it forward.

Beyond the boob tube
12/02/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says Skill TV is proving to be a crucial tool to fix the maintenance crisis.

Education can unlock the crisis
11/05/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says it's time to fill our public airwaves with encouragement and inspiration.

Less talk, more action
10/07/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says cooperation with community colleges could help crack the crisis.

What did you do on your vacation?
09/05/2008
Contribiting Editor Joel Leonard says this summer was great for discovering more ways to fight the maintenance crisis.

Critical steps
08/12/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard reports that from South Carolina to Chicago, leaders are taking steps to cure the maintenance crisis.

Joel Leonard provides the background behind the "Maintenance Crisis Song"
07/29/2008
Jennifer Curry of National Public Radio (NPR) interviews Joel Leonard about the origin of the maintenance crisis.

Washington gets an ‘Aha!’ moment
07/10/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard provides our leaders within the Beltway with facts about the competitive advantage that maintenance and reliability can provide for organizations in the United States.

‘Les Misérables’ de maintenance
06/04/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard's recent travels to Europe led him to uncover that aversion to skilled labor is not just characteristic of Americans.

Crisis Corner: Insiders, outsiders
05/01/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says the maintenance industry needs to reevaluate how it recruits, develops and retains skilled workers.

'Reliability Nation'
04/02/2008
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard is leading a movement to move maintenance up on the list of national priorities.

SkillRadio: Tune in to tune up
03/07/2008
New information tools, used to fight the maintenance crisis, will be posted on www.SkillTV.net in a new section titled SkillRadio.

Tune in
01/04/2008
Joel Leonard and Plant Services launch SkillTV to elevate the crusade against the Maintenance Crisis to a new level.

How are you fighting the Maintenance Crisis?
11/15/2007
When the next bridge falls, plant burns or pipeline leaks, are you going to be able say that you tried to warn everyone you know about the onslaught of pending maintenance problems facing this country?

Personal ways to advance your career and our profession
10/23/2007
Most maintenance workers have received limited formal training and have huge gaps between what they perceive and what actually are best practices. Taking a proactive approach to educating workers can improve your career as well.

Root cause failure analysis of job fairs
09/04/2007
Discover the most common pitfalls for job seekers and employers to avoid.

Maintenance Crisis progress report shows mixed results
08/06/2007
Check out these signs of revitalized maintenance.

Maintenance Crisis comes to Capitol Hill: Lessons learned in D.C.
06/21/2007
Government officials need to know our profession’s value, our contributions to the economy, what will enable and empower us and the obstacles to providing optimal productivity levels.

Joel Leonard: More lessons learned in D.C.
06/20/2007
Joel Leonard shares some of what he learned about the maintenance crisis while visiting Washington D.C.

Fix It Forward Maintenance Hall of Fame
06/04/2007
There's a hall of fame for every occupation imaginable except maintenance professionals. It's time to change that. Peruse our brief form and nominate yourself or someone you know.

Podcast Center
05/29/2007
The Podcast Center houses the increasing number of audio files on PlantServices.com. In addition to a full archive of Joel Leonard maintenance tunes, the Podcast Center also features a monthly contribution from Editor in Chief Paul Studebaker.

Think you’re smarter than a maintenance technician?
04/23/2007
Skilled maintenance technicians are a rare and desired group, and their average compensation package is rising. These "grease monkeys" are smarter than you think.

Uniform job standards aim at defining the profession
04/09/2007
The European Federation of National Maintenance Societies (EFNMS) is finalizing standardized job classifications for maintenance manager, maintenance supervisor and maintenance technician in 21 European countries. Should the U.S. follow suit?

From pop star wannabes to maintenance heroes
03/08/2007
With American Idol returning to the television air waves, Joel Leonard is reminded of why he started his crusade for awareness for Maintenance Crisis in the first place.

Formal training and mentorship key to protecting future
01/18/2007
As the boomer generation ages and leaves a sizable gap in the workforce, it is essential to institute apprentice programs to help fill the void.

Europe shares common threads in the Maintenance Crisis
12/19/2006
Joel Leonard discovers that European manufacturing is facing many of the same maintenance crisis issues as U.S. manufacturers. Read about his overseas adventure.

Model car enthusiasts provide good example for maintenance workers
11/29/2006
Sometimes, the answers to our biggest problems often are right under our noses. Joel Leonard discovered this when he encountered a remote control car enthusiast with an incredible dedication to his craft.

Put stock in training
10/24/2006
Training is an important aspect of developing America as an effective future economy. Learn some of the reasons why training goes awry and how to successfully implement a training program.

Major overhauls in maintenance legislation on the horizon
09/28/2006
For years, stockholders have pressured management to increase quarterly shareholder value without accountability for long-term decisions and implementing sustainable processes. That is changing. Shareholders have filed a “breach of duty” lawsuit against BP executives for not ensuring proper maintenance and repair processes. Joel Leonard predicts major overhauls in maintenance legislation.

Recruiting the future
08/16/2006
More and more companies are feeling the symptoms of the Maintenance Crisis. Deferred maintenance is reaching chronic levels as current equipment continues to age, thus requiring more maintenance, while sophisticated, new equipment needs more care, attention and custom configuration. Companies are struggling for internal talent who can read foreign blueprints from their German, Japanese and Italian equipment suppliers.

The power of maintenance
07/20/2006
A court date for the maintenance evangelist is put on hold when the power goes out. It was up to the power of maintenance to restore the power of the law.

No longer one hand clapping
06/19/2006
Do you feel like you’re hard work goes unnoticed? Are you putting in a lot of effort to gain more respect, but you feel ignored? How one man was inspired to revitalize other maintenance departments.

Readers’ responses validate the Maintenance Crisis
05/31/2006
Read these real-life anecdotes about the shortage of skilled workers that is leading to the Maintenance Crisis. We are withholding the names to protect the honest.

Take care of your older technology
04/27/2006
Many companies are always looking to find new technologies that are considered "cutting edge." But often they forget to take care of the "rusty edge" of their older, useful technologies and it costs them.

Ringtones and mp3 downloads now available at PlantServices.com
04/04/2006
Tune into the gospel version of the popular Maintenance Crisis Song with the newest version, "Heaven help us! We have a maintenance crisis!" PlantServices.com is now hosting mp3 files for download, and wav ringtone files. The initial group of files also include blues, reggae and opera versions of Joel Leonard's catchy song.

Fix it forward
04/04/2006
Don't pay your maintenance favors back - pay them forward. Inspired by the 2000 movie "Pay it Forward," Joel Leonard describes how applying that message to maintenance just might solve the maintenance crisis.

Out with the blue collar, in with the green one
03/07/2006
Overhauling popular perception calls for a change of shirts.

Looking for Mr. Goodjob
02/03/2006
The success of a recent MPACT Skilled Maintenance and Facilities Engineering Job Fair inspired Joel Leonard to list the 13 qualities it takes to land a skilled maintenance position.

Reach for the Ska!
01/11/2006
Learn some ways to open up the doors to the next talent pool for maintenance technicians.

Appreciate the memories
12/15/2005
Let’s all cherish and preserve them before it is too late.

Clear up the media cloud
11/17/2005
Many believe our information is clouded by constant broadcasts from the entertainment and sports industries. This media cloud contributes significantly to the maintenance crisis coming to American businesses.

Katrina exposes the nation to the maintenance crisis
10/12/2005
Joel Leonard says it’s shameful that it takes a disaster for us to wake up and do what is truly common sense.

Maintenance professionals must lead the effort for change
09/22/2005
Make a difference by taking the role of a consultant, or if necessary, an “insultant.”

Deferred maintenance costs pile up
08/11/2005
Are chronic backlogs of deferred maintenance reaching dollar values too high for companies to afford? Is the shortage of skilled workers driving costs beyond repair?

Signs of revitalized maintenance
07/20/2005
Joel Leonard is attempting to successfully revitalize the maintenance profession and he lists the signs we'll see to show that his efforts are working.

Maintenance profession needs to increase the number of qualified candidates
07/07/2005
Joel Leonard says that we need to figure out a way to generate interest in the maintenance profession in order to adequately replace a rapidly retiring work force.

Seven secret principles of getting a raise
05/23/2005
Are you paid what you are worth? Columnist Joel Leonard offers seven simple techniques that can boost your profile and the size of your paycheck.

How much is ignorance costing your organization?
05/07/2005
While companies continue to throw money away on reactive measures, contributing editor Joel Leonard says you can limit the costs of ignorance by opening their eyes to the value of proactive maintenance.

Maintenance Crisis Resource Center
03/04/2005
PlantServices.com has launched the Maintenance Crisis Resource Center. Visit this web-based community for information, to network and to find support to help mitigate the increasing shortage of qualified professionals.

An obituary and farewell to reactive maintenance
02/09/2005
The public's perception of maintenance is that its full of a bunch of "Bubbas and Skeeters." Contributing writer Joel Leonard says its time to kill Bubba and Skeeter and change the perception of maintenance.

Shareholders caught up in crisis?
01/19/2005
Contributing Editor Joel Leonard says it is important to educate stakeholders on the true value of maintenance. With the proper information, decision-makers will be able to see that spending a dollar today will save many dollars tomorrow.

Maintenance crisis corner: Calling all students
12/07/2004
Industry can attract young people by speaking their language 

Averting the maintenance crisis
11/17/2004
The industry can't turn a corner without your help

Birth of a maintenance evangelist
10/18/2004
Managing Editor Lisa Towers writes that the North American maintenance crisis now has a champion in Joel Leonard, who's on a mission to turn industry recruitment around.