Discussion with Dickinson County Leaders Lois Ellis, Theresa Caylor, and David Holmes

In this episode, David Haynes talks with Dickinson County leaders about the work being done and progress being made between the area’s educational sector and the manufacturing employment base.

This discussion features Dickinson Area Economic Development Authority Executive Director Lois Ellis, Systems Control Talent Acquisitions Lead Theresa Caylor, and Breitung Township Superintendent David Holmes.

Transcript

David Haynes:

Hello, everyone. Welcome to this new edition of Rural Insights Podcasts and Videos. And we’re really excited today to be focusing on Dickinson County. And I’m going to ask Lois Alice, who is the Executive Director of the Area Economic Development over there and has been amazingly successful. And I’m going to ask her to introduce our guests and then we’ll proceed with some questions for them. So Lois thank you for getting this set up. And Lois also writes a regular column for us. We really appreciate it. And our friends in Dickinson. Go ahead and go.

Lois Ellis:

All right. Thank you, David. Great to be here today to highlight some of the work being done between the education sector and our private sector manufacturing employment base here. So I’m pleased to introduce to you today, Theresa Caylor. And Theresa is a Talent Acquisition Lead for Systems Control. And she’ll tell you a little bit more about the company later. Thanks for joining us Theresa. And then we also have David Holmes. And David is in a brand new role as the Superintendent at Kingsford schools, Breitung Township schools here in Dickinson county. Although he’s been with the district for quite some time in some other leadership roles. So welcome David.

David Holmes:

Thank you Lois.

David Haynes:

All right. Thank you Lois.

Lois Ellis:

All right. I think we’re ready.

David Holmes:

We’re ready. So I’m going to start with Theresa. Theresa maybe you can tell us what Systems Control Manufacturers and talk to me about the growth. Lois was talking to me about the amazing growth you’ve had and I’ve been over there to visit Systems, but it’s been a little while. So why don’t you tell our listeners about that.

Theresa Caylor:

Happy to. So I’ve been with Systems Control for 10 years. System started out in 1962 as a privately owned company, still privately owned. We designed and manufacture equipment primarily for the electric utility industry, but also for the energy sector. So as you can imagine, the power industry, the energy sector and so forth is very busy. It’s a very dynamic industry to be in. Whereas other industries experience ebbs and peaks and valleys, we continue to grow tremendously.

For the last 20 years we’ve experienced double digit growth year after year, which is fantastic in any industry and especially in this economy. In my time that I’ve been with the company, we’ve grown from 290-300 ish people up to 750 in the last 10 years. So we are headquartered out of Iron Mountain, Michigan. Love to be part of the UP. We do have two other offices, one also in the UP and Haute, Michigan. And then also another one in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. So again, we designed a manufacturer equipment. We provide turnkey solutions, meaning that we can do the electrical design, the mechanical design and manufacturing, the factory acceptance testing, the field testing and so forth. So one stop shop for our customers, which is a huge competitive advantage. And then also again, from an industry standpoint, highly tied to the power needs, critical infrastructure. So that’s been wonderful to be able to support our country.

David Haynes:

Well, thank you. Well, that’s incredible growth that Lois has been telling us about this over the last few months. So how did that growth lead to your involvement then with the Breitung schools. Can you talk about how that evolved and what is it? How you working together?

Theresa Caylor:

Sure. And like most manufacturing companies, the demand for skilled trades has only increased. With an aging workforce we need to obviously build a pipeline of talent to meet the growing demands in manufacturing and also support our energy industry. So it became very clear that we needed to partner with some very strong and progressive and advanced and innovative educational partners to make that happen. And also for me personally, and from a professional standpoint, we wanted folks in the area to know that they could have rewarding, meaningful, successful careers in the area. That they didn’t have to relocate out of the UP. They didn’t have to go far and wide define those career opportunities. So the key is starting early, getting them interested in figuring out what they like. And sometimes people don’t know what they don’t know. So it’s a matter of getting them exposed to opportunities so that they can make informed decisions in their career.

David Haynes:

So what is your favorite initiative that you’ve engaged with students and teachers and Systems? And do you have a favorite one you can tell us about?

Theresa Caylor:

There would probably be three, but if I had to pick my top one, it would be our work-based learning opportunities. So we work with the guidance counselors at the local schools. And specifically with Breitung Township, we have two or three guidance counselors that we work pretty regularly with to help place students in opportunities. And again, they get cooperative education credits for it. But it’s a work-based learning, so it’s allowing them to apply the classroom experience into real life, world experience. They’re meaningful, active and fully contributing members of the team. They’re getting that product interaction. They’re getting the industry experience. They’re learning good life skills, job skills. They’re also supporting our business. So they are adding business value. It’s getting them exposure. Some of them have come through the program in various areas of manufacturing and engineering and so forth saying, “this is exactly what I want to do.” Others have equally found out this is not what I want to do, which is just as meaningful. So again, it’s been a great opportunity for them to figure that out. And again, adding business value to us as well.

David Haynes:

Expand a little bit on some of the positive outcomes for the company and the students. When you pull all that together of your favorites, what are some of the positive outcomes that just strike at you?

Theresa Caylor:

Yep. Yep, absolutely. It’s again, giving them that academic and industry experience. Doing the classroom connection. Having them figure out what is going to take to be successful in the real world. Our educators, the parents, our community leaders are trying to help them make that connection, and we help reinforce that. And when they realize it’s impacting your ability to earn a wage and grow their career and be successful, it’s just another voice to reinforce those positive messages. So that’s very important to us. Again, learning through experience, getting them real life, real world problem solving, experience and collaboration. While they get opportunities to work in projects and in team-based classroom activities, they get to see how that’s applied in the industry. And they also get to understand the leadership experience, the internal-external customer, working with suppliers, working in the community. It’s just multifaceted. So it’s a great opportunity for them.

Four key points that I make with every single student. And it’s interesting because they, their teachers and guidance counselors echo these, but it’s like another voice to reinforce it. We call it four A’s. Attendance, show up at work on time, be there because your crew, your people, your team are counting on you. We talk about attitude, come to work with an attitude to be positive. That doesn’t mean every day is perfect, but come with a positive attitude that you want to make a difference and you will make a difference. That ability and willingness to learn would be the third A. Every day is going to be different. They have to have the ability and the willingness to try new things and adapt to the changing needs of industry, the customer and reality. And then lastly, the accountability, if you say, you’re going to do something, do it. If you mess up, fess up.

Again, just really good life skills. Our philosophy is “easy on the people, hard on the problems.” We like to solve problems for our customers. That’s what engineering and manufacturing companies do. So having everybody be transparent, open and willing to help each other is very critical.

David Haynes:

I have to tell you, I’ve heard General Stan McChrystal, pretty famous four-star General talk about this to a group of high school students that he was addressing. Sort of similar four A’s. But he began it with “to get to these four A’s, get up in the morning and make your bed,” and then begin the four A’s. It’s sort of focus, focus, focus. These students… and I’ll ask David the same question. After they’re done with this, they go to work for you. They could continue their education at state college in Iron Mountain and you get more training, correct? Then if they want to get more technical skills and they can continue that after they graduate from the schools and your program, correct?

Theresa Caylor:

Correct. Yes. So typically we start in the high schools. And even earlier than that. We’re involved at the elementary and middle school levels with STEM activities, skilled trades events. We partner with the vocational and technical education center and we sponsor and judge events for multi programs there. But again, with this, they get exposure throughout their academic career. And then through high school work-based learning or production positions on the floor.

If they go on to tech-ed school or to college, we actually have them part of our internship and co-op program giving them kind of a rotational opportunity to learn different aspects of the business so that they get that well-rounded experience both the breadth and the depth. We’ve been very successful with getting people all the way through post-college and then still continuing with us post-college into full-time. That’s a great win. Sometimes they don’t come on board right away and that’s okay too. Our goal is to really be a partner with them in any industry. And our goal is to make sure that they get a great experience. And if somewhere down the road, they return north and come back to Systems Control or somebody in another employer in the community, that’s a win as well.

David Haynes:

That’s also an option. This is a great option for them that those that don’t want to leave Iron Mountain, Kingsford, Dickinson or the UP, they can stay. Right?

Theresa Caylor:

Absolutely. Some of them get [crosstalk 00:10:53]. Go ahead.

David Haynes:

I’m sorry. No, no, go ahead.

Theresa Caylor:

No, I would say some of them get off to college and say, “this isn’t for me.” Or “I’ve changed my academic discipline three different times and I still haven’t figured it out.” And that’s okay. It’s okay. We’re going to work with them, help them. And sometimes they hit pause on the education and they get that real world experience, save up and then go back to school. We also offer education assistance. We have classes that we sponsor through Bay College and so forth. So we’re happy to partner with them as well to help their personal professional development.

David Haynes:

And I agree with you as a former college president that you want students who can figure that out. That maybe “this isn’t the right time for me.” And instead of amassing huge debt, maybe try a different route for a while. I think it’s a great opportunity. But David let’s talk about it from the school district side. I feel sort of guilty, I didn’t wear blue today. I wasn’t going to wear gold because it might get into the Northern thing, but I didn’t know. So tell us from your perspective from, from the school or from local education, why has this been an important partnership to the students in the system? And, and how has it worked from your Systems perspective?

David Holmes:

Well, I would just say, as a community leader or a community member, it’s important that we engage with our industries and the folks that really got this kicked off. I was part of it initially, but had a great vision for making our school better. Better for our students. Stronger schools help to attract employees, which reaches a common goal with Systems Control and other major industries in the area. And of course certainly helps our enrollment, which is a major factor in our overall success. So there’s, I would say, almost a synergistic relationship of having a common vision and common goals of improving the community. But just in general, it was a natural fit. They have such a perfect lab experience for students to go into and learn by doing. Either through work-based learning. We start like as, as Ms Caylor said, with elementary visits to our elementary school. We bring in speakers to the middle school and we actually had all of our middle school students tour Systems Control, to the point of even bringing our staff, our teachers there. Many of the parents that have the kids in their classrooms work at Systems Control or other industries.

There’s a great professional development opportunity to go and just see what happens there. Gain a few tips and tricks of how they work with each other and collaborate, communicate, teach their own employees skill sets and move on and advance. And then also gave our teachers some ideas of how they can incorporate some of these things. We have a STEM focus in our district: science, technology, engineering, and math. And gave our teachers some real life examples of what they could bring in the classroom.

David Haynes:

I should’ve started, tell us a little bit about your school system. The size, the makeup just a little bit.

David Holmes:

So, in the Upper Peninsula, basically every school is rural. But we’re one of the larger school districts in the Upper Peninsula. We’re right around between 1,950 to 2000 students as a district. We serve the city of Kingsford and Breitung Township, but also many school of choice students. So just in general, the largest school in our local community. We certainly collaborate well with the other schools and participate in the Dickinson Iron Technical Center. Which really helps to support things like these work-based learning or Systems Control being involved in our school. And then overall, we’re approximately 200 staff members. About 110 teaching staff support staff administration. So a fairly large school for the Upper Peninsula.

David Haynes:

And many of those students come to my former home, my alma mater and where I was President, Northern Michigan University. And they come incredibly prepared. What is the initiative between the two that happened that you think has had the biggest impact on students between you and Systems Control? Or are there multiple? Theresa had four. Are there a couple that just jumped out at you? That, “oh my gosh, these have had incredible impact on young people.”

David Holmes:

Right. I think it’s a multitude, but the sum of the whole. Basically the entire process. Because we didn’t go into it in a partnership to benefit and say, “please donate money to our district.” And Systems Control didn’t say, “please train our workers.” It’s that whole common vision and mindset of betterment of the community, betterment in both organizations and preparing our students.

So if I hit the marquee events, Systems Control has a presence at a variety of education-related events, whether it’s something like our heavy metal tours that Lois helps to coordinate, which incorporates many local industries. We’ve held a technology conference, the McCall Michigan Association of Computer Users and Learning. We host that or have hosted it actually pre-COVID and multiple times at Kingsford. For the sake of bringing that mindset to our kids, to our teachers. And Systems Control was present at as a vendor and at something like that. To their workers coming right into our classrooms, to speak to our students as guest speakers, but then actually doing some problem-based learning type things with our students.

And I will say that through that STEM initiative and through recognizing the amount of manufacturing industry we have in our area and Systems Control being a major part of that. In our building, it’s impacted our curriculum. We’ve implemented a robotics class. We’ve implemented computer aided drafting. Went from the paper and pencil drafting to the computer aided drafting, manufacturing, and design. A lot of those classes lead into our tech center courses that really just feed right into the industry. So I think it’s the sum of the whole.

David Haynes:

Certainly, I think those of us know, and more people need to know. And that’s one of the reasons we want to do this is that the Dickinson-Delta belt is a capital of manufacturing in Peninsula. No one can compete with what you in Dickinson with manufacturing. We could all learn from it. What are some of the outcomes that if you were talking to your point….at the end of the year, what are the outcomes that you think that most important? So young people as they go through this and enter the district?

David Holmes:

Well, I would say to the individual student, they’re better prepared because they see the connection between what a teacher says or does as an assignment to what actually is applied in the work environment. Employers are continually letting us know about the soft skills that students need and employees need coming out. And it’s great to hear the reinforcement of those soft skills, which are hard facts. Like Theresa just mentioned the four A’s, it’s really the hard facts of being accountable and doing the things you need to at work. So those are things that you try to teach in a school setting along with the content. But to have the workplace application saying, “in order to work here and be successful, these are the things you need.” So I think those are some real practical things.

If I incorporate bigger picture than just Systems Control. But with Lois Ellis, our local area having the division to put together an Economic Development Alliance, that’s not just say the Chamber of Commerce. That businesses are willing to commit money towards making our community better. Attracting employees, synergizing workforces, and searching for workers and just overall developing the community and furthering community.

David Haynes:

So what about hard skills? Soft skills or hard skills, I would imagine and they get to apply those hard skills they’re in their internship and experiencing Systems directly.

David Holmes:

Yes. So if you take a student who participated in computer-aided drafting or mechanical design and wants to be an engineer and they applied to work-based learning. You don’t automatically get placed at Systems Control because you want to go there. You have to be the right fit. And they’ve gone through and had some excellent students who didn’t get placed because of just the things that they want to see in the workplace. But they then, in order to get the credit the work site host has to sign off that they’re doing the actual work. It’s not just showing up and shadowing someone. And they’re actually doing work embedded skills to provide credit to that student.

David Haynes:

That’s great. I want to go back to Theresa, the wrap up call. But do you want to tell us anything about the football season? Everybody in UP is always watching Kingsford and Iron Mountain and what’s going on with football. Any predictions over there?

David Holmes:

No predictions, but we’re hopeful. And I’ll say that our kids are energized and our coaching staff is energized and they use the term “win, win, win” actually. I’ll share that with you and the “win, win, win,” it’s “win” on the field, “win” in the community and “win” in the classroom. And I really thought it was great because you can do two of those things pretty easily. And that third will come along, that win on the field will come along. If you have good character, good work habits, you’re doing the right thing. Go Wild Cats by the way.

David Haynes:

You have an amazing program over there, you really do it. Great history to have an athletic program in football. Theresa, anything as we wrap up, you want to add? From the beginning, is there something that you thought of that you’d like to cover?

Theresa Caylor:

No. I do want to thank David and the entire Breitung Township school. They’ve got just an excellent program. All of our educational partners are fantastic, but David and his team has been willing to pilot a lot of new things with us and they’ve been very successful. So again, I very much value that partnership. My kids either were Flivvers or are Flivvers. So I had a vested interest in that personally as well. So I want to think Breitung Township school and I’m looking forward to all the new things that we’re looking to do. And next, Lois has just been a visionary for us as well, bringing up a lot of opportunities. I’m fortunate to be part of a talent and education task force at the Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance. And as you know, it was implied many companies in the community involved in that.

And, and Lois has been spearheading that for the last few years, in Dickinson County. And she can speak more to that, but again, great opportunities. And again, one of the partners, that’s not on this conversation with us, but would be remiss not to mention them is the Dickinson Iron Intermediate School District, the vocational educational and technical school. Their programs have been fantastic. And we’ve got, employees that are on their advisory boards. We actually sponsor competitions and we’re really active with the students. So we’re very fortunate that Lois has helped develop that partnership and that engagement through a series of many events throughout the school year and even a lot of planning in the summer.

David Haynes:

Well, thank you. Someone downstate described Lois Ellis recently to me as the “rock star of Michigan economic development” She has done an incredible job. So Lois, you want to wrap up some things about economic development in Dickinson? Or anything you want to add to this or anything?

Lois Ellis:

Well from my seat, being an Economic Development Partner, this has been an easy community to work with because everyone was really ready to see change. And they’ve made the commitment and they’re at the table and they’re providing that good feedback. And if I can say anything about the partnership that I see between Systems and Breitung Township schools, it’s just so deep and so strategic that I’ve just not seen a partnership at that level in other places. And so I compliment them on all of their efforts because it is very intentional and the outcomes I think are still developing because the pipeline’s long. It goes down into the elementary grades, but it’s definitely paying off. And so their work is amazing to see happen. So I feel really lucky to be a part of it.

David Haynes:

Well, great. You’ve done a great job on everyone there. One of our missions at Rural Insights is to bring information and knowledge to people throughout the UP. About what’s going on in other areas. And other areas of UP they may not know about. So this has been a great opportunity and a great, informative session. And I know our thousands of readers and listeners will really enjoy this because they’ll learn from it. So thank you very much. Great success stories. It’s always fun to talk about success stories when, especially in today’s world where you’re not always hearing that. So it’s a nice thing to do. So thank you all very much and be safe and mask up. Bye-bye.

Lois Ellis:

Thank You David.

David Haynes:

Bye-bye. Thank you.

Lois Ellis:

Thank you.