Meet GianCarlo B., a Quality Inspector at PMG. GianCarlo has been with PMG since October and is currently working on his first PMG project. Learn more about him in the Q&A session below!

Q&A with GianCarlo

How long have you been working in manufacturing?

I have been working in manufacturing for 11 years now. I started when I was just 15 years old.

What drew you to the trade?

Colleagues inspired and encouraged me to pick it up, due to it being a career that can be used in many industries. I’ve always enjoyed challenges and problem solving so having a career that tested my mentality was something that I liked. 

Have you had any formal training?

I have taken a shop math and GD&T course to further my knowledge on the trade.

Before working at PMG, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

I was a Marketing President for a Health company, did that for about 2 years. I built an organization of close to 1k people from scratch.

What do you like most about working for PMG?

Outside of the support team, I’m very thankful for the benefits and security I’ve been given. By just following the guidelines and meeting expectations, this has been able to take care of myself and others without worry.

What is one thing you miss or wish you had with you while on the road?

Friends from my hometown. Thankfully it’s easy to visit them, but having them within arm’s reach is always beneficial.

How do you balance your career at PMG and family?

By adopting a philosophy of “don’t miss anything”. Once I’m done with work and I get back home, I’m ready to go. It’d be unfair to my family if I allowed the day to ware me out before doing anything with them. The “don’t miss anything” philosophy means to do as much as you can, when you can. If there’s a new movie that comes out, go see it. If an artist is performing in a neighboring city, go attend the concert. If a restaurant has awesome reviews, go indulge and see what it’s about. I do my absolute best to get the most out of my time with my family during the work week so it doesn’t feel like I’m “always gone/working”.

What are some career lessons you’ve learned thus far?

I’ll share one because I feel it’s the most important that has helped me. We get paid for the value we bring to the market place. If you want more, you must first become more. Continuing to work on your trade/craft to better yourself will always help keep you ahead.

When you’re not working, what sort of hobbies do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a hip-hop dancer. It’s been my passion since I was child. Fortunately, I was able to take it to the next level and perform all over doing shows and competitions. Now I do it for pure fun.

What is something fun you’re looking forward to in 2019?

2019 is the year I’ve dedicated to rebuilding and reshaping my life. The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is seeing my results at the end of the year and comparing them to where I was when I ended 2018. Progress is the key to happiness, so I can’t wait to see where my family and I end up!

Meet Kellen!

Kellen is a Pipeline Development Coordinator and joined PMG 10 months ago. He first started in a temporary capacity and assisted our Technical Solutions team in the recruitment of new technicians.

About Me

My name is Kellen and I am a recent college grad who has been working at PMG for just under a year! In my free time I like to travel and hang out with friends and family. I also enjoy playing and watching pretty much any sport.

What are your main responsibilities as a Pipeline Development Coordinator?

Lots of cold and “warm” calling of manufacturing candidates. I conduct phone interviews with candidates and update our database with their resume and interview information.

This is the first time I’ve ever done a job like this. In fact, this was my first job after graduating college. It didn’t take long until it was second nature. PMG offers a really great training program that brought me up to speed quickly.

How did you learn about the opportunity with PMG?

Networking! It is all about who you know.

What do you like most about your job?

I love calling and speaking with people. It makes every day really fun and interesting. I recruit for a variety of positions so I get to learn a little bit about a lot of things.

What do you like most about working for PMG?

The office culture. Everyone is very friendly and my team is very easy to work with. I also love that the dress code is casual.

What are some hobbies you do in your free time?

I love to hang out with my friends and play soccer. On the weekends, I like to visit breweries and local dive bars. My favorite place to grab a beer is Dangerous Man Brewing. My favorite restaurant is Lagos Tacos- you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!

What celebrity/inspirational person do you admire the most?

Lionel Messi. He plays soccer for Barcelona. I’ve looked up to him since childhood.

What did you want to be when growing up?

I always wanted to be a professional soccer player.

What advice would you give to a recent new hires at PMG?

Don’t’ be afraid to ask questions, you will have a lot! And always keep a positive attitude- that will go a long way.

What animal describes the “work you”?

Probably a parrot because I talk to so many people in a day I have gotten really good at adjusting my communication style to the people I am speaking with.

Spring is in the air and for employers and job-seekers across America that can only mean one thing – Career Fair Season!

Here at PMG, we already have a handful of booths under our belt, but a recent event at a local tech school couldn’t help but catch our attention with the unique spin one of their programs put on an old standard.

PMG ReTool attended an employer event at Hennepin Technical College in February and while the school had a traditional career fair scheduled for the afternoon, the Robotics, Mechatronics and Automation Engineering program rolled out their Reverse Career Fair in the morning. Automation instructors Brad Thorpe and Jeff Thorstad came up with this idea to help connect their students with employers. The main goal was to have students set out their semester class projects, science fair style, and individually present them to employers. This allowed those seeking to hire the ability to connect with prospective employees in a much more personal manner than a traditional employer’s table. It also provided the opportunity for employers to connect with the actual hands on classwork in a far more direct way than they typically do. However, the real benefit was how it also gave the students an opportunity to give their class work the most “real world emphasis” possible.

While PMG ReTool observed several student projects, there were a few that stood out the most. One student used their project to win a $10,000 grant from the manufacturer for best alternative use of a PLC that is already utilized in production facilities. Another student, who already has industry experience, decided to trouble-shoot a trouble-shooting module.

In addition, many used their projects to simulate systems they’d be maintaining in a production environment. For example, a student used his previous experience as an extrusion mold operator to simulate the maintenance of larger systems associated with such a facility. Some students even considered recording their presentations and including a hyperlink to the video in their resumes so they could speak to the inevitable “lack of experience” push back they would encounter during the application and interview processes.

Overall, ReTool was not only impressed with the quality of training, preparation, and projects, but with the way students and instructors used these projects to present their class time as being far more applicable to in-production experience than it is generally considered. If you are preparing to enter the manufacturing industry, or are in the position of training those who are, you may want to consider adding a Reverse Career Fair component to your next employer event to give your classwork the best chance to shine in the real world.

Josh Erickson, ReTool Associate