Category: General Interest

Core Value: Enjoy the Journey – Favorite Summer Activities

At FlexTrades, we hold our Core Values dear. We strive to embody these values in our daily lives, both during work hours and off the clock. One of our cherished core values is “embrace the journey,” a reminder to pause and appreciate our roots and the remarkable progress we’ve made on our journey. We welcome any reason to celebrate, and we’re committed to having a great time throughout.

We recently reached out to our skilled technicians, seeking insights into how they “embrace the journey” during the hot summer months. We received nearly 300 responses to the question: “What are your favorite summer activities on your day off or during vacations?” Here’s a glimpse into the summer pastimes that our FlexTrades technicians hold close to their hearts.

Favorite Summer Activities

Grilling was the top response with 61% of respondents. That makes sense, we all need to eat! I love hearing the grill sizzle with a cool drink in one hand, and my trusty tongs in the other. It’s even better when I’m cooking for a group of friends or family, and I can fill every square inch of that grill with meats and veggies!

Road trips were a close second with 57% of respondents saying this is one of their favorite activities. There’s something special about driving across the country. Visiting new towns, taking a detour for an attraction, and meeting new people along the way can make a lot of great memories. In fact, many FlexTrades technicians see our project-based work as a bonus; it gives them a chance to take a road trip to a new place on our dime.

Fishing came in third place with nearly 50% of respondents. I know we have at least one technician who is a serious fisherman. He’ll pick and choose his next project based on what bodies of water are nearby. On at least one occasion he turned down a higher paying project to be closer to a body of water he just had to cast into. Now that’s dedication!

About one-third of our technicians called hiking, camping, or concerts one of their favorite summer activities. As with fishing above, many of our techs choose to work at FlexTrades because they can travel on our dime and enjoy their favorite pastime in places they’ve never been.

We also had 20% of respondents write in answers. Here are some of the most common answers:

  • Motorsports, which isn’t surprising since most technicians have a much higher mechanical aptitude than the average person! This included off-roading with rock crawlers and ATVs, drag racing, demolition derbies, riding motorcycles, and working on project cars.
  • Playing outdoor sports, specifically golf, and indoor sports like billiards, poker, or video games.
  • Spending time with family, friends, and beloved pets.
  • Being on or in the water including boating, beach days, and even scuba diving.

Conclusion

The summer activities our technicians cherish are incredibly diverse, and this blog post only scratches the surface. Stay tuned because our survey explored additional questions and gathered responses that we’re eager to delve into in future blogs.

No matter what you’re up to or where your summer journey takes you, always make room to “embrace the journey” along the way.

There are a lot of winter celebrations and holiday cheer this time of the year. As a result, I thought it might be fun to share how cultures throughout the world celebrate during the winter months.

Winter Solstice

  • The shortest day of the year.
  • Falls in mid-December for those in the Northern Hemisphere and June for those in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • At this time, half of the Earth is tilted furthest from the sun at this exact moment.
  • Fun Fact: Did you know that if you stand outside at noon on winter solstice and look at your shadow, it will be the longest shadow you cast the entire year?
  • Other similar celebrations include:
    • The Yalda festival in Iran marking the day when Mithra, an angel of light, was thought to have been born.
    • China’s Dongzhi festival celebrates winter’s darkness beginning to give way to light.
    • Scandinavians gather for Juul, or Yule, a multi-day feast when ancient people would welcome the return of the sun god.

Hanukkah

  • A Jewish holiday honoring the Maccabee’s victory over King Antiochus in 165 B.C., a victory seen as a miracle of God.
  • Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights with prayer, the lighting of the menorah, food, games, sing-a-longs, and gift exchanges.
  • The dates of Hanukkah change due to the lunar cycle but typically occur in late November or early December.

Christmas

  • A Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
  • Traditions around the world include decorating a tree with lights and ornaments, hanging mistletoe, attending church services on Christmas Eve, and waiting for Santa Clause to arrive from the North Pole in time for Christmas morning (December 25th).
  • Fun Fact: Santa’s arrival is different in many cultures: in Hawaii he arrives by boat, in Australia on water skies, and in Ghana he finds his way out of the jungle to leave gifts for children.

Kwanzaa

  • Commemorates African heritage, during which family and friends gather to exchange gifts and light a series of candles.
  • The candles symbolize the basic values of African American family life: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith
  • Kwanzaa occurs from December 26th through January 1st.

New Years Day

  • Takes place on January 1st each year
  • The count down starts the night before and often fireworks are on display as the clock strikes midnight on the first day of the new year in the Gregorian calendar.
  • Black-eyed peas, collard greens and pork are commonly served on New Years Day in the southern United States.
  • Black-eyed peas are thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year. Greens are considered a sign of wealth for the new year. Pork is a symbol of moving forward.

Epiphany, or Three Kings Day

  • Celebrated as the day the three wise men first see Jesus, bringing him their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
  • This celebration occurs in many different ways 12 days after Christmas. Examples include:
    • In Puerto Rico, children leave a box with hay under their beds at night so the kings will leave presents.
    • In France, kings’ cakes have hidden toys, jewels, or coins inside. The person who finds the trinket in their cake gets to wear a crown.

Chinese New Year

  • Considered the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.
  • This holiday falls between January 21st and February 20th.
  • Family and friends celebrate together during this time to usher out the old year and bring forth the luck and prosperity of the new year.
  • Legend has it that thousands of years ago, a monster named Nian would attack villages at the beginning of each year. Loud noises, bright lights, and the color red scare the monster away. Today, the celebration uses fireworks, red clothes, and red decorations.

Las Posadas

  • Primarily celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, and parts of the southwestern United States, Las Posadas is a 9-day celebration.
  • During this celebration, a procession of people moves from home to home with a candle inside a paper lamp, stopping at each home to sing and pray.
  • Eventually, the procession ends but the celebration continues with more singing, delicious food, and the breaking of a piñata.

Eid-ul-Adha

  • Celebrated worldwide in honor of the willingness of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his first-born at God’s command.
  • Celebrated near the end of the calendar year but dates vary based on the Islamic lunar calendar.
  • Families gather together in a large congregation, dressed in their finest, and sacrifice their best halal domestic animals as a symbol of Abraham’s sacrifice. Friends, neighbors, and the poor share the meat to ensure no one goes without during the holiday feast.

Diwali

  • A five-day Hindu festival and official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
  • Diwali celebrates the attainment of nirvana by Mahavira (an Indian Sage), as well as the death of Swami Dayanand (a Hindu religious leader).
  • The holiday involves the lighting of small clay lamps to symbolize the victory of good over evil.

For visuals of these holidays, check out the following video:

This list doesn’t come close to covering all of the winter holidays celebrated around the world. There are others such as Boxing Day, Omisoka, St. Lucia Day, St. Nicholas Day, Ramadan, etc. However, we hope that no matter how you celebrate this winter, you’re able to safely celebrate with the people that matter most to you and remember the traditions that keep your spirit up from year to year.

Happy Holidays from your friends at FlexTrades! 

Tis the season for snow! With that, we thought we’d make our monthly installment of the How It’s Made article about snow. There are two types: natural and man-made. We’ll outline both below.

Natural Snow

The Earth’s atmosphere is filled with water and water droplets. At times, these droplets will combine with dust, bacteria and other items floating in the air. When temperatures in the atmosphere drop to very cold levels, the water/dust/bacteria-combined droplets freeze and become tiny ice crystals. A snowflake is created when 2-200 of these ice crystals bond together. With the help of gravity snowflakes fall from the clouds to the ground, a distance of nearly 20,000 feet and a journey that lasts approximately an hour!

Man-Made Snow

When I say man-made snow, I’m talking about the snow you see at ski resorts. To ensure their success on a seasonal basis resorts must create their own snow. This snow is denser than natural snow and doesn’t melt as soon as  when packed down on the trails and hills. So, how do they make it?

Key Components

  • Snow Guns or Fan Guns
  • Power Connections and Power Pedestals
  • Air Compressors
  • Water Connections Snowmakers

Snow guns and fan guns are the large pieces of equipment that blow the manufactured snow onto the mountains. You can find these on top of poles and at ground level. Although the two types of guns perform the same task, they operate differently.

  • Fan guns require the use of electricity and power connections. As a result, an electrical distribution system is created through the use of power pedestals (electrical boxes) and power cords.
  • Snow guns do not utilize electricity. Rather, this type of gun operates through the use of compressed air. Air compressors create the power that propels the snow out of the guns.

Regardless of gun type, both types require water. Water connections consist of what is essentially a large fire hose that can withstand a high level of water pressure (PSI) in addition to many miles of water pipeline underground and hydrants at each fan gun hookup.

Finally, snowmakers! Yes – you can create a career (at least seasonally) by being a snowmaker. These workers evaluate weather conditions first and foremost. Then, based upon weather conditions, they manipulate, coordinate and control the operations of the making systems. This happens by creating the “just right” mix of water, temperature, and air. These mixes vary on each hill, as well, helping to create the various difficulty levels of each ski run.

Check out the video below to learn how the experts do it.

Other Key Components

  • Snowmaking ponds (water sources)
  • High-powered turbine pumps (for pushing water throughout the systems)
  • Air coolers (cooling the compressed air)
  • Computers (for monitoring and adjusting the making process)
  • Weather stations (sending weather and humidity to the computer)
  • Groomers (for compacting and grooming to ideal conditions)

With all that said, I can’t say I’m signing up to be a snowmaker anytime soon but I might try to be a snowflake maker. Below are links that will bring you to templates and instructions for making paper snowflakes. Try it if you’re ever stuck inside on a snow day!

Recently, the FlexTrades Marketing Team revamped and polished our brand personality, including the traits and archetypes that best align with our target audience. Any business that wants to make a meaningful connection to its audience should consider what their brand personality is. That includes billion-dollar, multi-national manufacturers who make the goods we all buy all the way down to the $1.00 lemonade stand at the corner in your neighborhood.

Brand personality is a set of human traits that helps to define a brand. Things like values, humor, candor, and sincerity. These traits are handpicked to build an emotional connection to a specific target audience with similar traits.

Building a brand personality can help any business with the following:

  • Resonate with the right target audience
  • Create an emotional connection and foster brand loyalty
  • Differentiate your brand
  • Increase brand equity

Now, I won’t be sharing the “secret sauce” of FlexTrades’ Brand Personality, but I will walk through the brand personality of my daughter’s lemonade stand. The steps below are the same basic steps any business can use to start this process.

Step 1: Who is your target audience?

Most people enjoy lemonade occasionally, but that’s far too wide of an audience. Our first target audience would be the parents who crack open their wallet or purse to purchase lemonade for their kids. Our second target audience are the kids who might pass by on their bikes, Razor scooters, or hover boards.

Step 2: What are your primary traits?

The most popular way to start building brand personality is by using the Aekers five-dimensional model. This model divides brands into primary traits of sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. Brands focus on one or two major personality dimensions while balancing and complimenting the others.

For our lemonade stand’s first target audience, parents, we’ll focus on Sincerity and being honest, wholesome, and positive in our messaging. When I see a lemonade stand as a parent, I see little entrepreneurs making their first buck and building a community in my neighborhood.

For our second target audience, kids, we’ll focus on Excitement while being lively, exciting, and imaginative. When I was a kid, seeing a lemonade stand was like hearing the jingle of an ice cream truck or going to get a Happy Meal. It’s fun and exciting to do something you don’t get to do very often!

Step 3: What are your brand archetypes?

The key to nailing brand personality is to specify the target market archetype and directly align it to the brand archetype. This way, you can resonate with your intended audience and position your brand intentionally. In marketing, it is generally agreed that there are 12 brand archetypes that are rooted in psychology. Each one is a categorization of a basic (and primal) human desire.

What is Brand Personality (2)

For our target audience of parents, we’ll focus on a dual archetype of Everyman Caregiver. The Everyman archetype highlights the hard-working and sincere staff of our lemonade stand, who bring refreshment to our community. The Caregiver archetype highlights the service being provided to thirsty kids and parents who just need a break. Brands like Johnsons Baby, Walmart and Target use these archetypes.

For our target audience of kids, we’ll focus on the Jester archetype. The Jester archetype is fun-loving, playful, and focused on enjoyment. Brands like M&M’s and Ben & Jerry’s use this archetype.

Step 4: Build your brand guidelines!

Once you’ve gone through the work of determining your brand personality traits and archetypes, it’s important to make brand guidelines. Brand guidelines are a resource for everyone in the organization to use as a tool to maintain consistent brand standards and brand integrity.

These guidelines include things like:

  • Standard fonts and color schemes
  • Company logos
  • Voice, tone, and messaging
  • Templates for signage, email, or social media campaigns

For our lemonade stand, this may include using bright colors with handwritten fonts to identify with kids. Maybe a superhero, princess, or dinosaur theme to further lean on the Jester archetype. Our voice and tone may be cheerful and welcoming to lean into our Everyman Caregiver archetypes.

Conclusion

The process of building a brand personality can be exciting, but it does take a lot of creative energy to do it right. Our marketing team had “homework” assignments before each meeting so that we all came prepared with our thoughts and suggestions on each step. It’s important to go into this process with an open mind and be ready to run with the best ideas!

As mentioned at the beginning, a business with a well-defined brand personality can more easily:

  • Resonate with the right target audience
  • Create an emotional connection and foster brand loyalty
  • Differentiate your brand
  • Increase brand equity

I challenge you to check out our website www.flextrades.com, and watch our social media pages to see if you can determine what our brand personality is!

Check Out our Primary Social Media Channels:

If you ask someone whether they’ve watched Ted Lasso or if they liked it, you’ll likely get different answers. But one thing that’s for sure is that the show emphasized the fact that you don’t have to be a subject matter expert to be a leader. Here are just eight of the many leadership lessons we can learn from Ted Lasso.

Find Others Who Complement Your Skills & Weaknesses

One of the key relationships in the show is that between Coach Lasso and Coach Beard. The two met during their college years when both played on their college (American) football team. Few leaders can “have it all” when it comes to the skills needed to be a good leader. This means finding others who can lead with you, that complement your weaknesses, is critical. In Ted Lasso, Coach Lasso is engaging and amiable with a solid ability to develop others. Meanwhile, Coach Beard is quiet, thoughtful, and fully invested in understanding every aspect of the sport (which Ted did not). Together, they make a coaching combo that checks all the boxes!

Lead With Kindness, Empathy & Compassion 

These three things can really bring professional success to an organization as well as personal success for each member of your team. And it’s important not to lose sight of these even when you’re under pressure or facing losses. In fact, that’s when they matter most! Kindness, empathy, and compassion will get you through the hard times.

Be Confident but also Trust Those Around You 

This one ties into the last lesson. Be confident in your skills (and your weaknesses), and be confident in the team you have around you. You picked them for a reason, so trust in them.

Be a Goldfish

In one episode, Ted asks a player “you know who the happiest animal in the world is? A goldfish. Why? It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.” This direct quote by Coach Lasso reminds us that we are not defined by our mistakes but rather by how we react to our mistakes. Learn from them, adjust, then forget them.

Great Ideas Come from Everyone

Ted sees value in everyone. He knows he doesn’t need to be an expert and that the best way to lead is to lead in conjunction with those around him. This includes (of course) Coach Beard as well as Ted’s “kit man” (equipment manager) Nathan, among many others. Not only does Ted do this as a soccer coach but he does it as the “coach” of himself when he realizes he needs help handling his own depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Know Names & Use Them

Early in the pilot episode, Coach Lasso introduces himself to his limo driver with “My name’s Ted. What’s yours?” and then uses the limo drivers name (Ollie) twice during the short drive. Other examples include Coach Lasso using the first names of press members during interviews and also when interacting with fans in public. Knowing the names of others and addressing them by their names shows the utmost level of respect. This makes it a very effective way to build trust and improve working relationships.

Stick Together, Especially in the Tough Times

In season one, episode 10, Ted tells the team, “I promise you, there is something worse out there than being sad. And that is being alone and being said. Ain’t no one in this room alone.” If you’re facing tough times, you’re likely not the only one. But, if you are, it feels a lot better to have someone with you as you face them. Great leaders make sure nobody on their team ever feels alone.

Don’t Take Things Personally

During the show, Ted never pretends to be the subject matter expert when it comes to soccer. In fact, he owns up to not knowing much about soccer both publicly and often. However, it was for just that reason that he was judged negatively by the press, public, and fans frequently during the entire show. Despite that scrutiny, Ted kept going. Although he knew he was the topic of the criticism, he also knew he wasn’t the source. Instead of responding to negativity with more negativity Ted stayed true to himself, let it roll off his back, and kept going. Eventually, this is exactly what led him to the success nobody else saw coming.

Ted has a lot of teaching moments as a leader and a lot of quotes that help teach. But he’s also got some great quotes overall. Here’s a few to laugh along with because another big lesson he can teach us is that humor can do a lot for a leader.

Ted Lasso Quotes

  • “I feel like we fell out of the lucky tree and hit every branch on the way down, ended up in a pool of cash and Sour Patch Kids.”
  • “If that’s a joke, I love it. If not, can’t wait to unpack that with you later.”
  • “I always thought tea was going to taste like hot brown water. And do you know what? I was right.”
  • “As the man once said, the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
  • “It’s kind of like back in the ’80s when ‘bad’ meant ‘good.'”
  • “I believe in Communism. Rom-communism, that is. If Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan can go through some heartfelt struggles and still end up happy, then so can we.”
  • “Little tip for y’all. Fries are called chips. Chips are called crisps. And bangers aren’t great songs, but they do make you feel like dancing because they’re so darn tasty.”

Juneteenth (formally known as African American Freedom Day or Emancipation Day) is in representation of June 19th, 1865. This date marks the time when the enslaved African Americans in Confederate States were told they were no longer under the law and concept of being enslaved… two years AFTER the Emancipation Proclamation.  Although January 1, 1863, is when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, it was not yet implemented everywhere. The concept of enslaving humans was still protected under Confederate control in ten states.   However, on June 19, 1865, many Union troops made it to Galveston Bay, Texas. There they officially pronounced that over 250,000 enslaved African Americans in the state were no longer enslaved under this law.

Juneteenth has now become a well-known federal holiday and is to be celebrated all throughout the United States. June 19, 2023 is a historic date. What a time to be alive and see what is known as our second Independence Day! This day marks not only what is known as Freedom, but also union, hope, and another milestone for our country. This is a time to grow, build with other communities, and share our experiences and truths.

Born in the 80s and growing up in the 90s, I always knew I was considered a black girl. But I never acknowledged what that meant in America. I grew up in a predominantly Latino neighborhood where many of my classmates and friends did not have my hair texture, complexion, or home structure. They also had their own language, which their parents spoke, but my Puerto Rican friends and classmates spoke both English and Spanish. Still, I mainly saw more of what we had in common. Things like our style of clothing, music, and neighborhood culture. I noticed these things more than the things that were obviously different. Especially since black excellence was not being taught in our neighborhood schools. Growing up, in my old neighborhood, we did not learn much about black excellence in school. We were mostly taught about what I’d like to call the “Big Three”, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and, of course, Harriet Tubman. But there were no lessons on any of the other African American history icons such as Malcolm X or Nat Turner. I did not get to learn about things like The Black Panther Party or Black Wall Street. With the busyness of work and staying on top of the lessons that were being taught, my mom never got deep into the history of our excellence either. Most of my information came from anecdotes my cousin would tell that she learned from her school. Because of this, I made sure to take Africa American Studies and Africa American History during my college years. Eventually, in my preteen years, I started to notice differences between races such as bi-racial people. I also learned about the Afro-Latin community and their culture. Essentially, I learned how amazing it was and is to be a Black woman in America! Now as an adult Black woman, or Woman of color, I have decided to further educate myself in the history of my people. I encourage you to do the same.

Take some time to learn ways to celebrate Juneteenth. Not sure how to do that? Here’s a hint, celebrate the same as you would on any other holiday- with family, friends, and food! I would also try shopping at and supporting Black Owned businesses and establishments. Help our community to rebuild, or to build, generational wealth. Give resources about financial literacy to People of Color (POC) that may need such information. Because, after all the fireworks and BBQs are gone, we still have a long way to go yet to reach our fullest potential as a group.

Here are other examples of things to do. Simply Google your city and state and find out what and where they are hosting Juneteenth festivals or events. Here’s few for consideration…

  • Chicago: Chance the Rapper’s Juneteenth – BBQ at the DuSable museum. 
  •  Atlanta: Parade & Music Festival 
  •  Houston: Houston Juneteenth Unbranded Takeover 

You can always create your own annual event for you, your family, and friends too!

Google Black inventors and see all the amazing things that were created by Black Americans. Some examples to get you started:

  • Garrett Morgan: Inventor of the Three-Position Traffic Signal and the Gas Mask; saved countless lives.
  • Jesse Russell: Pioneer in the field of cellular and wireless communications.

And my personal favorite…

  • George Crum: Inventor (unintentionally) created the potato chip during the summer of 1853.

Final words: Find something local in your city or state and make this your annual celebration!

Celebrate responsibility!

Peace and many Blessings! Enjoy!

Happy JUNETEENTH, from my family to yours!

FlexTrades is all about manufacturing, and this industry is all about making things. However, we try to remember the people doing the making, and all the things that are important to them. Our families, careers, and histories deserve recognition beyond what we do when we’re “on the clock.” In that light, this article will gladly answer a question that we are hearing more and more often…

What is Juneteenth?

We’re thrilled to see awareness around this holiday grow every single year, and we’re very happy to answer the question above.

Juneteenth is observed annually on June 19th and has been since 1865. It began in Galveston, Texas, following the Civil War, as African American Emancipation Day. In the 156 years since, the celebration has grown and spread beyond the United States and, sometimes, beyond the date. Today, Juneteenth is a day, a week, and in some areas even a month that commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.

History

Juneteenth originated  when Major General Gordon Granger landed with his regiment and brought news to Texas of Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation and General Robert E. Lee’s April 1865 surrender. This announcement “officially” freed the enslaved population of Texas with Granger’s General Order Number 3.

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”

Why Is Juneteenth Important Today?

Juneteenth today celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. But, as historian Henry Gates Jr says, today the day is “not only an opportunity to celebrate, but to speak out.”

As the holiday grows in a national — and even global — perspective, Juneteenth is becoming an increasingly symbolic event to not only recognize the achievements of the past but to also advocate for societal improvements in the future. In essence, we’re all collectively remembering where we came from while recommitting to what we want our future to be. How can you not celebrate that?

How Can I Celebrate?

In the Workplace:

Recognizing Juneteenth in the workplace doesn’t just support corporate diversity; it shows a true commitment to creating a diverse workforce and recognition of an increasingly diverse society. There are many ways this can be done, but bringing in a guest speaker is a great one.

In the Community:

If your community doesn’t already have a Juneteenth committee, forming one is a great first step. However, if it does, participating in events is all you really need to do. Whether attending a block party, hosting guest speakers, or watching a parade; the aim of the day is to remember, celebrate, encourage, and support freedom, unity, and improvement among all of us. There isn’t a wrong way to participate in that!

In the Home:

Plan a special meal and gather the family together to acknowledge Juneteenth. Decorate your table and/or door with a Juneteenth theme and discuss what the celebration of the day means. Emphasize the mandates of responsibility and striving to be the best you can be. Make specific pledges for the remainder of the year, ask for support in accomplishing your goals, and commit to supporting the goals of another.

Additional Resources

We hope this FAQ didn’t just answer your question but inspires you to more actively engage with Juneteenth this year. If you still have questions, there’s a lot more to learn about the holiday. You can always get other answers from us too. Just send your questions to our Writing Team and keep an eye out for future FAQ’s. We can’t wait to share our next answer with you!

We’re free .
 
What an interesting concept. 
We choose where we step foot, 
Our identities draped in linens ,
Our hobbies prancing through the air. 
We sit at our desks 
Falling into the rhythm of each mechanical clicking key. 
 
We gather with loved ones 
Pondering today’s status as the sun greets our skin with infinite warmth. 
The grill hisses with anticipation 
As the wind guides us. 
While the burgers sing
Laughter fills the air. 
 
Then, we remember 
All of those before us, 
Fighting invisible forces ,
Dreaming of a future 
Driven by love. 
 
We remember 
Our family and friends 
Filled with bravery as they left what they knew 
To fight for the unknown. 
We remember the lives 
That gave the ultimate sacrifice. 
We remember the families, 
Healing from loss ,
Celebrating each return. 
 
We remember we are free. 
They gave us this reality, 
Shaped by their care. 

We remember.

Most importantly, 
We are thankful. 

Thanks to you, 

We are free.  

The core of FlexTrades’ business is addressing the skills gap in manufacturing. This is a big undertaking when one considers that the latest analysis shows a skills gap of 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by the year 2030.

But the skills gap isn’t just something occurring in manufacturing. It’s happening across all industries, so what can employers and employees do to combat this issue? Upskill!  

What is Upskilling?

Upskilling is a term used to describe the process by which employers provide learning and training opportunities to develop the skills and experience of their employees.

Upskilling can also be done on an individual level. This happens when an employee finds, and takes, opportunities to learn new skills while increasing their marketability as a candidate.  

Upskilling – What Does it Mean for Employers?

What is Upskilling? 

As an employer, the first step towards upskilling (and ensuring the success of upskilling) is to understand that it takes a shift in culture.

Upskilling is a long-term investment, and it’s important for company leadership to make upskilling a priority.

Employees are always wondering what they can do next, and without commitment from management and executive leadership, they will look to grow somewhere else. Need proof? Just look at the great resignation. 

Right behind low pay, the biggest reason an employee leaves a job is because they can’t see (or aren’t given) opportunities for advancement. It is critical that the right upskilling opportunities are being created by, and talked about, across the company. Even though employees want to be given room to grow, they don’t always know what upskilling means or how to make it happen.  

Some great ways to create an upskilling program as an employer include:  

  • Allow employees to “own” their career and then ensure management supports that while the company enables it.  
  • Empower your employees to speak openly about opportunities they want or need.  
  • Invite employees to participate in tasks or projects outside of their department.  
  • Ask your workforce what they want, what their goals and interests are, and where they want to go.  
  • Ensure that there are formal programs available, through HR or Learning & Development, that allow for upskilling on the job to meet employee needs.  

Employers – How to Upskill

What is Upskilling 

There are a number of ways to upskill your employees… or yourself. Consider the following:  

  • On-the-job Training, Mentoring, Job Shadowing, And Peer Coaching: You might not think you have the time to execute the above, but think about this. Finding the time to train a new employee when a current employee departs is a lot harder than upskilling.
  • Hire External Experts or Specialists: This could ease your concerns about finding the time to train and upskill, but it might have a steeper price tag than in-house training.
  • Job Rotation: Move employees between jobs in an organization to build skills, knowledge, and competencies. 
  • Provide Additional Responsibilities to Employees: Be careful with this one. If it doesn’t meet the employee’s desire for upskilling, it will be considered “extra work” and will not benefit you or the employee.  
  • Provide Virtual Courses (e-learning) with a LMS (Learning Management System): Provide courses available to employees during their own time and courses assigned by the company (and considered required). It can be beneficial to reward your employees for taking these, whether that be free lunch one day, PTO hours earned, or a financial reward of some sort. Provide opportunities for formal education or training with a third party, educational institute, or something similar.
  • Road Map the Path From One Company Role to the Next: Be clear about what next level work and jobs require from a skills perspective. Encourage employees to self-analyze their skills against those, ensure management does the same thing, and reward progress or milestones. This puts ownership on both the employee and the employer. Having a clear path of expectations for progression within a company makes it easier to determine how to get there.  
  • Request Feedback on Training, Learning, Development & Upskilling Effort: It might seem that you’re doing a good job once you start upskilling, but if you don’t know if the efforts are working for your employees, you’ll still find them leaving for other opportunities.

Employees – How to Upskill

What is Upskilling (2)  

If you’ve made it this far and are looking to upskill yourself, than you probably have some solid ideas on what you should be doing, right?  

Request Upskilling Opportunities From Your Employer

The first thing you need to do is have an idea of what “upskilling” means to you – what do you want to learn, why do you want to learn it, what are some ways your employer can help you learn it, and in what way can it be provided? These are all great questions.  

Upskill Yourself

  • Don’t count on others to do all the work. Upskilling is just as much about you as it is your employer. Go out there, find the ways in which you can upskill yourself, and do it!  
  • Take a free or paid for course (online or in-person).  
  • Hire a career coach or mentor.  
  • Conduct interviews with those in your industry or roles about what they do and what you can do to get to that level.  
  • Join groups or become a member of associations in your trade or industry.  
  • Map out your career – where are you now, where do you want to be, and what is required at all the stages in between? 
  • Spend some of your free time learning on an individual basis. Start small with microlearning and build up from there.  
  • Research other opportunities. See what other employers are doing – do they have clear career paths with milestones for their employees? Do they have an LMS or course-based learning opportunities?  

What You Put Into It

Upskilling is an investment in time, energy, and cost. If you’re a manufacturer who would like to upskill but still need to fill a temporary skills gap, contact FlexTrades today.

Likewise, if you’re a skilled technician, you can join our team because working across the United States, with a variety of manufacturers, is a surefire way to upskill yourself!

Thanks for taking the time, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.  

We all know long-distance relationships aren’t easy, and adding in the holidays makes them seem impossible. I’m going to share a few personal date-night ideas to help make your Valentine’s Day special while traveling on the road. 

Why Write About This? 

Well, I’ve lived it.

My partner and I have been best friends for four years, two of which we were apart. I lived in Minnesota and constantly traveled. He lived in New York and sadly that wasn’t one of my destinations at the time. We faced constant time zone changes and alternating work schedules. We tried to combat this with phone calls, Facetime, game nights and all-day texts — the time just didn’t feel like enough. So, we started to think of ways to spend time together while we were apart. 

I wanted to write this for our traveling Technicians to help provide ideas for their Valentine’s Day plans… and beyond. As a part of our travel team, you all have the luxury of knowing your exact schedule and shift; giving you the perfect amount of time to plan and work with your significant other’s schedule. Here are some fun and affordable date night ideas (and a gift or two) to try out! 

You Can’t Go Wrong With Sweets 

What’s a good date night without a beloved snack? Thanks to new additions, DoorDash and UberEats can save you time. With this, you won’t have to order ahead. Check out their gifting section and find both “next” and “same day” delivery options. They have everything from flowers and monster-sized cookies to chocolates and edible cookie dough. Add notes and pick your preferred time of delivery to surprise your special someone. 

What is a Bond Bracelet? 

If you’re not struggling with a date night idea but are trying to think of a spendy gift, consider grabbing a Bond Bracelet. Bond bracelets are sold in pairs and catered to long distance relationships. Each band is customizable and will light up when your significant other taps the screen. Think of this as a new way to say, “Hey, I’m thinking about you,” and spicing up the way you say good morning. You can even create your own personal code to send back and forth. This gift is a great way to show each other you are thinking about each other throughout the day.  

Now, Let’s Talk Food 

Virtual taste testing is similar to wine tasting but instead focuses on both of you. Make a list of your favorite appetizers together and then run to the store. When you get home, unpack and create your infamous couple’s appetizer plate. Try each other’s favorites. Give opinions and catch up while sipping on your drink of choice. This is a great, quick mini date for those who may have tight schedules. 

We’re Still Talking Food… With a Twist 

You’ve got your appetizer plate, but do you want to do something a little different? Try a scavenger hunt! Guide your partner through their town on FaceTime and run through a checklist. This can include some of their favorite places, or perhaps you can even surprise them with a spa day. All you have to do is give them directions — the sky is the limit with this idea! Write up a grocery list and have them shop. When they get home, you both can cook together and have dinner (Bonus points if you use Zoom and set your backgrounds to a dreamy vacation setting and escape together)! 

You Can’t Beat a Good Movie 

Thankfully, with advancement in technology, we don’t have to rely solely on movie theaters and being in the same exact space. All you need to do is launch Teleparty. This browser can capture any popular streaming app and allows both of you to watch a new (or old favorite) movie together! This includes applications like Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu and many others. So, get comfortable wherever you are, start a phone call and watch the movie together! 

My ALL Time Favorite – Listen to Music 

Music is one of my favorite things. To this day, the first thing I do when I log onto my computer is open Spotify and pick my mood playlist for the day (Today is “Happy Chill” for those who are wondering). Create your own Spotify playlist for your significant other. Think of songs that remind you of them. Name it something quirky or meaningful and get started. Include a variety of songs; songs you’ve heard together and / or songs that remind you of them. Then share the playlist once it’s complete. You can even make it special by listening to it together! 

Long Distance is About Connecting Beyond Technology 

Technology may make constant communication easier, but it can also be very tiring when you’re missing home.

Take some of these tips and think of some of your own to guide you through your contract before you take well-earned time off. It’ll help you transition into future work confidently as a family and take some of that new-traveling stress off your plate. 

Flex Trades
FlexTrades 20th Anniversary Logo (For Website White)
phone
855-522-6701
info@flextrades.com
FlexTrades - Hudson, Wisconsin

Home

About FlexTrades

Success Stories

Contact FlexTrades

Privacy Policy

Innovative Solutions

Key Differentiators

ReTool

Manufacturing Production

Engineering Services

FAQs

Careers

Browse All Jobs

Join the FlexTrades Team

Veteran Hiring Commitment

Training Reimbursement

Hiring Process

ReTool

Benefit Information

Contact a Recruiter

Contact Business Development

Blog

FlexTrades Culture

Career Development

Manufacturing History

How It’s Made

Health & Wellness

Follow us

Linkedin Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram

© Copyright 2024 FlexTrades | All rights reserved | Powered by Rainmaker Marketing