Posted August 4, 2011
ICP creates Ambassadors program
Industrial Careers Pathway (ICP), an initiative supported by a coalition of trade associations in the industrial distribution work space, has recently introduced "ICP Ambassadors" to communicate the benefits of working in the industrial distribution field to young people in communities across North America. The ICP Ambassador Corps consists of volunteers who currently work in the field of industrial distribution and have agreed to donate a minimum of 4 hours per year to:
- Bring positive attention to the industrial distribution field and its diverse career opportunities
- Advocate for additional training and education opportunities for tomorrow's workforce
- Seek out and connect with young adults who would be likely job candidates for the field and
- Provide tools and resources to successfully incorporate younger employees into the ID workplace
The ICP Ambassador Corps volunteers are provided with a rich array of tools and resources, as well as creative ideas, to make their new role fun and engaging. "It is our hope that our Ambassadors get as much or more from their contribution to ICP as they give," said Bill Childers, a charter ICP Ambassador and president of North American sales for Rexnord Industries LLC.
Ambassadors make presentations to help educate community groups about industrial distribution. They make connections with community colleges to help spread the word about ICP's Web site and Facebook page so that young people can log on and look for potential employers from the field. And they work with schools to set up internships and cooperative work programs (co-ops) so that young people who want to work in the field can gain some experience and expertise to make themselves more valuable employees in the future. "We are looking at even more creative ways our Ambassadors can engage their communities to tell the industrial distribution story," said Terry Knight, charter ICP Ambassador and chair of the ICP steering committee.
People interested in applying to be an ICP Ambassador should contact Phyllis Russell at (312) 516-2100 or info@industrialcareerspathway.org. Any person working in the industrial distribution field at any level, including young people who are just starting out in their careers, can apply. "Young people, as well as more seasoned executives, make great spokespeople for the industry," said Knight.
Childers, who also serves as president of the PTDA Foundation, an alliance partner of ICP, said it's important for people working in the industry to work together to promote the fact that industrial distribution offers good careers with good pay and opportunities for advancement so that young people looking for work will consider the field of industrial distribution instead of IT, healthcare or finance as career options.
The charter class of ICP Ambassadors is made up of long time ICP volunteers who have been working with the organization for several years.
The ICP Charter Ambassador class includes:
- Jack Bailey, IDC-USA, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Mike Burdick, Progressive Sealing Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia
- Robert Callahan, Hitachi Maxco Ltd., Kennesaw, Georgia
- William Childers, Rexnord Industries LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Ted Chisholm, BDI Canada Inc., Mississauga, Ontario
- Tom Clawser, Brown Transmission & Bearing Co., Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Rick Copfer, BDI, Cleveland, Ohio
- Ron Herem, Baldwin Supply Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Michael J. Kelly, Kaman Industrial Technologies, Arlington, Texas
- Terry Knight, SKF USA Inc., Kulpsville, Pennsylvania
- James (Jim) LaHaie, W.C. DuComb Company Inc., Detroit, Michigan
- Jeff Lunn, Applied Industrial Technologies Ltd, London, Ontario
- Mike Marthold, Wainbee Limited, Richmond, British Columbia
- John Masek, Bearing Service Inc., Livonia, Michigan
- Ken Miko, BDI, Cleveland, Ohio
- Jeff Moore, Baldor Electric Company, Greenville, South Carolina
- Keith Nowak, MPT Drives Inc., Madison Heights, Michigan
- Barbara Ross, Drives LLC, Pell City, Alabama
- Doug Savage, Bearing Service Inc., Livonia Michigan
- Milton Schott, P.T. International Corp., Charlotte, North Carolina
- Will Seagren, Bearing Engineering Company, San Leandro, California
- Brian Short, Kaydon Corporation, Miamisburg, Ohio
- Paul St. Germain, IBM Canada, Markham, Ontario
- Chris Stevens, ITW Devcon, Danvers, Massachusetts
- Donna Wyatt, Kaman Industrial Technologies Corporation, Windsor, Connecticut
