I was lucky to have had a few mentors I my life. I firmly believe I would not be in a position to be writing this without these special individuals guiding my life. Whether you are like me and come from humble beginnings or started with millions of dollars you probably had a special person or two that really made a difference in your life.
So, what is a mentor? A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. When I read this definition, I could not shake the question; Could a company be a mentor? I think so. In my short time at Wenzel I have witnessed many activities that fall under the experienced and trusted adviser banner. We have helped many first time CMM buyers find the right product even when it was not a Wenzel CMM. We have hosted students to teach them not about Wenzel but about professionalism, industry skills and self-confidence. We pride ourselves in advising customers with truthful information.
As a sales guy, I have the privilege of traveling… a lot. In my travels the common thread is the company I am visiting has a hard time finding talent. I would love to praise Wenzel for our mentorlike behavior but without your help our industry is in trouble. We all need great people to fill open positions so let’s put in a little work together and solve this! When you go back to work ask yourself; Is my company an experienced and trusted adviser to new hires or students in the field? If not now is the time to become part of the solution.
Small steps the make a big difference. Present industry information to high school students. You may only help one kid but look at it as planting the seeds of greatness in somebody. Reach out to your local community. It is great advertising and you have a chance to meet possible employees that would be missed otherwise. Partner with other companies to start/help trade programs. As a company, you can’t bring it all but collecting a few helpers (even competitors) can round out the message and offer more opportunity for all involved.
I ask that anybody reading this please share a mentorship experience in the comments so we can compile them and showcase the importance! If you would like to join Wenzel in a consortium to improve the workforce, please email Scott Romain at [email protected]