Emerging Leader's Dedication to Education

Instilling confidence throughout a shop floor can do wonders for company morale while increasing productivity. This is what Emerging Leader Josh Kirchoff, shop manager at Progress Manufacturing Inc. in West Bend, Wisconsin, has discovered from focusing on workforce well-being and sharing his passion for the industry with his co-workers.

Emerging Leader Josh Kirchoff began his machining career at Progress Manufacturing 20 years ago at age 16 when he was a machine operator. “My passion and love of machining eventually landed me at a technical college, where I received a degree in CNC/Tool and Die Technologies,” Kirchoff says. “While in school, I continued to work at Progress where I quickly moved up and became head of the milling department. A few years ago, I took on managing the entire shop floor, where I focused on the culture and workforce development at our company.” 

In just over a year, this contract shop of low- and high-volume CNC machined parts in the recreational, agricultural, construction and lawn and garden industries went from experiencing multiple employee absences daily to employees who were excited to come to work, due in part to Kirchoff’s influence. This Emerging Leader’s nominator says he gives workers a reason to show up each day by building in them a sense of enthusiasm and pride, and simply caring about each person.

“Every single employee I have gathered feedback from states that Josh was the best teacher and mentor they have ever had,” says Natalie Haver, HR manager at Progress Manufacturing and Kirchoff’s nominator. “Josh takes the time to train and mentor people as well as get to know them on a personal level. I know the connection our co-workers have with Josh is what makes

their job that much more enjoyable.”

“I was always excited about manufacturing, but to transfer that feeling to someone else is exhilarating,” Kirchoff explains. He also enjoys being challenged on the shop floor. “It’s fun to try to find clever ways to solve problems that come up.”

Longing for his co-workers to share his sentiments, he has helped educate and upskill many Progress Manufacturing employees which, as a result, has helped build their confidence as well as their skill sets. He believes that first educating/training team leaders assists with team building and the learning process. Team leaders are expected to pass their new knowledge down to their team members. “So, the team leaders help educate a group of five or six people,” he says. “This gives team members more one-one and hands-on time to learn.”

This process enables all employees to become more self-sufficient. Sometimes employees start with the skills of an operator, then progress to those of a setup person and eventually they might learn how to operate many different machines instead of only one, Kirchoff explains.

Besides using Kirchoff’s own knowledge from his background in CNC machining, Progress Manufacturing uses online learning to teach technical skills with classes on subjects such as blueprint reading, basic programming for lathes or VMCs and much more. The website enables employees to expand their knowledge at their own pace or deadlines can be assigned for the completion of classes.

Goal setting for employees has also been a successful way to track Kirchoff’s co-workers’ progress at the machine shop and keeps the team motivated.