developing their employees. They investigate the company’s respect for people and employment policies and practices to really capture how the company operates through the ups and downs of the business cycle.
The Lean Final The team’s final presentation of the term is a summation of
its lean assessment, with a heavy focus on the recommenda- tions for improvement and the lean thinking supporting each team’s recommendations. Many of the sponsor companies send their managers to the teams’ final presentations and, sometimes, the teams are asked to do an on-site presentation to the company’s leadership team. The student teams have made many insightful observa-
tions and revealed many facts that were in plain view. Their recommendations have led companies to investigate further and make valuable process changes. The companies have all reported that they have learned a great deal from their
student teams. Most companies want to sponsor another student team in the future. In summary, this partnership between Oakland University and the local manufacturing community is one example of an innovative collaboration with win-win results. The students learn lean principles in a real-world setting and gain exposure to an entirely new world of career possibilities. They learn that manufacturing does not necessarily mean a dirty, gritty, old-fashioned sweatshop, but may, in fact, involve a clean, fast-paced, results-oriented environment that values lean thinking and problem solving. The students see that they can play a valuable, rewarding role and they don’t have to be an engineering or business major to do so. The manufacturing companies, on the other hand, have an
opportunity to tell their story and sell their benefits. They have a chance to spread the word to a group of bright, young, ener- getic college students who might not otherwise have given them a second look. And they get a free assessment to boot! ME
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