MANUFACTURING MUSCLE

Melissa's journey to manufacturing was heavily influenced by her father and her internal hard working drive. Her path was difficult and she faced many challenges from being a women entering a male dominated industry.   Despite all the hills and valleys, Melissa had the opportunity to open her own shop making parts for the automotive, aerospace, and other industries and could not be more excited about her future in manufacturing.   Melissa is a true inspiration to all young women trying to find their feet and start a career. She is breaking barriers for women in the industry and showing everyone that you can have cute nails, wear pink, keep a clean shop, and succeed as a women in manufacturing.  

There was once a time when the manufacturing industry was flooded with employees and a never-ending talent pool. That time has passed, and now manufacturing is dying for young working employees, but there is one problem...they've lost the interest of schools and parents. Josh Hayes, a Mayfield High School Teacher, is charged to get young people back in the trades. Hayes runs a program at Mayfield High called Learn & Earn, where students earn various safety and technical certifications and then get turned to the workforce for real-life experience. Learn & Earn partners with local manufacturing and construction businesses to obtain internships and experience. In this episode, Hayes talks about this program and the benefits it provides to students and the trade industry.

Growing up, Rachel was keen on cosmetics, fashion, and skincare, just like many other young girls. She was also always fascinated by the process of creating things. In this episode, Rachel recounts her journey from holding a high-up position at Sephora, a renowned makeup company, to helping her husband run their family's job shop. Rachel delves into her daily responsibilities at the shop, including operating CNC machines and inspecting parts. She talks about her newly learned skills, the benefits and challenges of job shops, and how manufacturing has changed her life! You want to hear about her inspiring journey.

Sheila's story is what Manufacturing Muscle is all about. She went from dreaming of owning a horse farm, to working in a bar for 10+ years, to then finding herself as a successful saleswomen in manufacturing.