Polaris MEP Workforce Coordinator Aarin Clemons was the featured guest on the “Manufacturing Monday Motivation” LinkedIn podcast, June 13, 2022.

The series of live video interviews is hosted by B2Btail‘s Curt Anderson and Exit Your Way‘s Damon Pistulka. Curt described Aarin as “A Fierce Advocate for U.S. Manufacturing + Transformational Leadership Specialist + Relentless Agent of Positive Change.”

The lively conversation covered 

• Aarin’s background in Hospitality and as a DJ (!), and how his work championing adult learning for hotel workers led him to championing manufacturing careers
• Workforce solutions offered by Polaris MEP in Rhode Island and the MEP National Network across the US
• How manufacturing recruiting, brand and culture must be linked for the success of a business and the industry

Curt was keeping a count of “mic drops” — comments from Aarin’s that led to “ah-ha” moments. Here are a few quotes from Aarin that caught his attention:

On how Polaris MEP project managers assist manufacturers – “It’s not our job to sell you on what we do. It’s our job to deliver on what we do … Let’s increase that topline, let’s increase that efficiency, so that that bottom line flow through is even better.”

On the biggest challenge Aarin sees facing the manufacturing industry — “Branding manufacturing as a fantastic career with a wide set of opportunities. And a small addendum to that is eliminating the conversation of college OR work, because it’s not an either/or particularly in this industry. It’s a YES/AND.”

On what he learned from his hero, his mother Sharon – “Consistent trying will always help you move forward … Do the best next thing.”

Hear more “mic drops” when you watch the recording via B2Btail’s LinkedIn event.