AFE Region 8 New England

NEWS ON MAINTENANCE CRISIS SONGS

2010-07-12T20:55:00Z

You will want to use this video to kick off future staff meetings to rev up your maintenance staff.

http://www.myfox8.com/videobeta/4d9672d3-e410-4279-b8fe-3a94e723cda4/News/Buckley-Report-Maintenance-Crisis-Songs

Hope you enjoy!

Joel Leonard

Maintenance Evangelist and SKILLTV.net Host

http://www.skilltv.net/

(336) 338- 1011

Click here to listen to my recent NPR Interview

www.SkillTV.net

Check out the Evangelist's Corner

"Better to Prepare and Prevent than to Repair and Repent"

Recession? Not For Facilities Maintenance and Operations Professionals

2010-06-09T01:12:00Z

In the midst of double digit unemployment, a plant engineer for a major company says he is still having trouble finding skilled maintenance and operations workers. He is not alone. National Public Radio recently reported that the pool of skilled engineering and technical workers who can build and maintain critical infrastructure is dwindling--and likely to get worse as green and sustainable systems demand greater skill and knowledge from facilities professionals at all levels. For more information, please click here.

Fighting the Maintenance Crisis NFMT 2010

2010-03-08T20:53:00Z

W4.37
3/17/2010 4:10:00 PM - 3/17/2010 5:00:00 PM

Fighting the Maintenance Crisis

Room Number: 337
Presenter(s): Joel Leonard, Host
SkillTV.net

More and more companies are feeling the symptoms of the maintenance crisis. Deferred maintenance is reaching chronic levels as current equipment continues to age. While sophisticated, new equipment needs more care, attention and custom configuration. Companies are struggling to find internal talent that has the skills and education to replace the retiring baby boomers. Attend this session to discover some proven solutions to this crisis, discuss innovative approaches to thrive in this adverse business environment.

Learning Objective:

1. Comprehend what is the current state of the maintenance industry

2. Understand the technical skill gaps of incumbent workforce

3. Understand where to find technicians

Audience: Beginner

CEU: 0.1

Five Myths About the Maintenance Profession -- and How to Bust Them

2010-03-08T20:50:00Z

Details can be found at www.NFMT.com

W2.37
3/17/2010 10:00:00 AM - 3/17/2010 10:50:00 AM

Five Myths About the Maintenance Profession -- and How to Bust Them

Room Number: 337
Presenter(s): Michael B. Cowley, CPMM, President
CE Maintenance Solutions
Joel Leonard, Host
SkillTV.net

In this session, attendees will learn about the biggest myths that surround the maintenance function -- and how these stereotypes can be converted into opportunities to demonstrate the value of the MRO team to senior management. Presented in tag-team style by two industry experts, this presentation will list some of the common misperceptions experienced by maintenance executives and offer surefire strategies to challenge -- and change -- the meaning behind the maintenance professional label.

Learning Objective:

Audience: Intermediate

CEU: 0.1

AFE 74 Meeting Notice - Thursday, February 18th

2010-02-07T20:20:00Z

Meeting Notice for AFE 74’s February’s Meeting/ Tour. Thursday, February 18th 5:30 PM at Abbott Bioresearch Center in Worcester, MA

Click here <http://afe.org/chaptersnew/fileuploads/meeting%20reminder%202-10.pdf> for meeting details

Hope to see you there

Don Gillis CPE, CFM

AFE Chapter #74 Newsletter Editor

Worcester-Central MA area

PO Box 3431 Worcester, MA 01603

617-658-7706, fax 617-972-1760

mailto:Chapter74@afe.org

Website: www.afe.org/chapter74

"Taking Care of the People Who Take Care of the Workplace"

Are you coming to NFMT this year?

2010-01-25T03:45:00Z

If so hope you stop by the AFE.org booth and say hi to Laurence Gration our CEO. He will gladly share with you personally new initiatives being developed to advance the Facilities Engineering profession.

www.NFMT.com

www.AFE.org

What can we do to elevate the Facilities Engineering Function?

2010-01-21T16:37:00Z

Please add your comments below. Come on, don't be shy. We need your input so we can do a better job.

Announcement from Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) - Chapter 37- Winter Social is January 29th- Bring a guest

2010-01-11T14:09:00Z

*Location:*	*Date:*
DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel 550 Winter Street Waltham, MA 02451	Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

After a challenging year in 2009 and with the hopes and excitement of a brighter 2010, we are inviting everyone to slow down just a little and enjoy friends that are part of our chapter organization. This is a time to share new ideas for 2010 and continue to build our network of friends.

As in the past, we will be presenting our 2009 awards for Best Tour and Best Presenter and other special efforts of our members. What better way to show appreciation to those that help us by taking time to prepare a great tour or technical presentation on subjects relevant to facilities.

It doesn't stop there...we have a jazz duet, meeting place, superb food, photo highlights from our year of tours, and networking in a relaxed environment to motivate us.

Please plan to bring a guest, especially those that sacrifice to give us the ability to support our industry and colleagues in the field of facilities.

http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=196116

Join the Masses- Participate in New England AFE Chapter events.

2010-01-10T22:56:00Z

http://afe.org/chaptersnew/fileuploads/afe74_currentnewsletter.pdf

Linked above is the latest enewletter for New England Region Chapter 74 for Worcester Mass. They are planning numerous career enrichment events in 2010.

So don't be a lone wolf, join the pack!

AFE.org for other chapter functions nationwide.

Commandments for Maintenance? - Inspired Precepts by Joel Leonard, SKILLTV.net

2010-01-10T15:06:00Z

Below is another revered article by AFE supporter Joel Leonard. Hope you enjoy and will attend future AFE New England Plant Tours.

To attend tours or receive CPMM training check AFE8.org

With the recent rash of disasters traced back to maintenance and operations functions, don’t we need to elevate our reliability performance standards? From rail track sensors sending faulty signals in D.C. that caused two trains to collide, killing and injuring several passengers; to an explosion at a meat processing plant traced to contractors venting natural gas, killing three and injuring dozens; and even an ammonia leak burning a worker’s lungs at a chicken processing plant, shouldn’t we respond?

As companies cut corners to save money in the short term, as we integrate new workers while the baby-boomer generation retires, and as we implement more sophisticated equipment, our challenges are steep and perhaps are at biblical proportions.

“Thou shall schedule moments of rest and repair for the critical equipment.”

So I went to the bible for inspiration and read that, to develop a more civilized culture, Moses scaled Mount Sinai, got divine inspiration from a burning bush and brought back the Ten Commandments designed to upgrade standards of personal conduct. Well, I’m certainly no Moses, but I did feel compelled to do something. Instead of climbing a mountain or consulting a burning bush, I used the most god-like tool available, the Internet. I put out calls via blogs, e-newsletters, Twitter, Facebook, myfaciltiesnet.com and mass e-mails to seek the collective wisdom of our best maintenance professionals worldwide.

The responses were so good that I couldn’t reduce them to 10. And because I don’t have to lug carved stone tablets down a mountain, why not have more? So here are 17 commandments to guide current and future reliability pros:

Thou shall make maintenance and reliability a profit contributor for the collective good of the entire company.
Thou shall know the critical equipment whose products delight customers while keeping the land, air and water clean and pure.
Thou shall schedule moments of rest and repair for the critical equipment.
Thou shall maintain the critical equipment to appease the spirits of quality and operations.
Thou shall not falsely worship reactive maintenance or adopt a fix-it-when-it-breaks mentality.
Thou shall not covet maintenance that serves no useful purpose.
Thou shall not steal uptime from production during times of upheaval and crisis.
Thou shall not take the life of equipment by means of poor practices.
Thou shall not place false equipment history in the asset bible (CMMS).
Thou shall convince top execs that reliability and maintenance are to be supported, not just managed.
Thou shall not wait until tomorrow to document your work, for it shall never get done.
Thou shall assume nothing when investigating a failure, lest you overlook an important detail.
Thou shall not allow emotions instead of criticality determine the focus of your work.
Thou shall not allow anyone to misuse the good name of maintenance in vain or blame it for the shortcomings of the organization as a whole.
Thou shall respect the stores, for they are a holy entity that is to be respected and kept full.
Thou shall respect thy skilled tradesmen, train well the young and develop the old in modern techniques.
Thou shall take time to review and benchmark another’s processes, then adopt the best bits.

Your success is largely dependent on your ability to devise solutions, manage performance and develop miracles that achieve profits in a down economy, all while keeping your plant environment safe. Because you have god-like responsibilities, you can choose which commandments to follow. Now it’s your turn to add, change or delete any that advance your organization.

And please tell us, what commandments did we forget?

E-mail Contributing Editor Joel Leonard at joel@skilltv.net.

Think you’re smarter than a maintenance technician? By Joel Leonard, SKILLTV.net

2010-01-08T05:07:00Z

AFE Region 8 is proudly reposting Joel's ASBPE Gold Award winning Column. Enjoy! If interested in attending future AFE plant tours in New England check AFE8.org.

Skilled maintenance technicians are a rare and desired group, and their average compensation package is rising. These "grease monkeys" are smarter than you think.

By Joel Leonard

Looking for a job? Have you decided on a career path? Want to pursue a career that:

Has large growth potential
Is vital to the economy
Has significant compensation potential
Is challenging and satisfying
Involves new technology
Has high corporate visibility
Will be experiencing high demand

Have you considered becoming a maintenance technician?

Future generations will quickly learn that our overabundant supplies of accountants, computer programmers and lawyers are driving down the wages of these professions, meanwhile, skilled labor compensation continues to rise.

Despite exportation of U.S. jobs, maintenance technicians have numerous options available here. Many employers complain of a severe shortage of skilled talent. Mechanics and technicians rank No. 3 and No. 4 on the list of hardest to fill jobs, according to a 2007 manpower survey. That demand is driving up maintenance salaries. Nationwide, the average maintenance technician’s salary has grown to more than $56,000 per year. With overtime, many technicians earn close to six figures.

Companies that would love to expand are frustrated by an education system that doesn’t produce the necessary number of students with appropriate skill sets or the attitude necessary to attain needed skill sets. Many complain that our society’s view of the maintenance of yesterday hasn’t caught up with the realities of today, and as a result, business growth is stalled. With the pending retirement of so many baby boomers, that’s particularly troubling.

Despite negative perceptions, maintenance technicians are no longer just “grease monkeys” performing menial tasks. Companies now not only need technicians to perform maintenance on mechanical systems, but also electrical and electronic systems and microprocessor-based PLCs while tracking their activities using a computerized maintenance management system. Also, companies need technicians who are savvy with predictive maintenance technologies like vibration analysis, ultrasonic leak detection and infrared thermography.

As companies continue to cut back on operators by purchasing highly sophisticated automation, these systems require more care and attention. Even if plants enjoy a net reduction in labor, they need to grow the maintenance staff to keep equipment operating at optimal levels (see figure).

Poor maintenance contributed to many of the nation’s recent disasters including the BP pipeline leaks in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the loss of 15 BP workers’ lives, the mass power outage of the Northeast, the Walter Reed black mold and, most recently, the salmonella outbreak in peanut butter that was determined to be caused by a leaky roof and faulty water sprinkler system. The ConAgra production facility will be closed until August to perform maintenance repairs.

With the importance of proper maintenance now hitting the headlines, to avoid bad publicity and potential lawsuits, more companies are beginning to work down chronic deferred maintenance backlogs and invest more in maintenance development. Therefore, these jobs will continue to grow in importance, stature, wages and volume.

Business and government leaders need to remember as they strive to fund bleeding-edge ideas to get cutting-edge results and competitive advantages in a global marketplace, that we also must polish the rusty edge of business. In other words, we can’t forget to perform proper maintenance of the hydraulic, electronic and electrical systems that sustain us today, as we strive to develop biotech and nanotech solutions for tomorrow.

Nowadays, just to keep up with the advances and changes in the economy, you have to be pretty smart to be smarter than a professional maintenance technician.

Contact Contributing Editor Joel Leonard

7 Secret Principles of Getting a Raise- by Joel Leonard, SkillTV.net

2010-01-06T04:15:00Z

The tips below might be considered common sense. Because so few in our profession employ these principles, one might think these are secrets. I hope you engage in these simple steps to further enrich your career.

Secret of the followership principle: Who do you ultimately report to? What metric is your superior held accountable to achieve to receive his pay increase? Do the research and focus your efforts on activities that advance achievement of that metric. We all need to align the majority of our efforts to propel our leaders forward, which also propels us, and we can maintain our integrity in the process.

Secret of the lollipop principle: Ever go into a candy store with a kid? With all of the thousands of options available, which kind of candy does he usually want? Yes, most want the same kind of lollipop that is in another kid’s mouth. What does this have to do with getting a raise? Lots! Companies often take for granted what they have unless others want it. That is why it is important to become a valued resource in the industry, not just your company.

How do you increase your market value? Get certified. I know several individuals who have taken their savings and invested their professional certification. Their investments paid off many times over. The Association for Facilities Engineering reports that members who earn certification make at least $5,000 more per year than noncredentialed professionals.

**Connect with associations**
The Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE): www.afe.org The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): www.aeecenter.org Building Owners Management Association (BOMA): www.boma.org International Facilities Management Association (IFMA): www.ifma.org Society for Maintenance Reliability Professionals (SMRP): www.smrp.org

Pursue industry awards. You can use this as a torch to light the fires of change in your organization, and to gain credibility in the process. If you win, you can then position your company as one of excellence and continue to implement change. Here are some industry awards you can compete for: The North American Maintenance Excellence (NAME) Award. For more details check www.nameaward.com. The Facilities Achievement and Management Excellence (FAME) Award. For more details check www.afe.org. The MPACT Extreme Maintenance Makeover Award. For more details check www.mpactlearning.com.

Secret of the connection principle: Ever feel like you are the only one in the world with your type of problems? The more people I meet in the facilities engineering field the more I realize that everyone experiences the same problems. That is great news: Meet others in the field and find out how they contend with their issues. They might give you insight into how to win budget battles, achieve goals and earn a raise.

Secret of the giving principle: If you want to create buzz in the market, give something away. Volunteer your time, expertise, energy and ideas to good causes. Religious leaders have taught this principle for thousands of years: The more you give the more you receive. Who is more qualified to contribute to Habitat for Humanity than MRO pros? By devoting a weekend a couple of times a year to a cause we can easily make a name for ourselves and earn charitable equity in the process.

Secret of the money talk: In today’s business climate, accountants rule. To thrive in this environment, we all need to communicate our contributions in financial terms backed with facts. Use this formula in future reports: Value= Benefits/Costs. Normally, companies look at a 5:1 ratio of benefits to costs. I encourage you to read the same magazines they read. Visit www.CFO.com for starters.

Secret of the perception principle: What is your department’s perceived value? Is it viewed as a cost center or a profit contributor? How about becoming known as a cost-cutting crusader? A facility manager for a Fortune 500 company made it his goal to cut $500 million out of his company’s operating budget. He was given permission to spend $100 million to achieve this objective. The point is managers will release funds to your department if they are confident you are on their side and are not waging budget battles.

Secret of the necessity principle: Due to retirement of the baby boomer generation during the next 10 years, those who have proven skills will be in demand and will be able to garner significant negotiation leverage. Continue to build your skills, reference list and credentials in the market and you will prosper.

Bonus tip for those currently in the job market: Persistence pays! Marketing experts report that it takes as many as 19 interactions before a sale is made. The same applies to getting placed in a new career.

For more information email Joel Leonard at Joel@SkillTV.net

NFMT - to celebrate 10 years - wow!

2009-12-19T00:53:00Z

Hope you can swing by the AFE booth at NFMT this year as we will be celebrating 10 years of support by the best trade show for our industry.

Just think about all that has happened to the facilities management industry in the last ten years. 911, increased security needs, transition of workforce, hurricanes, floods, economic downturn, increased sophistication of new equipment and the green and sustainability movement. WOW!

Can't wait till March to roll around again to get reinvigorated with the latest sessions and see our industry supporting vendors in the exhibit hall. Better book your hotel quickly.

Why be a member of AFE?

2009-12-16T17:28:00Z

Good question- Bet there are some AFE New England Members who can share their reasons why they joined AFE.

AFE Region 8 New England Rolls Out New Web-Site

2009-12-16T03:32:00Z

www.afe8.org receives a face-lift.

The Association for Facilities Engineering, AFE, is the largest, dedicated network in the facility, maintenance, and plant operations professions.

Our members advance the field and their careers using the most complete range of technical information, education, best practices, and sharing of common professional experiences.

On Thursday, December 10th, the New England Region of the AFE debuted their new web-site, complete with
a video introduction that explains New England's historic roll in starting the facilities maintenance and engineering profession.

Although the new web-site is up and operational, segments of the site remain under construction. However, the goal of the site is to provide the AFE membership as well as non-members, a tool for networking with likeminded professionals and for retrieving information useful to the facilities engineering professional.

AFE Region 8 New England

NEWS ON MAINTENANCE CRISIS SONGS

Recession? Not For Facilities Maintenance and Operations Professionals

Fighting the Maintenance Crisis NFMT 2010

Fighting the Maintenance Crisis

Five Myths About the Maintenance Profession -- and How to Bust Them

Five Myths About the Maintenance Profession -- and How to Bust Them

AFE 74 Meeting Notice - Thursday, February 18th

Are you coming to NFMT this year?

What can we do to elevate the Facilities Engineering Function?

Announcement from Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) - Chapter 37- Winter Social is January 29th- Bring a guest

Join the Masses- Participate in New England AFE Chapter events.

Commandments for Maintenance? - Inspired Precepts by Joel Leonard, SKILLTV.net

Think you’re smarter than a maintenance technician? By Joel Leonard, SKILLTV.net

AFE Region 8 is proudly reposting Joel's ASBPE Gold Award winning Column. Enjoy! If interested in attending future AFE plant tours in New England check AFE8.org.

Skilled maintenance technicians are a rare and desired group, and their average compensation package is rising. These "grease monkeys" are smarter than you think.

7 Secret Principles of Getting a Raise- by Joel Leonard, SkillTV.net

NFMT - to celebrate 10 years - wow!

Why be a member of AFE?

AFE Region 8 New England Rolls Out New Web-Site

www.afe8.org receives a face-lift.

On Thursday, December 10th, the New England Region of the AFE debuted their new web-site, complete with a video introduction that explains New England's historic roll in starting the facilities maintenance and engineering profession.

On Thursday, December 10th, the New England Region of the AFE debuted their new web-site, complete with
a video introduction that explains New England's historic roll in starting the facilities maintenance and engineering profession.