Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matt Poischbeg. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Matt, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

There is a growing recognition that the traditional K-12 education system, which is focused on preparing students for higher education, may not be the best fit for everyone. Some students may be more interested in pursuing vocational or technical careers that do not require a traditional four-year college degree. Apprenticeships can provide a valuable alternative to traditional higher education by offering hands-on, on-the-job training and the opportunity to earn a salary while learning a trade.
In my experience, incorporating apprenticeships into the K-12 education system could help to expose students to a wider range of career options and provide them with the skills and experience they need to succeed in those careers. It could also help to address the skills gap that exists in many industries, as it would provide a pipeline of trained and skilled workers to meet the demand for certain jobs.

Overall, expanding the range of options available to students through the K-12 education system and incorporating apprenticeships could help to ensure that more students are able to find fulfilling and rewarding careers that align with their interests and goals.

In addition, as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire, there is a risk that many industries will lose a significant number of experienced and skilled workers. This could lead to a skills gap, as there may not be enough younger workers with the necessary skills and experience to fill these roles. Tool & Die making is one important industry which is facing extinction in the USA.

Incorporating apprenticeships into the K-12 education system and providing students with the opportunity to gain hands-on, on-the-job training in a variety of fields could help to address this problem by providing a pipeline of trained and skilled workers to replace those who are retiring. This could help to ensure that there is enough workers with the necessary skills to meet the demand for certain jobs, even as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire.

Long-term, incorporating apprenticeships into the K-12 education system could help to address the skills gap that may occur because of the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation and ensure that there are sufficient numbers of trained and skilled workers to meet the needs of industries across the country.

Matt, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born, raised and spent the first 31 years of my life in Hamburg, Germany. In 1995, I relocated to the USA to begin working for SEA-DOG Corporation. Injection Molding and Injection Molding Tooling had been divisions of SEA-DOG before incorporated also in 1995. I had no prior experience or education in these subjects when I became the General Manager of SEA-LECT Plastics, Inc. in 1999.  I was ready for this task because to my boss’s confidence in me and my prior schooling, which comprised two apprenticeships and a BA in Business.  My Ted talk https://youtu.be/1z3Fgtj8fqk gives a glimpse into my experience and explains why starting apprenticeship programs at SEA-LECT Plastics became absolutely necessary.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

SEA-LECT Plastics a small Injection Molding company located in Everett, WA. We manufacture a variety of 10M plastic parts annually with the help of 25 employees. I was hired without an engineering degree. My boss knew I would learn all the required skills, on the job, from my coworkers and mentors. My current employees also learned on the job. They have extremely valuable skills and are very hard to replace. And, none of them needs a college degree.

Ever since I started this job, finding qualified employees has been a problem. In 2013, I was in desperate need of a new mold maker. My principal mold maker was about to retire and I needed to find his successor. I advertised the position locally and nationally, even got a head hunter involved, without success. Both our local community and technical colleges could not help me either.

The only solution was to launch an internal training program and hirean apprentice. I contacted our state’s department of labor and industry, which oversees registered apprenticeship programs. They directed me to the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee, or AJAC.

AJAC is a statewide, nonprofit organization. It brings to the table employers, employees, educators, and the department of Labor & Industries. So far, AJAC has developed twelve (12) registered advanced manufacturing apprenticeships. Overall, Washington State offers about 250 apprenticeships. Only 50% are active!

Our current workforce includes highly skilled workers who offer valuable knowledge and skills acquired through years of experience. We must help retiring employees pass on that knowledge to the next generation before it is lost. AJAC hires and trains these individuals as teachers. At businesses with apprenticeship programs, these individuals become mentors.

I called AJAC and learned that it offered a 5-year apprenticeship program for mold making. Shortly after that, Ryan walked in our door and dropped off his resume. He had just been laid off and had some prior experience as a mold maker assistant. He became our first apprentice.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I was 16, I began an apprenticeship program to become a farmer. I had been on the job for 3 months when my boss came up to me and yelled, “I will give you $1,000 to quit!” He was furious, because I was slacking off!

I will never forget this moment in my life. I was shocked, stunned, and ashamed! Although I was a city boy, I had spent a few summers on a farm, and I thought I knew everything. Well, I didn’t. But I wanted to be there. I liked working outside and with animals. I wanted to finish what I started. My boss challenged me to shape up or ship out. So, I got my act together. The experience changed my life. Although I am no longer a farmer, the professional and life skills I learned there have given me a solid foundation for all my future jobs.

During the two year apprenticeship as a farmer I learned that phoning it in is not good enough and will not get you anywhere. I started to realize that I always had to give my absolute best no matter what the task is. This philosophy has helped me to become very successful and “Happy”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sealectplastics.com
• Instagram: sealectplastics
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sealectplastics
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/mattpoischbeg
• Twitter: sea_lect
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeaLectPlastics

Image Credits
SEA-LECT Plastics