Workforce Language

[Millie Hemming]

Anyone who knows me from my time at CT Center for Advanced Technology to my present position with Berlin schools knows that I believe language matters. Firstly, all in education, training and career coaching much change our langauge from “college & career” to CAREER. We all need a career, what pathway you take is unique to all – apprenticeship, direct employment, certifications, 2/4/6 year degrees. Secondly, please stop using the word “pipeline” when referring to workforce and human beings. This is extremely de-humanizing and the manufacturing industry should lead the way. We are creating pathways: ways to enter the workforce and/or training world to build a career. Pipelines are reserved for inanimate objects – water, sewer sludge, oil, etc. People need pathways. We need to show that language matters because it showcases culture. If we believe in building a workforce that is creative, innovative, hard-working, adaptable, and resourceful; we must use language that is honorable, respectful, accurate. Pathways….not pipelines.

[Shell Vera]

There’s so much I want to say on this… but I will leave it at:

We need a culture change for this to happen. Right now we see it as a talent pool or pipeline. They aren’t humans making choices and entering careers. They are simply butts filling a role to meet a demand.

The companies who see them as people do not use the word pipeline and aren’t asking HR how the talent pipeline looks. They have grown past this and now understand that employees are humans who have chosen specific work to fund their lifestyles, or attempt to here in CT! They have lives outside of work, families or friends they enjoy talking with and hanging out with, and hobbies they enjoy doing. They set up ways to connect their employees to the work they do versus just clocking in and clocking out.

Once everyone (small shops and large corporations) sees their employees as humans, then you will see the word pipeline disappear because people will realize that folks who enter a pipeline are replacement but folks who choose a pathway are a little less so because you understand who they are and what they bring to their teams, the company, and the culture.

Love this thought and agree with you, as I like seeing the people I work with as humans who have chosen to work with me versus elements in an ecosystem that are forced to do so because of the pressure guiding them downstream.

[Anthony Donkin]

Anyone who is considering a career that involves welding in 90+ deg. temperatures while wearing a jacket will not be put off by “pipeline” vs. “pathway.”

If anything, pipeline fits manufacturing the best, as pipelines are, by their very nature, manufactured.

[Norman Remillard]

I’m not at all concerned with workforce language. I’m not offended by the word “pipeline”.

To be honest there are far more important things to worry about than politically correct language. For example, if a machinist is approaching the twilight of his career and has just received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, then management should reward that machinist for his years of service and his advanced education by promoting him to a management position where his talents, skills, and knowledge will do the most good for the company.

Let’s focus on the manufacturing issues that really matter.

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