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MARINE TECHNICIANTODAY | SPRING 2015
W
ork ethics is
the topic of my
managemen t
article in this issue, but I
thought it was important
enough tomention this again inmy openingmessage
for this issue of
MTT
. The hot topic right now is
recruitment of workers for the boating industry. As
AMTECH has stressed for years, the need to recruit
new technical blood into the industry is paramount.
This issue is so critical that the boating industry
could very well collapse fromwithin if we don’t start
addressing this issue quickly. We just won’t have
the technical workforce to service the technology
we are introducing into the industry.
The other important thing to keep in mind, as
you will see in the aforementioned article later
in this issue, is finding people with the right
work ethics. Well, let me counter this by saying,
identifying what we mean when we say work
ethic, and how it applies to today’s society. The
definition of work ethic has changed over the
years to meet the day’s work place. What was
acceptable 100 years ago most likely no longer
applies today. This will continue to change to
meet what’s needed in society, by the moral
fabric of our society at the time, and so forth.
There is always a generation gap between the
hirers and the hired. As is the case today, most
of the hirers doing the interviewing are from a
different generation from the majority of the people
being interviewed. Without going into major detail
here, there is a gap…trust me. Therefore what
we need is better communication skills to explain
not only the job requirements, but even more
important, what is expected from the employee on
a regular basis. Many of these skills will be viewed
very differently between the interviewer and the
interviewee. In order to bridge this gap, the person
doing the hiring, managing, and employing must
be able to communicate what is expected. As the
generation gap widens, the ability to communicate
effectively becomes even more important.
If your major concern is punctuality or attitude
while on the job, then let them know. If you
are more interested in learning skills, then
stress advanced education as a requirement
of employment. Just don’t expect the other
person to know what’s in your mind. Because
there are generational gap interests, don’t
assume what is natural to you is going to come
naturally to the other person. Young workers of
today expect more than just a place to work,
they expect inviting, motivating, and a positive
work culture. Our learning experiences, moral
values, and the way we look at life most likely
are totally different. Therefore be sure to
communicate your expectations and you’ll get
the most out of your employees.
Joseph J. De Marco
President/Executive Director
Todd Larson
Vice President
Wisconsin Indianhead
Technical College
David Eastwood
MCTINA Education Committee Chairman
Carteret Community College
John Bernier
North Atlantic Marine Services
Matt Gruhn
Marine Retailers Association
of the Americas
Robert Hoard
Retired marine instructor Oakland Tech
and former Mercury Marine instructor
Art Johnson
WyoTech-Daytona
Conrad Kreuter
Moriches Boat & Motor
John Mosetti
Boats Unlimited Performance
Larry Porche
Brunswick Boat Group
Darren Ragsdale
Jasper Engine and Transmission
Richard Schneider
API Marine
Henry Schreiber
Master Tech Marine Services
JarrettYoung
Yamaha Motor Corp.
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Workers and Work Ethics
AMTECH is a nondiscriminatory
association open to all regardless of
race, religion, or national origin.
