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This conversation with John Cooke who has had a long career in the Manufacturing sector explains how he started, key challenges, and interests that drove his career.

John is passionate about strategic business improvement achieved through transformational leadership and leader development, leadership of change, and the 'management' of a 'culture of innovation'. My successes have come from utilising evidence-based management, leadership, and growth-oriented business principles to fully leverage the benefits of applying tried and tested business, business strategy, and manufacturing improvement oriented methodologies (LEAN, TQM, 6-Sigma, SMED, JIT - or 'continous improvement) to real-world applications. These pragmatic and effective initiatives have succeeded in rendering businesses in which I have worked/managed strategically focused, managerially competent, and growth-oriented. This 'two-dimensional' approach generates strategically relevant change/improvement initiatives aligned to re-fitting/maintaining a 'fit' between the business and its ever-changing competitive environment, but applied in a balanced fashion rather than led out in mistaken 'religious fervor' wherein most one-dimensional 'tool' applications under-deliver and/or fail.

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In this conversation, I speak with Fraser Nelson about his career from doing an apprenticeship in a carpet manufacturing firm as a Fitter and Machinist and his journey to become one of the most respected and knowledgable people in the Vocational Education system in relation to Manufacturing and Engineering Standards.

Fraser has been at the forefront of working with industry to develop industry training standards in partnership with industry stakeholders.

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David Tiller is an Ai Group Senior Adviser, Workplace Relations, Hunter Office

With strong connections to the manufacturing industry and previous experience in engineering, David understands the challenges faced by many in the industry at a practical and technical level. David provides Ai Group members with advice and solutions on a wide spectrum of Workplace Relations’ issues. This includes procedure and policy development, employee classification, performance management, dispute resolution and enterprise bargaining.

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Michael had mechanical trade and production engineering roles in Australia, Belgium and USA then productivity, industrial engineering; Manager HR, OH&S and quality improvement systems.

In 1984 he joined WDScott Management Consultants with assignments in Australia, Fiji and Singapore. He formed McLean Management Consultants [MMC] in 1988 with their Strategy and Business Plan Development; Stakeholder Engagement; Supply Chain Performance and Research; Continuous Improvement (TQM, Competitive Systems & Practices, BPM, Lean, Hoshin, Six Sigma); Risk (ISO 31000, FMEA, PPAP, PCP); Team Based Culture and Project Based AQF Training; ISO single and Integrated Management Systems assignments in ASEAN Member Countries; Australia, England, Europe, Ireland, Japan, Middle East, NZ, Scotland and USA.

Business Growth, Entrepreneurs Program and CDIC Consultant. Industry and Government experience includes Defence (initial RAAF, RAN, Army Quality and Lean Improvement Strategies Nationally; Thales); Building and Construction; Food / Printing and Packaging; Medical and Pharmaceutical; Manufacturing - Complex, Advanced and High Speed Processing (25%+ productivity, 98.5%+ DIFOT and 99.5% quality), Mining Engineering Technical Services (Aluminium, Copper, Coal, Magnesium, Nickel, Steel-making, Zinc); Infrastructure (Airports, Bulk Handling Terminals, Ports, Freight and Passenger Rail Transport); Finance, Insurance and Banking.

A Hunter Defence Task Force Member; represents AiGroup Members Nationally on SA Committees and ISO as a Systems Expert and Convener; Defence & SAI Global Whitepapers; P/T Lecturer MGSM and UoW.

Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors; AOQ; Institute of Management Consultants -CMC; Dr Juran Medalist; Shilkin Prize recipient; Academic Research Papers; co-Author 'Manufacturing Money' & Complex Problem Solving Books

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David Fox is the GM of LA Services in Sydney, He has had been on a journey of transitioning a highly specialised engineering and manufacturing company that services the oil and gas industry into a company that is able to offer services beyond the hardware and leap into the digital age.

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National Coordinator – Skills, Training & Apprenticeships, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU)

Ian has national responsibility for managing the AMWU’s policy development and its engagement with the national training system and the structures that underpin it. Ian has a long history of activism within the training system and has served on a number of ministerial inquiries as well as many state and national regulatory and advisory bodies. He is a member of six Training Package IRCs.

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Conversation with Keith Monaghan - I have been in the Manufacturing industry for about 50 years. My career started as a fitting and machinist apprentice, with tool-making trade an added feather in my cap in the early days.

From here, the TAFE system was route to a qualification in Manufacturing Engineering. Further studies in economics, marketing, train the trainer, Just in Time (JIT) systems, Zenga Miller and quality assurance have all given me further career opportunities throughout the years.

I also spent 25 years in the automotive industry as an Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering Manager. This was the stepping-stone to Quality System development, National Product development management in the seating and office fit out sector and onto general management in the Metals and Plastic Industries. I was president of PIMA (Plastics Industry Manufacturers of Australia) for 10 years and am currently a board member (representing PIMA) of the NSW Industry Training Advisory Body.

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Bec Healy was a MSA Scholarship fund recipient in 2021. Bec is the owner of Boxhead Plastics and Autoplas, she uses waste recycled auto parts to remanufacture new products such as Glof Tee's using the skills that she gained in her training in the certificate IV in Polymer Processing.

Bec is now up-skilling in the Diploma of Sustainability With TAFE NSW