“Cross-functionality” is a phrase that surfaces several times in a conversation with Sean Glennon, co-president of Volvo CE, and looking at his career, it’s easy to understand why. He’s that golden type who can fluidly move between front office and operations.
“If you go into a functional area [from a front office role], you’ve got to work with the people in a positive, constructive way and learn and listen a lot because you don’t come from that area,” Glennon said. “So I’ve always tried to do that. It’s helped me perform at the level that I do today.”
Glennon began his career at Ingersoll Rand in finance, then materials and planning. There, he spent some time in order management, process and systems, and a bit of time in purchasing.
In 2007, he was managing global implementation of Oracle at IR when Volvo acquired IR’s road machinery division. At Volvo CE, he took on the role of managing integration of the Ingersoll Rand division into the new company.
A couple of years later, he was promoted to head of Volvo CE’s Shippensburg, Penn., plant, which produces wheel loaders, compaction equipment and paving equipment. Two years ago, he moved to his current role, where he’s made cross-functionality a priority for his 1,000+ employees with in-house and outside training.
Glennon talked to IndustryWeek about workforce development at Volvo CE.
How do you develop your skilled workforce?
We have a very close relationship with Shippensburg University and other universities in the area like Penn State. We have interns who work cross-functionally in engineering, purchasing, human resource, financing, marketing and communications.
We can’t always hire the interns we train, but it’s our intent to prepare them. Because you never know how that may be returned to you. They may end up working with a supplier that we work with. They could end up working for a dealer or a customer.
We also have a pretty healthy relationship with some of the technical schools in the counties near our facility. We helped develop the curriculum and provided some tooling and fixturing. They learn not just how to weld or assemble, but also some lean manufacturing methods and principles.
How are the internships set up?
It’s a combination. We have students that come from out of state schools, who can only perform summer work. We have others that are more local so they can invest 20 to 30 hours a week in addition to their classes. All of our interns are paid. We try to balance their work schedule and their class schedule; it depends on the student and the school and their curriculum.
