Manufacturing Services' New (Micro)teams
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Like many other activities at Metropolitan, the work of the Manufacturing Services Unit has seen many changes in the past month. The Production Planning Team within MSU takes engineering concepts, contract drawings, and/or user requests, and translates them into detail shop drawings that are ready for shop production.
“We got a call and had to make some tough decisions in less than 24 hours,” said Team Manager
Naushad Aurangzeb
. Acting quickly, he calling on his staff of planners and technicians who have ongoing projects from C&D, Treatment Plant, Engineering, DWR, and the shops to prioritize the most urgent work.
In addition,
Naushad
and his team of
Leo Orozco
,
Larry Hamilton
,
Andrew Whitt
,
Dominick Cosolo
,
Greg Williams
and
Doug Oliver
had to create smaller micro-teams with minimal disruptions. That means half the team works at the office for two weeks, then switches with those who have been working from home.
Leo
,
Greg
, and
Andrew
were the first to work from home and it required some creative solutions involving technology, equipment and coordination. Now the team has more than enough work and the tools to get their jobs done.
As for the staff in the office, it’s
almost
business as usual – procuring materials and preparing drawings.
Doug
schedules regulatory crane inspections and works with contractors, noting “we're lucky a lot of our inspections are in remote unmanned locations.”
Larry
says the work to keep the offices clean is very evident. “You smell Lysol and can see everyone wiping everything down.”
Dominick
shared that changing the ways people worked together and interact has taken some minor adjustments, but “we all have our individual offices, so now we just contain ourselves to keep everyone safe."
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Solar Cup
TM
Goes Digital with Solar Cup 2.0
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Students who compete in Metropolitan’s Solar Cup have always faced a number of real-world problems as they built, engineered and raced their boats.
This year, the 850 students in the year-long program have a challenge unlike any before – how to complete the program virtually, without attending the final weekend competition.
Solar Cup is one of Metropolitan’s most popular educational events, bringing together high school students from across Southern California to design and race solar-powered boats at Lake Skinner in Riverside County.
In early March, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shifted gears and quickly created a modified program. “We never said the word ‘canceled’ - but instead set out to re-imagine a program to keep the students engaged to learn important skills,” according to
Julie Miller Kalbacher
, who manages the program for Metropolitan.
The result was Solar Cup 2.0, which was launched on April 6. Presented in a Zoom webinar to member agencies and teachers,
Julie,
together with
Joe Chavez
who is also helping to run this year’s program, outlined the new program.
It includes weekly challenges in a variety of subject areas, according to
Julie
. Scores will be kept, added to current standings, and the winners recognized. All participants will still receive one of the coveted Solar Cup t-shirts.
“Overcoming the restrictions of COVID-19 wasn’t as easy as waiting out strong winds or other conditions on Lake Skinner that often affect racers,”
Julie
says. “Instead, we brought new thinking to solve a problem. It isn’t what we planned, but I'm confident these students will succeed in ways we had not originally expected.”
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A Career that Mirrors Technology Advances
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Times may be difficult now but at least much of the work is digital or technology-based and can be done remotely. That couldn’t be said when
George Adams
started at Metropolitan almost 30 years ago. He recalls his job as a Microfilm Technician in 1990 and using microfilms and microfiche to store records. “Now most everything is scanned, and thank goodness for that,”
George
says.
In the 1990s when Metropolitan relocated its Headquarters from the Sunset building, the microfilm services were outsourced. It was then that
George
began working closely with Records Management and Engineering to provide copies of drawing and specification books.
In 2000, opportunity came knocking. He took a chance and successfully bid on a position in Human Resources, where he’s been for 20 years as a Human Resource Analyst, working primarily on Management Requested Promotions, Management Requested Job Analyses and Salary Surveys.
When he’s not at work,
George
fosters a love of music by playing the guitar, piano, and most recently, the ukulele. He likes to joke that he’s been playing the guitar ever since the Beatles came to America.
For the last five years, he has shared his passion for music as a volunteer with the
Los Angeles Mission
, an organization that works with the homeless and helps men and women transition back into society. There,
George’s
contributions come in the form of music and encouragement.
George
also looks forward to the days he can once again spend time with his three adult sons in some of their favorite places - including Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.
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