Montez King is the Executive Director of NIMS and the architect of the STS framework and technology. Mr. King is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the NIMS operation including administration, programs, and strategic planning.
Mr. King began working at NIMS in 2013 as the Director of Credentialing. In 2017, Mr. King was promoted to Executive Director. His first charge as the leader of NIMS was to strategize how to increase credentialing activity with employers. Thinking about his days as an apprentice and workforce development challenges employers continue to experience today, Mr. King made a bold decision to develop a modernized training solution rather than a marketing campaign around credentialing. He presented employers with a Win-Win proposition… If we (NIMS) solve your On-the-Job Training (OJT) challenges, will you incorporate credentialing into the training?
My Story
My overall experience in the manufacturing industry has been positive, it lifted me from poverty into the middle class.
I grew up in Baltimore, raised by a single, working mother. Fortunately, I embarked on the machinist trade path in high school, continued in a work-study program and then apprentice for a manufacturer.
There, I was exposed to a world that I did not know existed. For example, I had been unaware that a person could buy a home. The way I understood it, in my society, you rented—this was common in a poverty-stricken environment. That is what I had seen and knew. I did not know anything about savings or retirement plans, let alone something called a 401K. I was not aware of the importance or even the concept of credit.
Through my work-study and apprenticeship experience I learned about all these seemingly basic life rules and tools. I was surrounded by fellow employees who were planning for retirement, purchasing homes, and planning for their kids’ college tuition. Each time I digested a new life rule or tool, I thought, “Wow, this is a whole new world!”
Those were the positives experiences. But there were challenges to overcome, as well. The downsides came in the quality of OJT. I had tremendous potential, and it began to manifest over the years. However, I did not get opportunities to setup and run journeyperson level jobs during my apprenticeship. I had to beg, plead, and raise my hand to get the jobs I was being paid to learn. In the end, I completed my apprenticeship hours as scheduled, but I do not believe I mastered the skills as stated on my certificate.
I never dwelled on the challenges that made my training so inadequate at that time. I was just thinking about how to get selected for advance jobs and learn faster.
Fast forward twenty-five plus years, more shop jobs, a move into training, earning advanced degrees, and now leading NIMS…I am positioned to solve the many challenges I experienced and that most companies face today.
My life and career experiences inform our STS framework and software and my mission to transform manufacturing. Watch my video bio to learn more about my beginnings and career.
