Danielle Skinner Helps People Help Themselves to Better the Manufacturing Industry

Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. Danielle Skinner works every day to address this in her work as President of the NTMA Machinist Career College (NTMA MCC). You can hear in her voice just how passionate and excited she is to help people believe in themselves, and in doing so, strengthen an industry that needs new, and more, talent.

Why DANIELLE is a Woman in American Manufacturing Worth Knowing

Danielle has to be the best personal cheerleader there is. Her unique ability to convince someone to invest in themselves, even when they never have before, is a skill that more of us need. In two short years leading the NTMA Machinist Career College, she has helped to increase both the placement and graduation rates of the program. And she’s not stopping there: her 5-year plan includes expanding to two more campuses so that opportunity for career growth and change is accessible to more talented adults in the greater LA area.

A Surprising Thing That Came Out Of The Conversation

Danielle will not allow a student to enroll if they do not commit to wanting a job after graduation. She even says, “I don’t want your money,” if they cannot demonstrate their desire to enter into the career path that NTMA MCC will prepare them for. Also, along the same lines, I loved learning that attendance is the one thing that the partner employers consider most when considering hiring new graduates. It’s not their grades or their extra-curriculars– it’s the ability to say “yes” when asked “did you attend 100% of your classes?” This is because employers need machinists to show up in order to do their job.

Key Takeaway: If You Have a Heartbeat and a Desire to Grow, You Can Learn Something New

Danielle has proven this true among the countless students she has matriculated, mentored, and placed into new careers. It often just takes someone saying it to you for it to feel possible. In instances of foster youth who have aged out of the system, they typically have not been told this enough or at all, and Danielle focuses especially on these young adults who just need someone to believe in them in order for them to do something new and great, and ultimately, be able to change their life’s trajectory. The example she shared in this episode was incredibly emotional and encouraging. I love everything about Danielle’s very cool and real intersection of social advocacy and nonprofit work contributing to the growth and stability of American manufacturing.

Favorite Rapid Fire Answer

She would like Matthew McConaughey to join her in her manufacturing work. Also, her last vacation was a girls trip to Vegas to see Usher in his residency. So. Awesome.