Giving Back And Paying It Forward

By Timothy White, CFPAI/AJPP, CFPS, CFPECS, CFPMIH, CFPMMH, CFPMIP, CFPMT, CFPMM, The Boeing Company

I recently read a quote that got me thinking about how we interact with others in the fluid power industry:

I know many of us think this way in our personal lives, whether it is through your church, family, coaching, or other ways of giving back to others. But what about our professional lives? For me, I get the opportunity to work with some of the greatest people in the fluid power industry, the IFPS Board of Directors.

Many of these individuals give a lot of their time to help further the fluid power industry. Some of them give back by being mentors for high school robotics students or they serve as mentors for other fluid power competitions. Others give by volunteering to help rewrite study manuals that support IFPS certifications.

One of the biggest ways I personally see to give back to others while expanding the fluid power industry is through the Boy Scouts Merit Badge that members of the IFPS board have been working to get approved for a couple of years. They have volunteered their time to write the merit badge handbook, as well as mentoring Boy Scouts while conducting workshops to teach basic fluid power.

Whatever way you give back to your community, I implore you to think about ways to further the fluid power industry. This year, my daughter is in a robotics club and I am reaching out to the instructor to see if I can talk to the kids about fluid power and how they can use it on their robotic designs. I am currently exploring tours that will show them the different applications of fluid power. If I can get one kid interested in the fluid power industry, I will call it a success.

Not all giving back has to occur outside of work. Think about new people in your work area that might need a mentor. Take new employees under your wing and show them your passion for industry.

I ask you to look around and see how you can give back to move the wonderful industry forward.  Can you help a new co-worker, school club, or volunteer to help the IFPS on a committee? Use your imagination! I am sure there are ways I haven’t even thought of yet.