April 29, 2025

From the Shop Floor to the Fast Lane: How Racing, Technical Skills and Workforce Strategy Collide - Justin Mondeik, Owner & Driver at Mondeik Racing

36 minutes

By day, Justin Mondeik applies his technical skills in engineering; by night and weekend, he races Super Late Model cars.

From racing snowmobiles at age four to competing just one level below NASCAR, Justin has built a career on technical skill, hands-on passion, and relentless drive. In this episode, he shares how a technical education prepared him for success on and off the track—and how motorsports can help manufacturers reach the next generation of talent.

In this conversation, Justin takes us inside the highly technical world of racing—from chassis dynamics and car setups to the conditioning and precision it takes to win.

We explore how manufacturers are using racing sponsorships not just for brand exposure, but as a creative workforce strategy to recruit skilled, hands-on talent. It's a conversation that'll get you thinking about how education & industry can leverage ultra-creative ways to engage the next generation of workforce talent.

Listen to learn:

Hear what it's like to be behind the wheel of a race car, and all the unseen work that goes into winning
Why hands-on experience and technical training give racers an edge
The science—and occasional mystery—behind setting up a winning car
How educators can leverage students' hobbies to engage them in hands-on learning
How companies can tap into motorsports to recruit the next generation of talent

3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:

1. Technical education can give students an edge—on and off the track. Justin’s background in mechanical design from Northcentral Technical College and Michigan Tech gives him a competitive advantage in racing—from car setup to real-time problem-solving. That same hands-on, systems-based thinking is exactly what manufacturers need in their workforce today.

2. Motorsports audiences are filled with future skilled workers. Fans who show up at the track tend to be mechanically inclined, hands-on, and deeply interested in how things work—traits that align closely with careers in manufacturing, machining, and engineering. These are often the same students who thrive in tech ed programs.

3. Industrial employers can benefit by getting creative with their workforce outreach strategies. One of Justin’s manufacturing sponsors used his car and race-day presence to launch a targeted hiring campaign—and successfully recruited new employees. Since there's so much overlap in racing fans and technical talent, it's a creative place for manufacturers to immerse themselves and engage with a potential workforce.

Resources in this Episode:

Connect with Justin Mondeik Racing: https://www.justinmondeikracing.com/

Connect with Justin on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok

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By Matt Kirchner

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