future and their growth depends on the ability to find enough skilled people. They share a belief that human potential should always be developed as much as possible, for the good of the organization and for the good of the individual. Good training is not just a way to develop good people, it is also a way to attract them. Getting the right workers to begin with is critical to their success, so companies place a great deal of emphasis on recruiting.
Educating and training the work force are very important today, mainly because it has been considered unimportant for so long. In a manufacturing assembly line situation, specialization was the key factor in employee utility. The work force was adjusted to the importance of performing one job expertly. Once the job was learned and the product component or assembly line service accommodated, expertise had been achieved and learning was no longer as important.
The key to employee usefulness is versatility and willingness to adapt to rapid changes in job description, skill required, knowledge to assist change, and ability to cope with an agile environment. While the skill level of an employee will not necessarily decrease, the skill level required of the future employee will increase. There will be no comfort level achieved by performing the same job one did the day before. Quite the opposite, the discomfort that accompanies constant change, unchecked by additional training, will lead to performance degradation and employee turnover.
Many firms are dedicating more money to worker training; this demonstrates the sense of long-term employee investment that characterizes some of the most successful companies. Yet, while an increasing number of companies provide their employees with the training and skills necessary to stay competitive, many others are slow to invest in training solutions. They fear loss of production time on the factory floor or the loss of a trained employee to a higher paying job. Traditionally, many have had limited resources to invest in training of any kind.
The irony is that companies that invest in worker training realize many benefits such as: higher productivity, increased profits, higher employee compensation, and better working conditions.
TRAINING SYSTEMS
U.S. industries have made tremendous strides over the past decade to regain world leadership in manufacturing. This was due to the development and expanding use of new technological manufacturing processes. To maintain our present position, we must concentrate on training more of our workers to use this technology to its fullest so that we can continue to enjoy the benefits of high prosperity and the standard of living that it offers.
Some companies see training as a way to generally improve the working environment and the overall quality of their work-forces. According to the Partnership for a Smarter Workforce, companies (especially smaller firms) that institute learning programs for their employees see definite declines in late arrivals, absences, worker compensation, health costs, along with higher morale. The improvement in these areas led to higher productivity and greater employee retention.
A study of entry-level and supervisory employees by some companies showed that newly hired employees involved in workplace learning programs are two-and-one half times more likely to be retrained over the course of a year, than newly-hired employees who do not participate in the training. In addition to empowering retention, the study reported that 75% of participants showed improvements in communications and 55% in safety and quality. Overall, 80% of participants showed improved self-esteem.
You cannot expect HIGH-TECHNOLOGY WORK from LOW-TECHNOLOGY WORKERS.
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Transition to MODERN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY can only be accomplished with an AGGRESSIVE WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM
To continue to develop new technology and use it wisely, an ever- increasing number of well-educated and capable employees will be required. The future benefits of technology depend on good human resources.
Training Sources
There are many training sources and methods available for the training and retraining of personnel in the use of advanced technological equipment and processes. They include:
▪Technical and community colleges, and trade-training organizations
▪In-house training programs
▪Off-site manufacturer- and vendor-based training
▪Professional organizations such as The Society of Manufacturing Engineers
▪Distance learning courses
▪Virtual or online machine-specific courses
Technical and Community Colleges
▪The nation’s community colleges are dedicated to showing small- to medium-size manufacturers how to recognize the potential of new technologies.
▪They can set up specific courses for manufacturers to be taken on site or given at the manufacturer’s plant.
▪Courses can be at hours suitable to the college and the industry.
In-House Training
Some companies develop their own in-house training solutions to improve the educational level of its workers. They build their own training centers, hire or develop training staffs, or use their own managers and workers as trainers. They offer workers cash incentives for advancement from one level to another, and provide courses in everything from reading to computers. One company has seen the workers achieving record-level productivity.
Some companies use electronic training services to develop their own employee training programs. Firms are also training their workers according to their own unique needs, such as:
▪Basic skills such as communication, team building, reading and essential math
▪Achieving regulatory compliance
▪Process improvement with highly sophisticated machinery
▪Information technology computer training
Involve mechanics, electricians, and others in building the equipment, serving on the implementation team, and developing the training. This type of program will receive positive feedback from the workers. They like the excitement and challenge of working on new technological equipment.
Off-Site Manufacturer and Vendor Courses
Many firms find it makes more sense to purchase training programs from outside, professional sources such as the manufacturer. These include training companies or professional consultants expert in a given field.
▪Machine tool builders with training programs charge about $1000 a week for each trainee.
▪Costs can run $5000 - $6000 a week plus expenses per trainer working at the user’s plant.
▪The vendors that charge far less than their costs see training users of their equipment as an investment.
▪The better a person understands the machine or system, the better it runs and there is less downtime for service calls.
Professional Associations
▪Associations such as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) place great emphasis on new technologies associated with the metalworking and related industries. This organization, with chapters throughout the world, is in an ideal position to keep its members informed about new technologies that affect manufacturing. They pass this
