Training programs are designed to educate employees on specific skills. Long-term training activity is composed of a series of courses. Implementing any style training program is a start, but knowing the direction the program needs to go is a must. The program should be used as a working document that is revised on a continuous basis as gaps in skills are identified or expectations of results are changed. The main question to ask is: "Do we have a training program?" The next question should be: "If we do, does the training program fit our needs and allow us to find and remove gaps in workforce skills?"
Gaps in workforce skillsets are a growing dilemma in industry today. Having a well thought out and decisive but adaptable program to eliminate these gaps should be everyone's focus. Implementing a training program with a focus on removing gaps within specific skills and developing foundation skills to become more successful in the workplace is an obtainable goal. Your training program should be a continuously evolving and growing program in which adapting to changes in current needs and growing skills gaps is expected. This allows leaders to improve standards and implement change that is sustainable and creates results, both immediate and long-term. It should focus on multiple areas of growth but remain simple in nature to allow continuous planning for the next course. Each course taught within the program should allow for time. This time is used to apply what is learned and change training knowledge to applied skills.
"Every company's goal is to increase profitability and train the industrial workforce of the future from within," said Ian McKinnon, owner/chief development officer, Reliability Solutions. "Find the best path that offers and delivers an outstanding training strategy to accelerate profitable results and give you that competitive advantage. And always ensure you find that partnership in a company, not just training."
Many facilities create a one-sided training program in which all training is done internally with subject matter experts (SMEs) and homegrown instructors or with anticipated knowledge. This method can create great results, but only if used as part of a multi-focused training program. Utilizing this one-sided approach alone is the main cause for tribal knowledge in facilities today. With tribal knowledge, experience is lost or never given during group or one-on-one training in the field. Plus, this type of knowledge becomes a normal expectation and grows as individuals are promoted into supervisory positions and set the same expectations around what they learned and trained. Having more than one side to a training program alleviates tribal knowledge and brings the much-needed procedures, standards and culture change necessary to replace or improve skillsets. Utilizing internal training alongside blended learning (online, computer-based training, etc.) and industry-driven, hands-on training from experienced and peer-reviewed companies brings a centered and focused program to light. By focusing the training in different areas, a program can be introduced, developed, implemented and sustained within the same working document. The experience of outside knowledge, coupled with online support and SME refresher sessions, changes these expectations and promotes positive culture shifts.
Reliability Solutions offers more than just training; the company partners with organizations to bring a holistic approach to changing the role of Reliable Manufacturing® into each facility it assists. Creating a training program centered around Effective Organizations (leadership), Precision Maintenance® (maintenance), Process Excellence (production) and Asset Condition Assessment (vibration analysis) is just part of its focus to assist its partners in closing the skills gap and improving reliability. The company works with each customer to create a unique training program. This allows for a complete focus on specific initiatives and skill gaps to ensure the workforce grows in knowledge and applied skills. Reliability Solutions aids in identifying current skills gaps, developing a site-specific training program and providing hands-on training to enhance reliability efforts as well as produce quantifiable cost savings.
For more information, visit www.reliabilitysolutions.net or call (251) 490-2999.
