Adapting to changing times
Our new metallurgist Rick Bailey is spearheading a remote training effort to standardize the knowledge base of manufacturing workers within the Valley Forge plant. Under Bailey’s guidance, dozens of workers are participating in online training courses specifically geared toward helping manufacturing workers improve their skills.
Two dedicated computer terminals are in place at headquarters and employees can also access their training accounts online from home. Participants learn at their own speed. Once they demonstrate proficiency of a skill, they can proceed and subsequently apply their online training to on-site, hands-on laboratory instruction.
Due to the solitary nature of the training required for COVID safety, it was important to choose an engaging program of instruction that could effectively hold an employee’s interest while imparting necessary knowledge. Bailey met this challenge by selecting a program with realistic illustrations, animations and simulations. “Our goal is to make sure every participant enjoys learning and, more importantly, completes their courses and attains mastery,” explains Bailey.
Employees have access to a broad range of instruction, with courses designed to present challenging concepts in a user-friendly way. Topics vary widely and include career development, health and safety, technical skills and quality control. Each course ends with a test that requires 100 percent correct answers in order to proceed to the next level.
Bailey says he expects the training to enrich employees’ understanding of the “whys” behind the work they do and better recognize customer expectations. He adds that the program will be a great tool to help the company identify rising stars among the ranks.
