INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR PLASTICS MANUSFACTURING

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR PLASTICS MANUFACTURING

Nick R. Schott, Director of Education, Training & Research, Plastics Institute of America, 600 Suffolk Street, Lowell, MA01854 and Martin K. Pottle, APR, Martin Thomas, Inc., 334 Country Road, Barrington, RI02806-2410

 

Table 1.Cost Benefits Study of In-house Classes

Specifics of the training and technical education cost benefits include and were reached based on the following data:

1)��� If the training were done off the company site, est. an hour drive from the company, Lowell with an average class time � 4 hours, with each course averaging 5 sessions.

2)��� ���� Estimated hourly rate of each employee (pay w/o benefits) - $28.

������� ���� Round trip travel from plant to off-site where classes held � 2 hours; for 126 employees, this could have amounted to as much as $35,000.

������� ���� travel @ $0.34/mile est. at $25 per employee per class session again, for 126 employees, this could have cost as much as $36,000.

������� ���� Lost work time at either location (at plant or at University) � same, either way.

������� ���� Other �travel� expenses to include hotels, meals, other and travel time.

Off-Site Total Extra Costs Saved = $750,000+

 

Table 2.Technical Education Program Summary

(Cumulative Summary May 1997 - March 2002)

Course Title

Number of

Sessions

Total Course

Participants

Average Pre

Assessment

Score

Average

Post-

Assessment

Score

Average

Increase in

Learning

Engineering Drawings and Metrics

17

215

59%

86%

27%

Pneumatics

23

206

38%

80%

42%

Control Systems

21

283

44%

83%

39%

Productivity and Statistics for Mechanics

20

299

34%

88%

54%

Introduction to Injection Molding

9

82

57%

87%

30%

Mold Design

1

9

51%

77%

26%

Polymers

9

70

54%

94%

40%

Elastomers

11

94

47%

86%

39%

Hydraulics

9

76

54%

89%

35%

Preventive/Predictive Maintenance

1

8

58%

78%

20%

Engineering Drawings

3

49

61%

85%

24%

Metrics

2

29

37%

75%

38%

Total

126

1,420

42%

72%

30%

 

 

Figure 1.Technical Education Program Summary

 

 

 

Figure 2. Participant Feedback Form Technical Education Program

 

Name (Optional):����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������� Date:�����������������������������������������������������

Please rate following area of trainer skill using the scale below.

 

Excellent

5

Above average

4

Average

3

Needs improvement

2

Poor

1

 

1.���� I feel the instructor:

 

a) is knowledgeable about the subject matter

 

b) is well prepared for class

 

c) answers questions effectively

 

d) is clear and understandable

 

e) stimulates students interest in subject

 

f) encourages student participation

 

g) uses a variety of classroom activities to add interests to the course

 

 

2.���� Rate the effectiveness of the material used by the instructor

3.���� The level of the session was (check one):

�� Too high.The instructor assumed I know more about the subject than I did.

�� Right for my needs.

�� Too slow.I wanted a faster paced or more advanced learning.

 

4.���� The time spent on today�s topics were (check one):

�� Too long

�� The right length

�� Too Short

 

5.���� How much of this material can be applied to your present job?

�� None

�� Some

�� All

�����