Dynamic Thinking: Using Training as a Strategic Tool
While leaving machines idle means money is being left on the table, leaving employees idle can be fatal for a manufacturing company. The better trained employees are, the more productive they can be, and the faster a shop can evolve.
It is imperative to train everyone on the shop floor, not just the primary users who are most often on the machines. These operators can unexpectedly call off sick, retire, or leave for other jobs, leaving their position vacant and their coworkers scrambling to pick up slack. When their “backups” are trained well, this transition can be seamless. Having a well-trained staff is also more conducive to improved communication among coworkers, increased morale, and higher employee retention rates.
Training can be anything from general webinars, customized on-site training, rollout technical support, and even self-study with Mastercam University. You may find a variety of free and paid courses available on Mastercam University that can be completed at any pace.
Our Mastercam Resellers offer a variety of local training opportunities for users. For example, Barefoot CNC in Morganton, North Carolina, offers monthly webinars that cover underused software features. This type of training is valuable to introduce new users to toolpaths and as a review for experienced users, but customized training should be used as the need arises.
Contact your local Reseller to find out if there are better techniques you can be using on your particular jobs and training available to improve your shop’s performance. Their trainers and application engineers are industry experts who love to tackle problems and to share what they know.
Additionally, it’s helpful to use downtime for sales training. For example, routine communication with customers is key to staying informed and remaining an asset to their organization. An occasional account review is great sales practice for improved customer relationships and sales opportunities. Find out the questions you should ask in an account review meeting, courtesy of Sean McPheat, CEO at MTD Training Group, here: 28 Questions Salespeople Must Ask in an Account Review Meeting.
Using strategic training opportunities to advance the capabilities of the employees in your shop can be a part of your long-term plans for manufacturing success. If you are a Mastercam user, run a machine shop, or are simply looking for more ideas to keep a shop running at peak safety and productivity, check out additional content in our Dynamic Thinking series. This series includes training opportunities, webinars, and more to help you find ways to adapt to changing conditions and expectations in manufacturing markets.