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It started with a metrology lab at Feltwell AFB in England. Raytheon managed the lab there for the US Air Force. They needed metrology training for their technicians. Chuck Head, Head of Raytheon Technical Services, chose 4 modules from WorkPlace Training for an evaluation. If they worked, they would expand into other modules. They worked well and soon they inquired about expanding into other Raytheon labs and business units. Raytheon Learning Institute, their online learning portal was asked about the possibility of hosting the courses on the company intranet. They said that it would not be a problem and an initial five titles were selected for an Enterprise License to be deployed throughout the aerospace giant. After one year five additional titles were selected.
WorkPlace Training had over the years supplied LM metrology labs with calibration training. It was on an as needed basis with local labs purchasing site licenses for selected titles. LM Metrology Labs are organized into a Corporate Metrology Panel. They meet several times a year to compare notes, exchange technical procedures and share ideas on operating their labs with more consistency. Training was often a topic of discussion. Several of the lab managers began to discuss their success with WorkPlace Training computer based training. Eventually, the panel asked WorkPlace to come to their meeting and introduce the training to the entire group, resulting in the following justification to be written into a formal requisition presented to Corporate LM Learning As presented by the Corporate Metrology Panel (CMP) has a plan to address the declining pool of workers trained in the Metrology discipline. We will populate some of the LM Metrology Workforce from disciplines with complementary skill sets and educate and train in Metrology specific studies, processes and practices. While we are investigating how other companies expect to cope with this shortage, of immediate interest is the purchase of web based training modules from Workplace Training, Inc (see attached). If each business area purchased a couple of titles we could buy the suite, place them on The Knowledge Network for use across LM, and include them in our employee’s role based training plans. These structured learning courses will supplement on the job training and document employee training completion.
They did get their funding, but as is more and more common in todays corporate environment, several issues needed to be addressed before the courses would be accepted. LM IT and Training departments have rigid software specification, performance, and standards requirements that would have to be met. They wanted the courses to be SCORM compliant, a software standard that enables computer based training to run on multiple Learning Management Systems. Like most large companies, LM has their own LMS and requires vendors to supply their software in that standard. This was not a problem as WPT has capabilities to convert to SCORM or other standards. But LM also had further requirements involving cross-domain scripting. They had their own software coding that needed to be blended with SCORM to make compatable with LM LMS. So the WPT development team worked closely with the LM learning team to complete those tasks.
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For five years now, WPT has supplied the U.S. Army TMDE Activity labs with online computer based training, completing over 5000 hours. Lab technicians can log onto the WPT website from any lab throughout the world.
WorkPlace Training has for many years supplied Navy and Marine metrology labs with calibration training. It was on an as needed basis with local labs purchasing site licenses for selected titles. As more labs used the training, officials from the Marines, and the major Navy Commands begin to recognize how WPT courseware would meet the need for supplementary post schoolhouse training. WPT departed from the traditional Navy method of teaching strict procedure or as they say themselves, “knobology”. It taught the underlying technology.
The Defense Contract Management Agency manages government contracts at prime military contractors for the Department of Defense. It employs hundreds of people at contractor locations throughout the US. It determined that a need existed to train its Quality Assurance specialists with basic metrology terminology, concepts, instrument classes, supporting knowledge and procedures necessary to write, execute and enforce contracts. WPT teamed with the ASQ to supply this training. To date 200 contract quality specialists have received training in Introduction to Measurement and Calibration. Ana L. Brucelas, DCMA Human Resources Operations Center, Workforce Development Division is the contact person and is involved with identifying, enrolling and administering the training. |
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Walter Nowocin, Corporate Metrology for Medtronic had for years set as a goal to standardize software, procedures, instruments and training at its worldwide labs. Medtronic labs perform thousands of calibrations each year in virtually all measurement parameters. Medtronic places a high emphasis on employee training and targets 40 hours of annual employee training. Training goals are set and tied to each employees performance reviews. Medtronic contracts with WPT to supply on-line metrology training to help meet training goals . They chose the yearly online subscription option and are in their fifth year. From any of their worldwide labs, Medtronic calibration technicians can log on and receive training on any of 25 topics. Medtronic also provides input, content and direction as to ongoing calibration training topics.
Abrasives, films, imaging, metal matrix ceramics, nonwovens, nanotechnology and RFID are a few of the core technologies that 3M molds into products. While listed here under Biomed, 3M is a unique company and its metrology labs operates like no other. Most companies follow standards related to a particular industry. 3M operates business units that transcend many industries, its metrology operations must be compliant to multiple standards. Terry Conder, 3M Corporate Metrology Manager juggles aerospace, FDA, automotive and other ISO and industry standards and makes sure that all 3M labs are compliant to their specific industry standard. To say he has his hands full might be an understatement.
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Pete Buzzard, Lab Manager for Public Service Electric and Gas has used WPT online calibration training for several years. He has his lab technicians complete modules on a schedule that works for his lab, balancing an aggressive workload with the need for ongoing training. Pete chose the low cost one year subscription option because it is easy to budget. He references appropriate titles right in the labs procedures as a reminder. Pete’s staff has been involved with subject matter validation over the years, providing valuable input, first hand practical application and knowledge.
Extreme environmental conditions, remote locations, a diverse workforce and a wide range of parameters. These are some of the unique attributes that lab manager David Shackleford deals with every day. The lab supports a wide range departments including Pipelines, Instrumentation, Terminal Operations and Communications. When even a .01 improvement in a measurement could result in substantial savings, the need for a fully trained staff of technicians is a given. |
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