Injection Molding Training Pilot Program Serves As Model
January 29th, 2008
Back in 1994 a unique (at the time) co-operative project called Project Future was begun. It was a 3 year partnership between the Jefferson County Public School System and Futura Plastics and Engineering, Inc., of Louisville, Kentucky. The joint-venture emphasized injection molding training specifically in teaching the initial skills of injection molding to production floor employees. The skills classes were an attempt to improve the general education of employees with core instruction in mathematics, reading, writing, English (as a second language), workplace skills, and basic computer skills. At the end of the project, software for basic skills training in the injection molding industry and a basic skills curriculum guide were developed and about 350 injection molding industry employees had been trained. Because some injection molding employees involved in the joint-venture switched jobs during the training joint-venture, there was a slight shortfall in the total number of employees trained as measured against projections. For workers who completed the project from beginning to end, the results were very positive. Employees showed improved skill levels, increased job knowledge and improved industry specific language skills. The workers also showed that they were able to transfer their newly gained knowledge and skills to the production floor. Having the classes on-site enabled the company to recruit non-English speaking employees that otherwise would not have been able to work at the company. The greatest lasting impact of Project Future seems to be on the long-term employees who took multiple classes, improved their skills in several areas, and were promoted to better jobs, benefiting both the employees and the company.
Entry Filed under: Business