More than 75 percent of respondents to a recent metalforming industry survey reported that training and education are leading industry needs. This corresponds to the growing amount of attention being paid to training and education throughout manufacturing.
By David C. Sansone, Training
& Education Manager
PMA Educational Foundation
Industry has come to recognize that finding and training a skilled workforce really is a two-headed monster. The most immediate need is to train the current workforce, either new hires or those already on the payroll who need to improve their skills, learn new ones or be cross-trained in related skills. The long-term needs of manufacturing, however, require that young people be attracted to career opportunities and learn the necessary basic skills to be successful candidates for future employment.
One approach, which addresses both of these needs, is development of skill standards for definable occupational clusters. Skill standards define basic duties that can be measured to a specified level of performance. Further, they define the skills and knowledge necessary to perform each of these duties. Skill standards are especially valuable to employers for assessing their employees’ abilities and determining training needs.
Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) has partnered with other metalworking associations to create the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Under the leadership of Robert Sherman, NIMS executive director, the project has flourished. The following metalworking skill standards have been created: Machining Skills Levels I, II, and III; Screw Machining Levels II and III; and Machine Building Skills Levels II and III.
Skill standards for several occupational clusters specific to the metalforming industry have been written and published. These include: Metal Stamping Levels II and III; Metal Spinning Level II; and Roll Forming Level II. Also, draft standards have been written for Press Brake Levels II and III, CNC/NC Turret Punch Press Level II, Slide Forming Levels II and III, and Laser Cutting Levels II and III. These are being validated nationally and will be published during the first half of 1997.
One very important aspect of this process is that all of these standards are being written and validated nationwide by manufacturers. Company representatives, starting on the shop floor (machine operators and setup technicians), through first line, middle and top management, as well as corporate trainers, wrote the draft standards, which then were validated by their peers throughout the United States. Developed by NIMS, this process is followed to ensure that standards will be consistent in scope, format and quality. Continuous improvement also is built into the process to keep the standards current.
So where does it go from here? Once skill standards are written, they become a valuable tool to meet the needs of the industry and its workforce. One long-term goal of this project is to develop a testing and credentialing process whereby machine operators and setup technicians can be certified according to their level of skill.
Credentialing will allow employers to have a certified workforce as well as a pool of certified candidates to fill future openings. It will give those in the workforce the opportunity to earn certification. For those seeking a career in manufacturing, it will provide a path to follow in developing the skills and knowledge essential to meet their career goals. It also provides a "game plan" for educators to follow in developing appropriate curriculum to meet the needs of industry.
Written and performance tests have been developed for Machining Level I, and the first group of employees has been credentialed at Norton Manufacturing Company, Fostoria, OH. An applicant first takes the hands-on performance test, using acquired machining skills to produce a machined part to print. The part is reviewed by a panel. If the part passes, the applicant takes the written test, which, when passed, leads to awarding of the appropriate credential.
Built into the system are provisions for retesting as well as an appeal procedure to ensure fairness.
Because many educational facilities have basic machining equipment, it is relatively easy to define and create a print for a standard part. The hands-on exam for machining skill standards requires that all candidates make the same identical machined part. Properly equipped educational facilities can be used for testing.
Metalforming skill standards present more of a challenge when it comes to testing. Educational facilities normally do not have stamping presses and other metalforming process equipment on site. Therefore, off-site testing locations do not exist in large numbers. Also, there is a diversity of products made by metalforming processes. Consequently, it is virtually impossible either to develop a standard part for an operator to make or a standard machine setup to review.
To get around this dilemma, the technical work group of industry experts designing the stamping credentialing exam are adopting a log-book approach. Candidates will be observed by company supervisors while on the job at the facility where they work. Over time, repetitive performance observations will be used to confirm that candidate skills meet the defined skill level. Credentials will be available in the following areas: Single-hit tooling, compound dies, transfer dies, progressive dies, deep drawing dies, and parts inspection for both levels II and III. After the log book is completed (representing evidence of successful hands-on performance), a candidate must pass a written test prior to being awarded a credential.
One pilot site already has been announced at Ohio Stamping and Machine, Inc., Springfield, OH. The first group of employees are expected to be credentialed this spring. As part of the pilot project, a job/task analysis was done at the company working through the Springfield/ Clark County (Ohio) Joint Vocational School. That was followed by an assessment of employee skills. A gap analysis between the two was used to determine training needs.
The next steps will be to develop a curriculum and implement a training program to address the needs determined in the gap analysis. Pilot testing is scheduled to be administered for single-hit, compound and progressive dies, which should be developed by mid-April. Finally, the certification process for stamping will be used as a model to develop testing and certification processes for the press brake, CNC/NC turret punch press, metal spinning, roll forming and slide forming skill standards.
So, ultimately, what will come of this? For the incumbent workforce, skill standards can serve as the basis for a company’s on-going internal training process. Schools can teach the basic skills and knowledge delineated in the standards to prepare members of the workforce of tomorrow. This means that skill standards also can lead to a workable partnership between industry and the schools.
Groups of metalforming companies can create such a partnership with their local community colleges or technical schools to provide need assessments and appropriate training. Schools are in a position to provide an ideal setting for classroom learning. At least initially, hands-on training can be conducted on-the-job at each company.
Eventually, metalforming laboratories might be established at selected schools across the country where the concentration of companies generates sufficient need. One model, which will include stamping presses, a press brake and other related equipment is now in the planning stages at Springfield/Clark County (Ohio) Joint Vocational School as part of the pilot project discussed earlier.
Once in place, skill standards and certification programs will provide a vehicle to train the current workforce. They also will furnish schools with the recipe to teach basic knowledge and skills to prepare the workforce of tomorrow for careers in the metalworking industries.
MetalForming Skill Standards Project |
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| Levels | Phase 1 Skill Standards Development |
Phase 2 Test Development |
Phase 3 Curricula |
Phase 4 Certify |
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| Operator | Setup | Identity | Develop | Validate | Publish | ||||
| Metal Stamping |  |
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| Roll Forming | |
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| Metal Spinning | |
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| Press Brake | |
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| CNC/NC Punch Press | |
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4/97 | ||||
| Laser Cutting | |
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4/97 | ||||
| Slide Forming | |
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5/97 | |||
=completed
=under development