Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1497518
50 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2023 half the time it takes to get to proficiency. We have also been told that students who com- plete this workforce training do much better when it's time to certify to IPC standards. When companies ask for help with onboarding, what are the typical challenges they need help with? I can easily think of two challenges. First, there is concern about investing in the train- ing of individuals who might not stick around. Unfortunately, not investing in the training of these people provides negative consequences as well. Recently, IPC created a subscription model with unlimited access to our onboarding courses and many other tracks. We have been told that this helps to mitigate the effects of poten- tial turnover because you can train as many people as you like and not have to worry about dollars lost if some- one leaves. Another challenge is the loss in production when you take your best workers and ask them to train/supervise the new hires. at is another rea- son why we have received positive feedback from the online workforce training courses—it allows the individuals to complete the training in a self-paced format without the direct involvement of your skilled work- ers. Once the online course is completed, the skilled workers can focus their valuable time on the hands-on portion of learning and spend less time away from production. How should a company get started creating an onboarding program? Once the hiring process is complete, you need to designate someone who will oversee the onboarding process. is person will assign the training and monitor the progress. You also need to map out the steps and the amount of time needed to train. In the world of learn- ing, you need a good balance of instruction and practice. Our suggested course of action is to start with self-paced learning online, fol- lowed by hands-on application. You also need to invest in the right tools. As they say, "Work smarter, not harder." How long does the onboarding process last? In some companies, it seems to wind down after a few months, but in others, onboarding takes place throughout the first year or longer. is really depends on each company and the types of products being built. Based on the many conversations I have had with companies in the elec- tronics and wire harness industr y, most onboard- ing training lasts about three to six months. e indicator is usually when these new hires move on to learn the IPC standards and subse- quently get certified. Certi- fication to IPC standards is not part of the onboarding process, since it is not the starting point for training, nor is it always offered to every employee. What metrics should you use to measure an onboarding program's effectiveness? Here are some measurable data points that every training program should keep track of. Let's start with the time it takes to get that person working on the production line and the amount of time that you have your skilled workers involved. You can usually assign a dol- lar amount to these hours, based on the wages paid and the money generated from produc- tion. e longer the onboarding takes, the more costly it is to your business. You can also look at the cost of rework and Recently, IPC created a subscription model with unlimited access to our onboarding courses and many other tracks.