Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1498238
46 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2023 How much latitude is there for customer- specific training? Can HR pick skills a la carte? Blackfox offers 26 differ- ent courses, all of which are kept updated to IPC standard s wor k manship r e q u i r e m e n t s . Tr a i n i n g o r ga n i z e r s m ay m i x a n d m a t c h t h e c u s t o m s o l - d e r t r a i n i n g c o u r s e s a s appropriate for their train- ing needs. Does Blackfox develop customer-specific training courses? What is involved? If a customer has a specific skill set, they need their operators or technicians to learn that Blackfox can do that. Ideally, we perform a customer site assessment to better understand what needs to be taught. If it is not possible to visit the customer site, then we work with the customer to obtain photos, specific infor- mation, instructions, and such. Essentially, we perform a series of information fact-finding exercises. Once that is completed, if that training is similar to an existing Blackfox course, we add their company-specific images and instruc- tions to the content and remove the portions that do not apply. Next, we evaluate the time needed to customize that course, course dura- tion, and other details to the customer in the form of a course proposal. Sometimes, the proposal includes paid development time for new content. Once completed, the customized training course is reviewed and approved by the cus- tomer. When they accept the training course, a training schedule is then agreed upon. What did you find were the results of your training?? Th e r e a r e s e v e r a l k e y i n dicator s that re s ult f r o m training programs, includ- ing: • Credibility with customers: Employees are trained by profes- sional trainers, learning quality workmanship, and how to properly solder or assemble. • Instructional design: Companies do not have to create and develop the training materials. • Equipment availability: Blackfox provides all tools and equipment for onsite training so as to not take away from tools that are needed in production. • Professional trainers: Training need not require taking someone away from what they are doing to train new employees. • Effective allocated time: Training time is minimized to speed the process of adding the new worker to the workforce. • Immediate results: Once the employee is successfully trained in specific skills, they are immediately productive, performing quality tasks for their products. • Minimize attrition: Properly trained new employees have the confidence to do a good job and tend to appreciate that a company has invested in them. If not properly trained for their assigned job, they may feel lost, become frustrated, leading some to eventually lose interest and leave. SMT007 Sharon Montana-Beard