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August 2017 • SMT Magazine 35 EMPOWERING THE WORKFORCE THROUGH TRAINING: AN INVESTMENT RETURN cuts to make their job more efficient. Based on need, several went on to even more advanced training where they learned how to create mac- ros and graph data for analysis purposes. We have multiple certified instructors of IPC and J-Standard on staff. They conduct class- es to certify inspection and soldering personnel on site. Recertification is performed as required and the trainers are an available resource for clarification. They reinforce, daily, what train- ees have been taught. We are in close contact with the local colleg- es and universities. We help in training their en- gineering students through sponsorship of their senior design projects; sometimes, this includes as many as four teams at a time, providing them with projects and mentoring. In turn, we often re - ceive assistance and the profes- sors reach out to us with oppor- tunities. There are many cours- es available that directly cor- relate to developing skill sets that are in high demand in our industry. Repetition is key to profi- ciency in any training. Like any ISO or AS certified shop, we have an established QMS with procedures supporting specific functions. Around two or three years ago, we expect- ed that we could hand an em- ployee a written process, ask them to read it, and consider them trained, thinking they would follow what they had "learned." We have since real - ized that it is more likely they had forgotten most of what they read by the time they clocked in the next morning. Breaking this ma- terial up into smaller portions and reviewing it on a regular basis cre- ates a habit in following the pro- cedure rather than a regurgitation. Our Mexico facility created a class in-house to provide a Six Sig- ma overview, which we termed "white belt". This was an introduc- tion to Six Sigma, where the tools of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Im- prove Control) process are outlined. Even if em- ployees are not developed in the use of these tools, they are now aware that they exist and can request additional training when needed. The Mexico team is now in the process of se- lecting teams for advanced green belt training for quality and product engineers. Jose Santos, director of operations of our facility in Mexico, discovered a state-certified electronics course and had 20 employees train for and receive certifications. The payback on this was immediately evident as they lined up for a picture holding their newly signed certifi- cates with beaming smiles. They feel worthy of investment and not just a name on an hourly time clock report. Figure 2: MC Assembly's Mexico facility team with their certificates of completion from the electronics course. Figure 3: Dan Prina leading a Kaizen training exercise at MC Assembly headquarters in Melbourne, Florida.