Featured Training
Training Software Reduces Employee Training Costs, Increases Productivity
By admin | March 3, 2009
Turnover, it seems, is a serious problem and an expensive one according to recent surveys of HR VP’s and managers of Fortune 1000 companies. “Turnover costs, in many cases, exceed the annual wages of the employee who leaves”, said one HR manager. It’s the exact same dynamic that you see in the sales process of any company. Publishing companies have recognized for years that the cost a gaining a new subscriber is 5 to 10 times the cost of retaining an existing subscriber. That’s why we get those endless reminder notices and “Last Chance” notices on a magazine subscription that is about to end.
The key to reducing employee training costs is efficiency; streamlining the training process and making it as automated as possible.
So how does a company spend less on training without sacrificing training quality or impacting turnover? For more and more companies, the answer lies in software based training and Learning Management Systems. In short, the answer is “smarter” training.
E-learning resources and the software that powers them makes on-site employee training programs more far more cost-effective than “old-style” (i.e. on-the-job) training. Paulson Training Programs, Inc. offers, through its Insite360 system a total training solution for all plastics processors from customizing curriculums down to the employee level, to complete record keeping to setting pass/fail thresholds for individual courses.
The InSite360 system offers training not only in the technical aspects of plastics processing, but also in the various “soft skills” area such as dealing with employee conflicts, best management practices, and substance abuse in the workplace.
In addition the wide scope of training topics available, the InSite360 system also takes care of virtually all the record keeping and “housework” that used to be a manual process.
It is currently estimated that only about 25 to 35 percent of manufacturers have implemented e-learning in their workplace. Those that have are seeing returns on their investments of not just 1x or 2x, but more in the range of 5x to 10x. Yes, Properly training employees do have that large of an impact on overall productivity. At Paulson, we hear these stories virtually every day. So not only does and InSite360 training solution cost less than traditional training it is far more effective as well. Employees actually look forward to their “turn” on the training computer. It’s time away from the noise of the production floor and they are increasing their knowledge, knowledge that stays with them regardless of where they are working. It is an investment in their own education and they recognize it as such.
As we all know, the days of starting and ending your career with the same company are long gone. The whole employee mindset has shifted to one of “Me, Inc.”. Smart plastics manufacturers are taking advantage of this by appealing to the individuals desire to increase their knowledge, skills, and earning power through education and skills training.
Check out the complete Paulson Library and find the training best suited to your needs.
Topics: Online Plastics Training | No Comments »
Why Is Employee Training Important for Plastics Processors?
By admin | February 23, 2009
Your employee training is either facilitating or preventing your company’s expansion. It’s that important.
Employee training is like “motherhood” and “apple pie”. Every company agrees that it is a good thing. But when you ask those same companies how much money they spend on employee training each year, you see very quickly that their committment to training is more talk than action. According to a study done by Training Magazine, companies that spent approximately $273 per employee per year on training averaged a 7% voluntary turnover rate, while companies that spent about $218 per employee per year averaged a 16% voluntary turnover rate. According to a recent study of 540 companies done by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), those companies that invested more in training realized a 37% higher gross profit margin per employee.
The numbers make the employee training picture pretty clear… companies that invested more in employee training made more money.
What about employee turnover? Any human resources manager will tell you, replacing an employee, particularly one with a special skill set, can be very expensive. According to a study done by STD, 41% of employees at companies with little to no training were planning on leaving the company within a year. Compare this to just 12% departures at companies with excellent training programs. regarding the cost of replacing an employee, consider the American Management Association’s study that found that the average cost of losing, replacing and restoring equivalent productivity when a valued professional leaves is, on the average, one times that employees’ salary.
It’s almost impossible to overstate the actual cost of poor or no employee training–the cost of incompetence, inefficiency and human error. another way to look at this is that companies that don’t have a formal training program still have a training program. They train their employees by correcting the mistakes that they may. This is the most expensive and inefficient method of training there is, yet unfortunately it’s also the most common.
So why don’t companies put more effort and dollars into their training programs? Many times executives responsible for these decisions simply aren’t aware of the true cost of not training. The problem is these same executives are used to making decisions based on ROI spreadsheets that are easy to analyze what it comes to something like a capital investment in machinery. However, they are pretty much at a loss when it comes to measuring ROI on “soft spending” like spending on employee training. And the return on a training investment is very often difficult to measure.
There’s also the choice facing companies of how to train when they decide to implement a formal training program. However with nearly universal Internet access today, you can find training on virtually any topic from soft skills, to the most technical training needed by skill employees at manufacturing firms. In the plastics industry, Paulson Training Programs pioneered implant employee training.
Paulson’s insight 360 online training offers employee training all levels of employees and not just technical training. they have a large library of soft skills training as well.
To find out more about Paulson’s online training, visit their website at www.paulsontraining.com
Topics: Plastics Processing Training | No Comments »
Effective Employee Training for Plastics Manufacturers
By admin | February 15, 2009
Most plastics processors have long realized the importance of having a structured employee training and development program in place. When production floor employees are given the opportunity to learn and then apply their new knowledge and skills on the production floor, productivity, quality and ultimately, profits all improve.
Well trained employees are better equipped to deal with problems and the company has a reduced need for calling in outside expertise to solve what should be routine problems. this can be a huge time and cost saver for the company.
In order to identify the scope and depth of training that a particular plastics processor needs, it is usually necessary to implement a comprehensive Needs Analysis testing program which will provide those details. Paulson Training Programs uses their online SkillCheck testing system to assess the knowledge and skill levels of a company’s employees. Thousands of employees at hundreds of plastic’s plants have taken the Paulson SkillCheck Needs Analysis Tests. It is by far the leading standardized knowledge and skills testing program available in the plastics industry.
So, some important criteria to consider when implementing a comprehensive employee training program in your company include:
1. A careful analysis of what areas of the production floor need training. The SkillCheck testing system can provide this information. Also, on-going monitoring of personnel performance to periodically to measure improvements in key metrics. These metrics should be identified prior to training implementation.
2. Selection of a training system to use. Most companies are adopting either a CD based interactive training model or an online, internet-based training model. Paulson Training offers both solutions with its online InSite360 training platform becoming the training delivery mechanism for more and more plastics companies.
3. Periodic measurement of how the training is impacting both employee knowledge and skills, plus its overall impact on the companies manufacturing capabilities including efficiency, productivity, quality, and employee turnover to name just a few categories.
4. By carefully planning your employee training program your company will greatly increase employee job satisfaction, morale, and motivation resulting in improved financial performance and a reduction in employee turnover. Training empowers all employees with the capacity to adapt to new technologies and methods and assist in the implementation of new strategies and procedures.
Getting the most out of your employee training program is simply a matter of understanding which areas need training, what kind of training best suits the company’s situation and resources and what the overall goals of the training program are.
Topics: Plastics Training, Online Plastics Training | No Comments »
Plastics Processing Training With Paulson Training
By admin | September 18, 2007
Why Train?
If you’re looking for information to help you justify an investment in plastics training (including plastics process training and injection molding training), as well as online training on a wide array of topics, you’ve come to the right place. Paulson Training Programs, known for the Paulson School of Molding as well as well as the companies long history in plastics training, has all kinds of information that can show you how training not only pays for itself but goes beyond that to increase profits for your company. Companies that fully train theirworkforce benefit from:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced employee turnover
- Increased efficiency resulting in financial gains
- Decreased need for supervision
Employees who are fully trained:
- Are more satisfied with their jobs
- Are more motivated
- Have a lower turnover rate
- Are more innovative and efficient
Topics: Plastics Processing Training | No Comments »
Come Learn at Paulson School of Molding
By admin | September 18, 2007
The ProMolder 1 Certification Program includes:
- Polymer Fundamentals
- Plastic Flow Behavior
- Inside the Molding Machine
- Inside the Mold
- The Four Primary Plastic Variables
- Method-Based Solutions for Establishing Ideal Processing Parameters
Paulson School of Molding attendees must apply this training by developing robust processes using screw-based VPT techniques. As part of the certification, attendees must pass multiple machine and written tests. Certified attendees will have a greater understanding of plastic behavior in the machine and mold. Certification also gives the company the assurance that the employee has learned what they were sent to the class to learn.
Topics: Molding School | No Comments »
INJECTION MOLDING TRAINING: Hot Runner Molding Solutions
By admin | September 18, 2007
This plastics training from Paulson Training Programs uses the latest in 3-D technology and digital video imaging to go inside the mold and hot runner and examine the many components that make up the system. In addition to examining the parts of the hot runner and how plastic flows through the hot runner system, this program also demonstrates effective set-up and operating techniques and procedures when hot runner molding.
Lesson topics include nozzle types and gate styles used, the function of the manifold, melt channel considerations, manifold and nozzle temperature control, how to use hot runners with stack molds and multi-material injection molding processes.
To make the injection molding training more hands-on for the molder, the later lessons review recommended troubleshooting and safety techniques and explore, in detail, proper hot runner set-up, start-up and shutdown procedures. As a bonus, the final lesson in the course identifies common molding problems and describes procedures to help your personnel maintain and optimize your hot runner injection molding system.
Topics: Plastics Training, Injection Molding Training | 1 Comment »
PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Efficient Mold Setting
By admin | September 18, 2007
Efficient Mold Setting
2 Lessons, 3 Hours of training
This injection molding training course from Paulson Training Programs provides basic procedures on how to efficiently set up a mold, troubleshoot mold problems, and properly remove and prepare a mold for storage.
Lesson 1 — Mold Installation and Set-Up Procedures
Lesson 2 — Mold Troubleshooting, Removal and Storage
Recommended For:
- Set-up
- Mold Maintenance
- Machine Operating Personnel.
Topics: Plastics Training, Injection Molding Training | No Comments »
PAULSON SCHOOL OF MOLDING: Injection Molding ProMolder 1 Certification
By admin | September 18, 2007
Getting Certified with Paulson School of Molding
Be counted among the elite group of Paulson-Certified injection molding professionals with the only production-floor training program of its kind. Combining hours of hands-on machine time with our exclusive SimTech 2005 process simulation program and classroom instruction, the Paulson School of Molding gives you and your employees the skills needed to dramatically improve molding performance - and your bottom line.
Paulson School of Molding’s Injection Molding Promolder 1 utilizes 80% classroom learning and 20% machine time. The emphasis of this program is to establish solid molding practices and understanding of setup, optimizing cycles and analyzing molding problems.
Prerequisite: None.
Who should attend this class?
- Operators showing promotion potetial
- Setup personnel
- Molding Technicians
- Production Supervisors
- Tooling Engineers
- Engineering Supervisors
The Paulson School of Molding gives processors the training to:
- Understand processing from the “plastic’s point of view”
- Quickly improve knowledge and skills in the technology of injection molding or extrusion
- Minimize production errors and downtime
- Dramatically increase production floor problem-solving ability
- Maximize your profit with the most efficient set-up operation possible
Topics: Molding School | 1 Comment »
INJECTION MOLDING SIMULATION: SimTech
By admin | September 18, 2007
Applications: Off-the-production-floor experience in machine/mold setup, operation and problem solving using an injection molding simulator (think “Flight Simulator” for injection molding).
Who Should Use SimTech?
- Setup personnel, foreman, process engineers who want to become expert in the injection molding process.
- Experienced molders who would benefit from knowing the effects of each machine control when using different molds and plastics.
- Personnel who want to quickly learn control settings and molded part problem solving.
Benefits of Using SimTech Simulation to Mold Parts
- Personnel can practice molding without tying up a molding machine.
- Personnel can proactice molding in a safe environment without risk to machine or mold
What SimTech teaches:
SimTech allows users to learn the effects of each machine controls to:
- Solve molding problems.
- Show the effects of each machine control on the molded parts.
- Evaluate proposed mold design changes.
- Evaluate the effects of plastic selection.
- The molding plant’s machines, molds and plastics can be molded.
Topics: Plastics Training, Injection Molding Training | No Comments »
PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Injection Molded Part Problems & Solutions with SkillBuilder
By admin | September 18, 2007
This course from Paulson Training Programs is designed to train in the recognition and analysis of part defects including a description of machine control adjustments necessary to correct specific part defects. Includes in-depth explanations of causes and solutions to 11 of the most common molded part problems: Voids, Sink Marks, Short Shots, Flash, Weld (Knit) Lines, Splay (Silver Streaks), Jetting, Burn Marks, Warp, Cracks and Part Breakage, and Controlling Molded Part Dimensions.
Topics: Plastics Training, Injection Molding Training | No Comments »