In the months following the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association October
merger with TrainRI, formerly the Manufacturers’ Partnership, the program has
provided coordinated training courses for 540 workers in manufacturing jobs.
TrainRI “brokers” training courses, meaning the manufacturers association finds consultants to teach the course and can offer them at a discounted rate to manufacturers, which makes it unique from other training courses.
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According to Darrell Drake, professional development director for Oracle Lens Manufacturing in Warwick, about two dozen employees have taken a variety of computer-based courses at TrainRI.
As to why the company got involved with the program, he said, “For us it was the value in terms of the price and also the availability of courses – RIMA is very flexible – and the quality of the program, of course.”
Established in 1997, TrainRI primarily focuses on manufacturing training, but at the request of other industries, also offers courses in areas such as finance and banking, information technology, health care and construction. Since 1997, a total of 4,735 workers have enrolled in courses, representing 271 companies, according to the association.
The association, as a result of the merger, represents more than 300 manufacturers and more than 40,000 workers across the state. The group’s goal is to enhance manufacturers’ ability to compete effectively and be profitable in the global marketplace, and address issues dealing with trade, technology, taxation, the environment, regulations and human resources and development.
At the conclusion of each course, participants are asked to evaluate the class, and according to John Grady, executive director of the association and TrainRI, the evaluations average 3.74 out of a perfect 4.0.
“When we took (TrainRI) over, we were very excited because it really does help train manufacturers,” he said.
This past year, participants took courses including blueprint reading; on-the-job safety; mathematics for machinists; lathes (machines for turning objects when they are being shaped); milling and grinding; geometric dimensioning and tolerancing; customer service certification; project management boot camp; interactive team building; first aid and CPR; and computer classes ranging from basic to advanced.
In addition to the normal courses, Grady said companies might also request a class – courses are market-driven.
“Some of these skills we’re afraid won’t be passed down,” he said, like metal stamping, which is also offered. “We want to make sure that those things continue.”
The association and TrainRI will find teachers or consultants to teach a course and have the curriculum ready in a short period of time. RIMA and TrainRI broker courses, he said – they can offer courses at discounted rates through a sort of group discount, Grady said.
TrainRI’s ability to broker course prices down an average of 20 percent below “retail” has saved the Rhode Island manufacturing industry $241,116 in training expenses from fiscal years 1997 through 2003.
Some of the courses are for certification, others for skills learning. Some are one- or two-day courses; some of the customized courses run for six months. TrainRI also offers soft skills like English, public speaking and customer service. Courses are held at the RIMA office on Waterman Street in Providence, at participating colleges and universities including Bryant College, Roger Williams University and New England Tech. Courses are also offered by most of the private consultants in the state. RIMA and TrainRI also work with the R.I. Manufacturing Extension Service on lean manufacturing courses, Grady said.
Dorothy M. Mattiello, vice president of human resources at Hope Global in Cumberland, a fabricator of elastic webbings and cords for commercial and industrial use, said as a result of the training, machine proficiency increased by 10 percent.
“Our scrap was reduced by 25 percent, and two of the 10 employees were promoted to higher grades,” she said. “All employees showed new skill developments (that) rippled into higher salaries. The employees enjoyed their learning experiences.”
Drake said workers at Oracle Lens have taken courses ranging from basic Microsoft Windows to AutoCad and SolidWorks, and the training has allowed the manufacturer to offer continuing education to a broader section of its work force.
“We used (the program) to empower our work force to promote from within,” he said. “If we can identify a gap where training” is needed, the company is better skilled. “By educating and empowering our employees, we are better-suited to meet the challenges of our constantly evolving organization.”
