This academy includes both technical skills and behavioral skills for those already in manufacturing or those interested in this industry. Classes are short 2 hour zoom sessions. The academy can also be customized and done for your organization.

1. Improving Manufacturing Work Ethic
Every organization struggles with work ethic. Employees will learn their importance and need to hold themselves to high standards of work ethic. Why should you show up for work every day on time…who cares? This class explains to people how important they are to the organization and why their individual contribution matters. Explanations are given as to why work ethic is important. Many common work ethic issues are discussed as well as the reasoning behind each one. For example: texting or being distracted on a cell phone can break concentration and lead to a personal injury or missing a sound coming from a machine that is about to break down. Issues addressed will also be approached from a problem solving aspect as well. Such as…what to do if my car won’t start or my child is sick…do I have back-up plans so I can get to work. Over a dozen work ethics topics will be addressed along with reasoning of their importance and how to fix it from an individual and team perspective. Topics include: cell phone use, material and time theft, attendance, self-motivation, team work, paperwork and forms, attitude, behavior on lunch and breaks, etc. This class takes a behavioral shift, empathetic reasoning and problem solving approach to common work ethic issues. Real life examples will be presented.
Instructor: Dr. Mike Kiefer

2. Personal Responsibility Mind Shift – Becoming a Top Notch Employee
Certain things are up to every individual on the job. They have 100% control over their: behavior, what they say to people, how they say it, what they write in an email or text, their attitude, willingness to help others, support others, be a team player, respect their co-workers and self-worth to develop personal responsibility through word and deed. The benefits of greater self-esteem, personal empowerment and use of peer pressure to become a high performance team member will also be discussed. Being a helpful polite, pleasant, empowered, engaged employee are goals of this session. Actual case studies will be used as illustrations.
Instructor: Dr. Mike Kiefer

3. Communication Skills – Getting and Giving Feedback During Training
This class will focus on understanding the 4 personality styles and how to communicate effectively with each style. An emphasis will be placed on feedback while being trained or coached. Many trainees get off on the wrong foot with their trainer from improper communication, introductions and ongoing feedback. Typically, new people are quiet and scared to ask any questions or are afraid of their trainer. This mindset will not lead to a successful relationship or productive learning environment. Trainees need to quickly assess their trainers’ personality and determine the proper course of communication to establish a good learning relationship. All participants will take a short personality assessment to determine their personality style as an aid to becoming a good trainee. This class is designed to avoid common pitfalls between trainer and trainee communications but is also useful in coworker to coworker and team communications as well.

4. Introduction to Blueprint Reading and Shop Math – Part One
This is a basic introduction for workers just entering (or interested but not yet employed in) the manufacturing trades. The lessons will cover the very basics of shop math and print reading (“blueprints”) that are foundational skills needed to be a successful employee in a machine shop, stamping/sheet metal, injection molding, casting, and other fabrication companies. A desired outcome from these lessons is to help workers prepare for a transition into manufacturing jobs from other industries or cross training existing employees from other departments. This will help people be prepared for one-on-one training with an experienced operator or assess which additional skills they need to develop further. This is excellent screening and interest information for a person to have so they can be ready for more advanced manufacturing training.
Instructor: Bob Bach

5. Introduction to Blueprint Reading and Shop Math – Part Two
This class is a continuation of a basic introduction for workers just entering (or interested but not yet employed in) the manufacturing trades. The lessons will cover the basics of shop math and print reading (“blueprints”) that are foundational skills needed to be a successful employee in a machine shop, stamping/sheet metal, injection molding, casting, and other fabrication companies. A desired outcome from these lessons is to help wokers prepare for a transition into manufacturing jobs from other industries or cross training existing employees from other departments. This will help people be prepared for one-on-one training with an experienced operator or assess which additional skills they need to develop further. This is excellent screening and interest information for a person to have so they can be ready for more advanced manufacturing training.
Instructor: Bob Bach

6. Introduction to Blueprint Reading and Shop Math – Part Three
This class is the continued study on a basic introduction for workers just entering (or interested but not yet employed in) the manufacturing trades. The lessons will cover the basics of shop math and print reading (“blueprints”) that are a foundational skills needed to be a successful employee in a machine shop, stamping/sheet metal, injection molding, casting, and other fabrication companies. A desired outcome from these lessons is to help workers prepare for a transition into manufacturing jobs from other industries or cross training existing employees from other departments. This will help people be prepared for one-on-one training with an experienced operator or assess which additional skills they need to develop further. This is excellent screening and interest information for a person to have so they can be ready for more advanced manufacturing training.
Instructor: Bob Bach