Manufacturing

Why it’s important to learn about manufacturing

Manufacturing is an industry that operates on tight deadlines and consistently high quality. Without them, your business won’t retain customers and won’t make as much money.

In order to keep standards high, regular manufacturing training is needed so employees have up-to-date knowledge and continue to improve their skills and processes. If your business doesn’t have a learning culture, and your competitors do (which is likely) then you risk falling behind and finding that your business isn’t in a position to offer the same services.

How to learn about manufacturing

There are several ways to ensure your employees can regularly develop their skills and learn more about the industry. Ways to learn include:

• Work shadowing - usually undertaken by those new to the industry such as apprentices, who will work closely with a senior member of the team and observe how they work.
• On-the-job training - less skilled tasks can be learned on the job, where the employee becomes skilled and more efficient the more experience they get.
• External courses - certain subjects can be learned on external courses, however, this requires time away from the business.
• Existing training materials - books and guides can be useful, however, they risk becoming outdated fairly quickly. In manufacturing, this only really applies to specific machine use.
• eLearning - online manufacturing courses are produced by industry experts and are completely flexible and self-directed, so learning doesn’t interrupt daily responsibilities.

The benefits of taking a manufacturing course

By creating a culture of learning within your organization and encouraging employees to take online manufacturing training courses, you allow employees to develop and improve. This benefits both your employees and your business in various ways, from ensuring compliance, to increased productivity.

Benefits to your business

The benefits to your business include:

• Improved productivity - when employees have more skills and knowledge they’re able to be productive, proactive, and more efficient. When they’re equipped to deal with problems and find solutions it can lessen downtime.
• Decreased employee turnover - when you develop top talent they’re less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere, allowing you to promote from within. This also saves you money, as recruiting is far more expensive than promoting.
• Reduced mistakes - when there are fewer mistakes there is less waste and better quality, which in turn leads to fewer complaints from customers.
• Ensure compliance and safety - if standards slip it can lead to an increased risk of accidents, and training can improve processes that ensure compliance and prevent lawsuits and fines.

Benefits to your staff

As well as benefiting your business, there are plenty of benefits to your staff, too:

• Improved company culture - this also benefits your business, but by improving your company culture your employees will enjoy coming to work.
• Increased motivation - when employees know your company cares about their development they’ll have more motivation to produce quality work.
• Flexibility - because eLearning is flexible, employees can learn as and when convenient. This means training doesn’t disrupt their regular work. They can even learn during the commute if they wish.
• More confidence - the more knowledge and skills your employees have, the more confident in their work they’ll be. With more confidence comes better proactivity and problem-solving.
• Feel valued - developing your employees helps them to feel valued, and the more they learn the easier it is for them to further their careers within your business.

How long does it take to complete a manufacturing course?

The length of time it takes to complete an eLearning course in manufacturing depends on the topic and the level of training. For example, a specific topic, such as managing the production process in a manufacturing company can be completed in under 10 minutes. However, something that involves getting more in-depth may take longer.

One of the major advantages of eLearning is that it can be picked up and put down as and when employees have the time to learn. So, if an employee has 15 minutes to learn, they can pick up from where they left off last time. That means, by spending 10 to 15 minutes per day upskilling, your employees can complete a one-hour course in just one week with minimal impact on their daily work.

Why eLearning is a great way to learn about manufacturing

Online manufacturing training courses are more than a tool that enables your business to build a culture of learning and ensure compliance. There are many reasons why eLearning is an ideal way to upskill your team.

Up-to-date

Manufacturing is a fast-moving industry, with changes happening on a weekly basis. As a result, books and other materials can quickly become outdated. However, eLearning courses can be updated instantly, allowing your employees to learn from industry experts and completely up-to-date materials.

Cost-effective

Because eLearning materials have already been produced and can be accessed instantly, they’re far more cost-effective than classroom sessions. Whether one or one hundred employees need to take a course, eLearning is easily and affordably scalable.

Convenient and flexible

Training in a manufacturing environment can be difficult to organize, however, eLearning courses can be accessed anytime, on any device. So, whenever employees have time - whether during pre-assigned learning sessions or during periods of downtime - they can log in and develop their knowledge.

Ensure mandatory training is completed

Safety and compliance are paramount in manufacturing, and eLearning courses are a great way to regularly refresh employees' knowledge. If your business utilizes a CMS, you can track which employees have completed mandatory courses and identify which employees may need additional support.

What are the best manufacturing courses for your business?

Manufacturing training courses cover a wide range of topics and are available for employees of all experience levels, from new starters to seasoned professionals.

Manufacturing courses covering the fundamentals

Courses for beginners include:

• Introduction to Metals
• Introduction to Stationary Power Tools
• Introduction to Continuous Improvement
• Process Equipment: Introduction to Process Equipment
• Manufacturing - Credentials and Competencies

Manufacturing courses for safety

Manufacturing health and safety courses include:

• Semiconductor Fabrication Worker Safety Part 1
• Safety Orientation
• Safety, Quality and the Environment in Manufacturing
• 10 Steps to Creating a Driver Safety Program (Manufacturing Version)
• Food Hygiene Level 2 for Manufacturing

Manufacturing courses for experienced professionals

Courses to refresh and upskill existing manufacturing professionals include:

• Manufacturing - A Future Worth Exploring
• Manufacturing History and Technology
• Preventing Discrimination & Harassment in Manufacturing/Industrial: Managers
• Preventing Discrimination & Harassment in Manufacturing/Industrial: NY Employees

As already covered above, it’s also important for experienced professionals, regardless of how many years they’ve worked in their roles, to receive regular safety and compliance training to meet industry standards.

Train and develop your manufacturing employees today

Ready to upskill and develop your employees with manufacturing training? At Go1 we have a wide range of courses available to access right now, at any time and on any device.

For more information on how Go1 can help your business, book a demo with a member of our team today.