Industrial Training: Learning it Wrong

Do you remember the telephone game, where one person would share a sentence or secret and then see how drastically the message changed by the end of the game? Informal hands-on training is sometimes like this game. By the time the pump training instructions have been repeated to the new employee the training procedures as been drastically changed.  In fact, it happens more often than you think.  Some machines have complex systems and an online or DVD/CD-ROM training class is more appropriate for these type of equipment.

We understand that pump training might be considered less important because “it’s only a pump.” But pushing a button and walking away is not the best way to ensure its operating smoothly and is maintained. The best way to avoid major problems and frequent failure is to have a pump training program in place.

If employees have retired, resigned, let go or transferred to another company your current training program might not be enough to equip the new person to effectively take over the position. In addition, your employees definitely need to be trained if the operating machine has been replaced, but the way it is operated has not.

Pump operators should know that pumps are sensitive to start-up conditions and shouldn’t be operated without liquid. Not all pumps have the same start up procedures and if all pumps are treated like one another then major problems will probably occur. It’s important to implement a pump training to prevent these kinds of issues.

Your employees are vital to the overall success of your business.  But it’s your choice to prepare your employees to successfully perform their jobs or set them up for failure.