Since its migration under the Quality Management Analysis Division in February, the Technical Training Office is revamping and celebrating its first program geared towards training entry-level sheet metal mechanics.
As a group, the mechanics have been working at CCAD for over a year, but all of their training prior to this program has been on-the-job.
Michael Dimick, the Quality Management Analysis Division Chief, is pleased to see and hear that, despite their time on the job, they are still learning valuable tools that weren't taught in CCAD's fast-paced production environment.
"I know personally that if you start training somebody who has a zero-knowledge of what you're doing, it's a little harder," explained Dimick. "Our customers helped us figure out that we thought they wanted high-level training. After we went out and interviewed them we found they wanted entry-level training."
The Technical Training Office plans to offer programs for various levels in the future to better prepare CCAD mechanics on the floor.
"Hopefully they're going to be better geared to get the production out of the door," said Dimick.
Not only does it seem that production efficiency will strengthen, but continuance of this program will bring the onset to adapting to changes in regulatory and technological requirements.
Dimick notes, "Changes come down in technical requirements constantly and we have processes to look at that. When we see it, we'll identify it as a new requirement, and if it has a training requirement, we will put it together, execute that and keep them up to date."
This includes courses that will bring on current certifications needed for programs like the upcoming Shadow Program, which requires special certification for electricians and avionics technicians that deal with cables and harnesses. This was something that never existed at CCAD before.
"It is a customer-driven requirement," Dimick stressed. "As I talk, we're out for bids to bring in that certification. It's not just to certify employees. It's to certify instructors. We're going to certify inspectors. And then we will train the workforce and certify them."
"We don't train just to train. It is either a customer requirement, a regulatory requirement, or to grow our new workforce."
These training programs will benefit all who are involved. The chief went on to say that these programs can be facilitated and developed by his division, but expertise is needed and encouraged to bring these programs to their full potential by those on the floor, whether it be ideas or volunteering to train students.
Referring to CCAD, Dimick stated with confidence, "There's a lot of expertise out there."
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