Latest News TRAINING IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF FUTURE MANUFACTURING SUCCESS Go back Companies, especially those that have been investing in the latest equipment, are facing ever greater problems trying to find the skills or develop existing people in order to gain the highest productivity returns from their costly investment programme. According to directors Jason Nicholson and Charles Kenny of Unicut Precision based in Welwyn Garden City, a precision subcontractor that employs 25 people with 23 CNC single cycle capability turn-mill centres supplying leading companies in the aerospace, brewing, automotive, medical, fastening and general manufacturing sectors, the skill shortage could be a real barrier to progress. Indeed, preventing this happening is a major of the directors involving considerable time and attention. With the last of the 1960s time-served apprentices now retiring from industry, seemingly to make way for new blood, almost every production shop throughout the UK is bemoaning the horrendous skills shortages! Asks Charles Kenny: “Where are the school leavers that used to be courted by job offers from umpteen engineering companies?” Both directors of Unicut Precision underwent apprenticeships, and since they established their own business, have had distinct focal points: continuous investment in the most appropriate equipment; the adoption of support services and the training and retraining of their workforce. Training, they say is not only to gain the best return on their investment programme but also to make their people totally aware of the importance of their role in the business and the tasks they perform to customers. Says Mr Nicholson: “Training is so important and it has become a massive commitment to any company. You continually shovel in the coal and eventually you get the head of steam to make your move forward. It is in the longer term that you eventually reap the benefit. The problems you face are: training is expensive, a lot of time is spent to get minimal short term return and then you have to protect the valuable asset because of ‘predators’ that want to take advantage of all the effort and expense you have put in.” Apprenticeships used to be graded; the high flying student having block release to attend university, the technical apprentice having day release plus two evenings at college, and the craft apprentice having one day at college and one evening at night school. The apprenticeship was the development of the skill that makes engineering. In the training school learning to file a hexagon to fit a similar hole in a plate may have been a drudge, but the apprentice was really learning the discipline to develop a skill and understanding. He was starting to build a library of knowledge that would keep him in good stead throughout his working life. He learnt how to read and understand the significance of a drawing, how to care for his tools, how to check what he did and how to ask pertinent questions. And he learnt to respect authority, the training officer or the chargehand, and how to work with people of all ages. After five years and the indenture gained – a document that many parents had to sign to guarantee support of their sons’ training over the time served - some companies even insisted the apprentice then left to join another employer because skills were so readily available. The idea was that they would perfect their skills and perhaps return to the fold in later years no longer ‘the boy’, but a man with knowledge and experience. Many directors, senior managers, trainers, service engineers and sales engineers used the basic skills learnt at the bench or machine as a tool to progress, or even to successfully move into other sectors of industry or commerce. But today, even with the vast array of technical opportunities offered by computer and software, new materials, equipment and techniques that are pouring out of research and development, the levels of interest in engineering and related subjects from the young gets progressively lower. To source suitable young people, Unicut has even tried the local college, but they are just not interested in following up,” says Mr Kenny. “We are a modern thinking company with so much potential involving the latest technology in turn-milling, single operation strategies and unmanned machining. We produce very complex components in difficult materials, have continuous machine setting and new work coming in plus automation, vision measurement, software and up-to-date management systems. We are always looking to do the job better, so it’s an ideal opportunity for someone to learn and progress,” he adds. One early apprentice, who is now 27, started at Unicut when he left school and has developed into ‘one of the best’, according to Mr Kenny. “It was tough and costly both to us and to him in the effort and time spent, but now he admits every day is different – bringing a fresh new challenge.” Mr Kenny adds: “We have checked out various training organisations, some private, some affiliated to local councils, national training schemes and Government-sponsored organisations.” This soaks up valuable management time in explaining the company, our problems and needs. Quite often, before we arrive at any possible solution, we feel we are becoming bound up with red tape or based in the wrong area. The organisation always seems very impressed in our company but you can tell it cannot really get to grips or understand the needs of our business. This means we become frustrated and so have mostly ended up taking on the training ourselves.” Mr Nicholson quips: “It takes me back to that famous quote from the management book “Up The Organisation” that describes the consultant as one who borrows your watch, tells you the time then walks away with your watch to tell everyone else.” Unicut Precision’s in-house training embraces salary increases at review time (every six months) and determines how each person progresses. “We set tasks, exercises and targets and take great care to find out where people are going wrong or, more important, reaching saturation point. That’s the time we have to back off, regroup and try another way to put information across,” says Mr Kenny. Mr Nicholson has found as a member of the British Turned Parts Association (BTMA) that the courses run by this organisation are particularly valuable because they are put together by people who understand the subcontract industry. They are also non-machine specific and, because they are mostly condensed over four days, tend to be very focused.” Adds Mr Nicholson: “We lose a person for a time and as a small but very busy company have to double up with the workforce – but it is amazing to see the reaction by the guys involved –they are proud to tell friends and family they are being sent away on a course. This is a great motivator that spurs them on to do their best as they feel they do not want to let us down.” Mr Kenny admits: “We too get a certain proud moment when we see someone progress, especially when they are keen to carry on and further the improvement.” Unicut Precision has a continuous purchase programme for equipment: five machines were new or replaced in 2007, four so far in 2008, new vision based, non-contact measurement has been installed and an automated a tool crib fully integrated into the business management system. As a result, there is a lot of specific training required to keep everyone abreast of the latest technology. Indeed, when the new management system was installed, 15 people had a ‘one-to-one’ briefing taking at least 1½ hours on how it would affect them, how it would work, how it would benefit the company and how their role would influence it as a success or failure. When the vision measurement system was installed, an intensive training session for trainers was set up to teach others, including the two directors. This was carried out in order that all setters and key operators could make continuous use of the equipment but it required explanations to be pitched at various levels of competence and experience which tool longer, but proved vital in the successful adoption of the technology. “We make very good use of training and continuous retraining with our equipment suppliers either on site or at their premises – but what is important is that the course is pitched at the right level so our people can really get involved. They need to know when and what to ask questions about – this is a particularly important factor we feel, to help give a thorough understanding,” says Mr Kenny. Since the early days when the Unicut business was growing and from their experience at the time, both directors have shared concern that funding of training was always going to be an issue with small companies. “Whatever the upfront cost of the course or session, you still have the added expense of loss of the candidate for a period of time. You have to make up bonuses; encourage others to cover for the absence and then find additional travelling costs, any hotels and subsistence.” “For a larger company this can be absorbed more easily – for a small company it can really hurt,” says Mr Nicholson. “If a business is profitable and willing to invest in the latest technology to be more competitive, then a tax break or credit linked to the training required for the investment would, I’m sure, encourage more companies to seek to improve the business or gain earlier returns from the investment. In the long term, improved profitability would generate higher tax revenues and help fund future investment programmes.” But, maintain both directors, what is really needed is for young people to be encouraged to learn the basics and importance of what technology can offer in making things. If only schools and parents would realise there is a massive potential for improvement and progression into senior positions to fill the void of seniors who have benefited all their working lives from four or five years ‘on the tools’.