Twenty-one employees at an industrial facility located in rural south central Tennessee recently received a professional certificate in industrial management plus 9.6 continuing education units (CEUs) as part of a partnership with the local university.
Magotteaux, Inc. is a 900,000-sqft. ferrous foundry that has been a respected employer in Pulaski, T.N. since 1973 and is the only domestic manufacturing operation for the global metal-casting entity. The local plant manager contacted The University of Tennessee Southern (UT Southern) in 2022 seeking assistance with upskilling. UT Southern is a liberal arts institution and the newest addition in the University of Tennessee system, established in 2021 through the acquisition of Martin Methodist College, itself founded in 1870.
This article will discuss the three key components that contributed to the success of the workforce development program. First, let’s review a bit about the participants and outcomes.
Demographics and Results
The Magotteaux foundry has a full-time workforce of over 200 employees. The training cohort consisted of 13 men and 8 women, and the age of program participants ranged from 27-58. The group was one of multi-dimensional diversity as some participants were first-time, front-line supervisors while others had up to three decades of managerial experience in various industries. Occupational roles included production management, logistics, safety, quality, maintenance, accounting, human resources (HR) and production control.
The comprehensive development initiative clearly delivered positive results. According to the plant manager/program visionary, the organization’s key performance indicators (KPIs) increased by 25%-30% over the course of the specialized training effort, which concluded in August 2023. Silos were torn down through stronger collaboration, organizational communication improved, and the management team became a more cohesive unit. From a professional development standpoint, the industry promoted six participants over the course of the 12-month program. Furthermore, an opportunity now exists for the 21 program graduates to earn experiential credit at the university that conferred the certificates.
Key Component No. 1: Customization
Customization of training can result in higher levels of employee interaction and engagement. Time is money, and in the front-line industry there’s no time to waste on subject matter that is already known or not applicable to an employee’s daily transactions.
The certification program was tailor-made for the Magotteaux facility. Plant leadership initially provided a layered audit of training needs to the university, and together the foundry and school agreed upon four learning outcomes that included:
- Quantitative and qualitative tool development used to solve production problems.
- Effective business communication.
- Conflict resolution and human behavior
- Leading a safe industrial environment.
A curriculum spanning 12 months was subdivided into six modules covering content areas created to achieve learning outcomes. Many assignments were customized based on participant skill level and job function.
Key Component No. 2: The Operating Environment
Program instructors had extensive backgrounds in industrial and military operations, and recognized the importance of training within the active work zone. The instructors aimed to deliver a useful curriculum in a work-appropriate space. As employer and employee would both attest, training involving practical skills that are not executed quickly will soon be forgotten. Learning loss was minimized when — other than a handful of class sessions held on campus — the curriculum was delivered in the foundry’s training facility two days per week. Participants attended class during their lunch break, and all program costs were covered by Magotteaux.
Other benefits were realized by offering classes at the industrial complex. For example, in a session covering lean principles (techniques and tools to help identify and eliminate waste from work processes), participants were tasked with going out into their respective work areas and physically applying the 5 S’s (sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain) for an area in need of this application. Before and after images were shared with the cohort upon completion of the assignment. In an on-campus operations management class, a similar assignment might include putting a plan onto paper as to what that 5 S’s application would look like.
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle (1984) was the pedagogical model followed in the certification program. Within that framework, instructors centered their work on both abstract conceptualization and reflective observation. Coursework cultivated abstract concepts for direct workplace experimentation and also presented numerous opportunities for reflection on workplace experience. Having the ability to step out of the training room into the physical work environment to apply what had just been covered proved to be very impactful.
Key Component No. 3: Ongoing Assessment
A continuous learning culture is characterized by ongoing feedback. Changes in both content and delivery methods were made over the course of the training.
Daily post-class discussions with trainees were a great way to gauge effectiveness of delivery and make adjustments if necessary. The instructors made a significant effort early on to foster an open learning environment. Most learners felt comfortable making in-class inquiries, and those that did not feel comfortable made inquiries in private.
Anonymous post-module surveys were distributed upon completion of each of the six course modules and were taken into consideration prior to moving into the subsequent module. A final post-program survey was also completed, and two testimonials from that final survey serve as reinforcements of effectiveness: “I wish I had known these things earlier in my career” and “I hope this type of program can be used for other people in other companies.”
Conclusion
The certification program was deemed a success and was a fantastic opportunity for community partnership between a university and local industry in a rural area where consultants with the appropriate expertise are not readily available. The program expanded the traditional understanding of the role of higher education and brought value to the wider community. Last year was a banner year for Magotteaux.
The Pulaski Rotary Club awarded the foundry with its annual “Industry of the Year” award in part due to the tremendous investment made in its human capital by initiating the industrial management certification program with UT Southern.
