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QUICK START IS GEORGIA S PREMIER SOURCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING Inside the Quick Start Process

Georgia Quick Start

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Page 1: Georgia Quick Start

QUICK START IS GEORGIA’S PREMIER SOURCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

Inside theQuickStart

Process

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Table of Contents

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Published by Georgia Quick Start • www.georgiaquickstart.org • Quick Start is a registered service mark of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education – Michael F. Vollmer, Commissioner. Address comments and questions to: Rodger Brown, Director of Communications •

[email protected] • GA Quick Start • 75 Fifth St. NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308

At Quick Start, we’re proud of the many companies we work with and the training we’ve been able to deliver for them. We’re also proud of the methods and techniques we have developed that enable us to provide

our services to the people and businesses of Georgia and help support job creation in our state. From theinitial project study to the final delivery of training, Quick Start’s professionals follow a rigorous process that

guarantees top-quality performance. Through the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, wecarefully structure and monitor every aspect of our projects to ensure that each is customized to thespecific needs of an individual business. Creativity and professionalism are the hallmarks of all ourprojects, whether we’re working for manufacturers, call centers or headquarters operations.

While both employees and employers around the state are aware of the results produced by theQuick Start team, few know how we do it. “Inside the Quick Start Process” now lets you go behindthe scenes to see our training professionals at work.

Georgia’s Quick Start SolutionQuick Start is well-known by companies it’sserved, but many are curious about its secretof success.

Getting It RightThe “project study” provides the basis for train-ing to be customized to a client’s specific needs.

Some Assembly RequiredA “task analysis” looks at each step in a company’s unique process to guarantee customized training.

The Virtue of the VirtualComputer animation and simulations bringthe big picture down to size.

Follow the LeadersCollaboration skills are fundamental to theoperation of effective teams.

The ProducersAround the state, Quick Start’s creative services teams produce high-end trainingmaterials and job aids.

Fitting InManufacturing Process Training showsemployees how an entire operation comestogether.

Point, Click, Learne-Learning provides effective, interactivetraining.

A Deep BenchQuick Start and Georgia’s technical collegeswork as a tag team for business success.

Exercise in ExcellenceQuick Start’s training professionals bring creativity to every challenge.

Driving LessonsMobile labs and portable modules take train-ing wherever it needs to be delivered.

Fighting TrimThe “lean philosophy” shows clients how to cutwaste, increase value and stay competitive.

Keeping Skills Up-to-DateMaintenance skills assessments help companies keep employees prepared.

Cultural StudiesMutual understanding is key to success whenworking with international companies.

Lights, Camera, ActionFrom concept to the final cut, Quick Start’smedia technology team makes five-star videos.

Quick Start Office Location Map

Jackie RohoskyAssistant Commissioner,Economic Development Programs

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The key to Quick Start’s effectiveness is the thorough and structuredprocess the organization follows to develop and deliver training. From top left:The process begins with a project study (see page 4); information gatheredduring the project is transformed into lesson plans and job aids; training materials are produced; training is delivered,either in the classroom or on the job; training is put intopractice producing high-quality finished products.

This illustration of Quick Start’s process was puttogether with the generous assistance of Quick Startclient Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres in Sparta, Ga., wheredecoration is applied to perfume bottles for distributionaround the world.

It happens all the time.A company announces it is consider-ing Georgia for new investment.Georgia’s economic developmentteam comes together to explain to thecompany the various incentives thatare available from state and localorganizations. Typically, as with allstates, there will be talk of tax credits,real estate, and the quality of life.

But Georgia has something otherstates don’t – Quick Start. And whencompany officials hear what QuickStart has to offer, they usually don’tbelieve it...

Continued on page 4

Georgia’s

QuickStartSolution

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Georgia Quick Start

Continued from page 3

This is what they hear: Quick Startwill provide customized workforcetraining to any qualified company,whether it is new to Georgia,expanding its workforce, or addingnew technology to stay competitive.

Here’s the too-good-to-be-truepart: It’s free.

“I didn’t believe it,” an executivewith a national food company saidabout Quick Start’s services. “Itseemed too good to be true. I didn’tbelieve they would deliver the program as professionally and asefficiently as they did.”

He’s not alone. For company

executives who are used to beingsaddled with the hassles and head-aches of recruitment and training ontheir own – and being offered littlein the way of support from otherstates – Quick Start’s solution tostartup training is the “killer app”they didn’t even know they werelooking for.

But when they see the results,they’re convinced.

“We discovered Quick Start andlearned they could deliver this full-blown, wholehearted induction program for our employees andmanufacturing operations,” saidNigel Briers, Perkins Shibaurachange facilitator, after his company

decided to locate a new plant inGriffin, Ga. “And all this could bedone prior to us taking over thefacility and starting production.That’s just something you could notwalk away from.”

Since Quick Start’s beginning in1967, thousands of companies inGeorgia have come to the same con-clusion. Over the course of nearly5,000 training projects, more thanhalf a million Georgians have bene-fited from Quick Start’s services.

While the results Quick Startdelivers are proven, what remains amystery to most is just how QuickStart is able to consistently live upto its name and help companies go

Getting It Right‘Project study’ the foundation for effective training

It’s the centerpiece of Quick Start’s unique method of developing workforce train-ing. It’s the “project study,” and it provides the foundation for all the coursework,hands-on and job-specific training to follow.

It begins when a company expresses a need for Quick Start’s services. A projectleader is assigned, and the Quick Start team begins an intensive analysis of the com-pany’s production processes and the skills required for the jobs being created. Theteam interviews employees and managers and observes and records the details of thetasks that will be at the heart of the training. Once the jobs have been analyzed, theteam puts together a training program targeted specifically to that company’s needs.

“The project study is critical to Quick Start’s process,” said Eddie Fite, a project manager based in Quick Start’s Augusta office. “It establishes the relationship with thecompany and makes sure the training we develop will be focused on just the right skillsfor the job. Almost the entire training plan grows out of the data collected during theproject study.

“The project study and the training plan that is derived from that are unique to eachclient,” Fite said. “Without this groundwork being laid and this work being done upfront, there could be a lot of wasted effort. But following this method, our training isalways on target.” �

Quick Start team members Ron Russell (left) and George Remnet analyze a processfor producing architectural glass for Quick Start client Viracon. The detailed projectstudy will be used to develop training materials and job aids for the company.

Right: Sketches madeduring a project studyare later turned intotechnical illustrations fortraining materials. Thesedepict the construction of the AeroSphere, a newhigh-altitude airshipbeing developed byColumbus-basedTechsphere SystemsInternational.

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from mission statement to mass production, and do it fast.

As one company official put it,“I don’t know how they did it, butthey did.”

How we do itWhat makes Quick Start unique

and effective is the process theorganization has developed overnearly three decades of creatingcustomized workforce training.Rather than deliver off-the-shelftraining programs, Quick Starttailors each project to a company’sspecific needs. And to guarantee theeffectiveness of each customizedtraining project, Quick Start’s pro-

fessionals follow a rigorous andthorough process of defining a com-pany’s needs and designing trainingthat works.

Every Quick Start project beginswith a project study where a training

professional researches a company,learning about its products and ser-vices and the details of its plannedstartup or expansion (see “Gettingit Right,” page 4). A task analysis

Continued on page 6

Some Assembly Required‘Task Analysis’ first step in training development

When Perkins-Shibaura decided to open a plant in Griffin for putting together dieselengines, the first thing Quick Start did was take one apart.

“We got sample engines from the company, but we didn’t have any clear instructions forhow to assemble them,” said Shelby Lee, Quick Start training coordinator. “So we just begantaking them apart and photographing each step. Then we just reversed the sequence of thephotographs and created training materials that showed how to put them together.”

This kind of analysis is fundamental to successful training. During the projectstudy, Quick Start’s team observes employees performing certain jobs and compilesa detailed breakdown of every step. Easy-to-use materials are then developed byQuick Start’s creative services team to use during training.

“Part of our job is to translate technical information into materials that can beeasily understood by a new employee,” Lee said.

All the training materials are reviewed and tested for accuracy to make sure nostep is left out. Materials are approved by company officials and put through trial

runs to work out any bugs.“In the end, the trainee gets the best materials possible,”

Lee added. �

Far left: Columbus Quick Startstaff members take apart adiesel engine to produceassembly instructions (center)and practice modules (below)to be used by trainees.

A Quick Start team reviews the accura-cy of operating instructions developedfor a client company in Claxton, Ga., toensure effective training.

Instructional Systems DesignInstructional Systems Design (ISD) is

a systematic method of analyzing train-ing needs, designing targeted materials,and delivering instruction focused onclear objectives that is at the core ofQuick Start’s process. Feedback mecha-nisms measure effectiveness andpromote continual improvement. QuickStart’s professionals are rigorouslytrained in ISD to guarantee consistencyand quality of training programs.

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Georgia Quick Start

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identifies the steps required to do a job correctly and the skills theemployee will need to perform suc-cessfully. A comprehensive trainingplan is drafted, lesson plans aredesigned, and training materials are produced.

Finally, the training is delivered— whenever and wherever thecompany wants.

That flexibility can be critical formaking a training program fit witha company’s schedule. At Goody, inManchester, instructors frequentlyheld classes during the graveyardshifts. “Quick Start was there to do

the training whenever it was needed,”said Bob Koon, Goody’s moldingtechnical manager.

“They had classes to accommo-date our shifts, and sometimes training started at 3 a.m.,” Koonsaid. “If Quick Start hadn’t beenable to work around our shifts, we’dstill be struggling along.”

Benefits beyond trainingBecause of the thoroughness of

Quick Start’s process, companies frequently discover added value inthe relationship.

For example, companies in strate-gic industries such as aerospace andmedical products are able to use the

documents Quick Start produces tohelp them meet requirements set byfederal agencies such as the Foodand Drug Administration or theFederal Aviation Administration.

Executives at Wilden Plastics inPeachtree City needed to demon-strate the production quality of a

The Virtue of the VirtualSimulations target specific training needs safely and effectively

When a task is repetitive, dangerous or requires a highlevel of precision, the perfect solution is robotics, but to trainemployees to use the expensive equipment, company managerscan’t just cross their fingers and turn them loose with a con-trol pad and two tons of whirling steel.

With more manufacturers installing automated systems,Quick Start has developed innovative training that usescomputer animation and a virtual robot that responds to anoperator just as a real one would, only without the hazards

that come with beginners operating heavy machinery. “We visited plants and observed their operations and wrote the program to

exactly simulate a complete robotic work cell,” said David Deane, multimedia-basedtraining developer with Quick Start’s southern operations. “Buteven though it’s virtual, we made sure to incorporate safety procedures throughout.”

“We went with a software simulation because it offers the flexibil-ity needed to help reproduce a client’s real-world work environment,”said Vic Desmarais, manager of advanced manufacturing technology at

Quick Start. “Now we have a program that can be usedwherever robotics are being installed.”

Seeing the big pictureSafety is one major benefit to using simulations

in training, but they have also proven effective tohelp trainees visualize large systems or practiceinteractive scenarios.

Multimedia developer DavidDeane (right) works with a consultant in a Quick Start labto assemble components for arobotics simulation.

Increasing numbers ofmanufacturers are turningto robotics to help keeptheir businesses competi-tive, so Quick Start’s newrobotics course willbecome part of the cur-riculum available at the newCenter of Innovation in ManufacturingExcellence, located at Lanier Technical Collegein Gainesville. At right, examples of some ofthe computer animation used in the virtualrobotics simulation to help trainees learn thebasic principles underlying the technology.

“Quick Start has inventeda new technology oftraining that is superiorto anything I have seenin Europe.”

– Hans Wilden, CEO of Wilden AG

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medical device made at the facility.FDA approval was required beforethe product could be marketed, andafter Quick Start analyzed the pro-duction process to develop a trainingprogram, the documents provedvaluable in meeting FDA standards.

“Quick Start has helped us meetevery level of qualification,” said theplant engineer at Wilden’s PeachtreeCity facility.

“The advantages of Quick Start’smethods are that they can be used inso many areas,” said Hans Wilden,CEO of Germany-based Wilden AG,after reviewing the materials devel-oped by Quick Start. “Quick Starthas invented a new technology of

training that is superior to anythingI have seen in Europe.”

At Havertys’ Eastern DistributionCenter in Braselton, company man-agers found that Quick Start trainingdirectly impacted the bottom line.

“We’ve had zero major injuries,thanks to Quick Start training andsignage,” said Steve Schingler, VP ofdistribution. “Because of the safetytraining and signage, we also saveon our insurance. The Quick Starttraining is very cost-effective.”

It’s this proven track record ofdelivering real-world results that hasmade Quick Start a key part ofGeorgia’s economic developmentteam. Responsive and effective

workforce training has become oneof the most critical ingredients in acompany’s successful startup orexpansion, and Quick Start’s exper-tise in delivering customized trainingsolutions is making a difference ascompanies decide where to makenew investment and create new jobs.

Once companies become aware ofQuick Start’s services and record ofperformance, the issue of workforcequality in Georgia becomes a positiveincentive rather than a challenge.

As one executive said during atraining plan signing ceremony inThomasville, Ga., “When we look at what brought us here, No. 1 onthe list truly is Quick Start.”

“Warehouse and distribution centersare so large that you can’t see the wholeprocess,” said Burt Bethea, a training coor-dinator in Quick Start’s Vidalia office. “Buthere you see it all in one easily understoodsimulation.

“When you can’t train someone on thejob,” Bethea added, “you have to be able tobring the job into the classroom.”

Training for call centers and customerservice operations also benefits from computer-based simulations.

“We use the simulation as part of apre-employment assessment so traineescan experience what it’s like to be a customerservice representative and for the potentialemployer to be able to select the best employ-ees,” said Sandra Morris, Quick Start’s director of performance technology. “It’s a great tool for providing a realistic preview of the call center environment.”

“The research and development we do atQuick Start keeps us up-to-date with changingindustry needs,” said Quick Start’s head JackieRohosky. “And these virtual simulations are stateof the art.” �

Quick Start works with many businesses in the serviceindustry, particularly call centers. At right, technicalcollege staff members Austin Johnson and Tonya Cooperexperience a call center simulation to familiarize themwith the latest technology that can be used to benefittheir industry clients.

Burt Bethea (far right), a Quick Starttraining coordinator, walks a classthrough a simulation of a warehousedistribution system.

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Georgia Quick Start

Why are 15 supervisors and teamleaders who usually work withmolding machines on a plant floorgathered around a raw egg danglingfrom the ceiling by a piece of string?

They’re clustered in groups tryingto build a device that will catch theegg safely when it falls. It’s part of aQuick Start exercise designed toteach teamwork, communicationskills, and how to deal with change.

“There’s more to handling changethan putting a good plan together,”says Jim Drake, a High-Performance

On the Road for Economic DevelopmentSince its beginning in 1967, Quick Start has evolved

from a modest training program to one of Georgia’s keyassets for supporting new and expanding industries. Toensure the quality of Quick Start’s services, Jackie Rohosky,DTAE assistant commissioner for economic developmentprograms, who has led Quick Start since 1990, regularlymeets with employees and employers around the state tomonitor the effectiveness of Quick Start training.

“Quick Start has a mandate to deliver the exact trainingneeded by companies to help keep them competitive and toprotect jobs in Georgia,” Rohosky says. “We can only do this by getting out in the field,visiting companies and seeing what they really need to keep their businesses prospering.” �

Leadership class instructor. “Youmust deal with what your peopleare losing — things like securityand their power base.”

While having employees whoknow how to operate complicatedmachinery safely and efficiently isessential for any company’s success,equally important is having goodleaders on the floor — people whocan motivate employees, encourageteamwork, and communicatechanges while helping workers dealwith uncertainty when necessary.

Photos, clockwise from left: Jackie Rohosky (center) speaks with Jan Melcher (left), then-vice presidentof economic development at DeKalb Technical College, and Kazuhiro Iwata (right), president and CEO ofNisshinbo Automotive Manufacturing Inc.; an employee at Kimberly-Clark (left) demonstrates a control

system to Rohosky at the company’s LaGrange facility; Rohosky (left) and Patrick Perus, president ofPolycor Georgia Marble, tour the company’s mining operations in Tate, Ga.

Follow the LeadersCourses in ‘soft skills’ help produce well-rounded employees

That’s why Quick Start offerscourses in the “soft skills.” Programsin One-to-One Communications,Managing Difficult Situations,Resolving Interpersonal Conflictand Introduction to Teams, amongothers, complement the technicaltraining employees receive, teachingparticipants interpersonal skillsthey can use to maintain a smoothlyfunctioning workplace.

In High-Performance Leadership,for example, participants focus ondetermining their personal leadershipstyles and studying proven leader-ship techniques. Case studies, classdiscussions, video presentations, andeven egg-saving exercises are part ofthe 32-hour course. The end result isthe creation of a Leadership ActionPlan, which helps participants takekey skills from the course and applythem to their own work situations.

“As important as it is thatemployees know how to do thephysical tasks of their jobs, it’sequally important that they be able to work together to solveproblems,” says Jackie Rohosky,DTAE assistant commissioner foreconomic development programs.“We want to make sure our com-panies have the best all-aroundworkforce possible.” �

Kimberly Taylor-Fears, a QuickStart instructor,takes her High-PerformanceLeadership classthrough a lessonin human needs.

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The ProducersFrom pocket cards to com-puter-based 3-D animation,

Quick Start’s creative servicesdepartments deliver the goods

To produce the training aids andcourse materials needed for Quick Start’sprojects, each office is staffed with ateam of graphic designers, illustrators anddesktop publishers. Experts in technicaldrawing, computer animation, layoutand production, the teams producethousands of job aids, charts and inter-active computer programs each year.

“We have the capability to producenearly every kind of training material aclient could need,” said Gary Wilson,manager of creative services in Atlanta.Quick Start offices in Savannah, Augusta,Vidalia and Columbus each have theirown creative services capabilities to support local projects.

“By having the ability to producethis range of materials quickly and customized to each project, we’re able to deliver the total package when itcomes to workforce training,” saidJackie Rohosky, assistant commissionerof economic development programs. �

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Fitting InManufacturing ProcessTraining puts employees into‘the big picture’

One common approach to trainingnew hires is to have each “shadow”an existing employee who teachesthe new person how to perform hisor her specific task. This techniquecan work, but there are definitedownsides: too much detail presentedout of context can cause confusion;bad habits are passed on; and newhires learn only one step in theprocess, limiting their ability to con-tribute to producing optimum quality.

Quick Start, however, has a bettersolution. By including ManufacturingProcess Training (MPT) in most ofthe programs delivered to companies,Quick Start helps new employeeslearn more quickly, make fewer mistakes and contribute at a muchhigher level.

MPT provides a structured and

thorough overview of a company’sentire process, explaining each function, process variable, and thepurpose of each task. By under-standing the logic behind the entireprocess — seeing “the big picture”— the employee is better able toavoid mistakes, contribute to effec-tive troubleshooting and innovation,and incorporate new methods.

At PCC Airfoils in Douglas, Ga.,for example, the company used

Quick Start’s MPT to help evaluateapplicants for new positions theywere creating.

“This made our selection processmuch more effective,” said GeneSnyder, PCC Airfoils’ head of humanresources. “We’re in the aerospaceindustry and have to adhere to strictguidelines. The quality of ouremployees has to be above average,and Quick Start’s process helped usguarantee that.” �

An example of a Manufacturing Process Training aid.

Point, Click, Learne-Learning makes training truly interactive

Imagine a classroom where the lessons are given whenever you want them, youare the only student, and the instructor never gets tired of repeating a lecture.

With Quick Start’s e-Learning, that’s exactly what happens. Interactive coursesare delivered via computer using text, graphics, audio, animation and video.Companies can use their own intranet to offer the courses, or deliver them via CD.

“A study conducted several years ago showed that e-Learning increases retentionby 25 to 50 percent,” says Sun Clinton, Quick Start’s senior multimedia-based train-ing developer. “It provides a rich learning environment where trainees can hear, seeand practice their subject.”

Quick Start uses e-Learning to deliver many types of training, especially involvinghazardous materials or complex machinery. “It’s ideal in manufacturing trainingbecause we can use animation to break things apart and put them back together forstudents,” says Bobby Jennings, multimedia-based training developer.

Producing an e-Learning project requires a number of skilled team members. A typicalprogram can involve an instructional designer, project manager, subject matter expert,writer, programmer, video producer, graphic artist and animator, just to name a few.

“No one delivery method is the total solution for a company’s training needs,”says Clinton. “But for companies that need flexibility in their training, e-Learning is a valuable component in the total package.” �

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One of the features that makesGeorgia’s workforce training effortsunmatched is the close collaborationbetween Quick Start and Georgia’stechnical colleges. Both organiza-tions are part of the Department ofTechnical and Adult Education, and,along with the agency’s adult literacyprograms, constitute a formidabletag team for workforce development.

“Our adult literacy programsguarantee that all Georgians havethe basic skills needed to be com-petitive in the job market,” saysDTAE Commissioner Mike Vollmer.“Quick Start provides customizedtraining as an incentive for new andexisting industries, and our technicalcolleges provide state-of-the-arttraining for high-skill, high-wageemployment. We’re a triple threatwhen it comes to improving thequality of our state’s workforce.”

Typically, Quick Start will deliverworkforce training programs fornew, existing and expanding busi-nesses, and then the local technicalcollege will maintain an ongoingrelationship with the business,providing customized training on acost-recovery basis.

“The local technical colleges arealways partners in any Quick Startproject,” says Jackie Rohosky, DTAEassistant commissioner for economic

development programs. “We shareknowledge, expertise and resourcesas needed to make sure we’re able todeliver the training that companiesneed to stay competitive.”

To ensure consistency in the quali-ty of services provided by the collegesand Quick Start’s staff, Quick Startadministers the Certified EconomicDeveloper Trainer (CEDT) program(see sidebar), a professional develop-

ment program which staff

members from all over DTAE gothrough to keep up with all the latestdevelopments in workforce trainingtechniques and technologies.

“The collaboration among adultliteracy, the technical colleges andQuick Start is unique to Georgia andhas been praised worldwide for itseffectiveness,” Vollmer says. “We’vegot a deep bench when it comes toproviding workforce training, andthey just keep hitting home runs.” �

A Deep Bench

CEDT Program Brings Georgia’sEconomic Developers Together

The Certified Economic Developer Trainer (CEDT) program was created by theDepartment of Technical and Adult Education to provide professional developmentfor staff involved in supporting business and industry in their communities. Since1989, the program, which is administered by Quick Start, has provided training tohundreds of economic development professionals, keeping them up to date on thelatest techniques and technologies applicable in their fields.

“Through CEDT, both technical college and Quick Start staff are better able todevelop a high-performing workforce for Georgia’s new and existing manufactur-ing and service industries,” says Sandra Morris, Quick Start’s director of perfor-mance technology operations who oversees the CEDT program. “CEDT training ishighly relevant because we continually update our training to match the evolvingneeds of businesses.”

Quick Start and Georgia’sTechnical College System coverthe bases in workforce training

Team Players – When a prospect comes to Georgia looking to make new investmentand create jobs, Georgia’s economic development team goes into action. Led by the GeorgiaDepartment of Economic Development (GDEcD), public and private organizations come togetherto answer questions and offer solutions. The first question most prospects ask is about the state’sworkforce, and that’s when Quick Start takes the stage. Co-located with GDEcD in Atlanta’sCentergy complex along with numerous other organizations that make up Georgia’s economicdevelopment team, Quick Start is able to respond quickly to requests for information. At left:Mike Grundmann, Quick Start’s director of marketing, tells the Quick Start story to an audiencegathered at the Georgia Resource Center, a Georgia Power facility, also located at Centergy.

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Exercise in ExcellenceCreative thinking addressescompany’s challenges

Driving LessonsMobile labs and portable modules take training wherever it’s needed

Serving client companies across Georgia meansQuick Start has to put a premium on mobility.Mobile labs and other portable training toolsallow Quick Start to deliver training on-site at aclient’s facility, minimizing travel time and otherinconvenience for employees participating in the training. Quick Start uses mobile labs also toteach programmable logic controllers, and has portable tools to use in training for everythingfrom lean manufacturing to welding.

In addition to convenience, some portable modules have the added value of being safer thanthe real thing. Small-scale models of pneumatic or hydraulic systems allow trainees to learnunderlying principles without the danger involved with working on large industrial systems.

“With the mobile labs and training modules, we’re able to drive up to acompany anywhere, plug in and start train-

ing,” said Joe Bailey, Quick Start’s directorof western operations. “It’s the perfect

training solution.” �

The challenge seemed daunting —find a way to evaluate potentialemployees’ range of mechanical andelectrical skills without having themactually take torque wrenches to million-dollar jet engines.

Joe Bailey, director of Quick Start’swestern operations, faced that taskwhen Quick Start began a project for a

company looking for new hiresat their plant for rebuilding jetengines. It was critical thatthe employees have the basictalent and skills to work oncostly aircraft parts where onemistake could cost the company thousands of dollars.

There was no off-the-shelf solution.Following Quick Start’s commitment tocustomizing its training to a company’sspecific needs, Bailey applied the cre-ative thinking Quick Start is famous for.

Then it hit him: a Delco alternator.“We knew whatever we came up

with had to be hands-on, had to includeprecision measurement, mechanical andelectrical skills,” Bailey said. “And it hadto be a very efficient exercise becausewe had to work with a lot of applicantsin a short time.”

Thus the “alternator exercise” was

born. Used as a pre-employment moduleto evaluate the skill set of potentialemployees, the exercise requires a candi-date to complete a couple hours ofclassroom instruction followed by ahands-on exercise of taking apart andthen reassembling an alternator, usingjust the right tools, and following direc-tions exactly as described in the manual.

“This exercise allows the company toobserve these applicants and see if theyhave the right aptitude and tempera-ment,” Bailey said. “Because without apre-hire sequence, if you hire someoneand a few days later they quit, you’vewasted a lot of time and money.” �

Quick Start’s Tim Beech (right)observes a trainee as she

demonstrates her aptitude atdisassembling and reassembling

an alternator during a pre-employment exercise.

A portable kit for studyingprinciples of pneumatics.

Instructor Stacy Askewhelps a student practicesoftware applications inthe mobile computer lab.

Quick Start’s mobile computer lab (left) bringstraining to a client’s front door. At right: InsideQuick Start’s mobile PLC lab, Fred Stinson deliverstraining on programmable logic controllers.

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those that waste time and resources.

5SA simple system that is often over-

looked, the goal of 5S is to reduceclutter in a workplace and make sure allitems needed to perform a task areclean, organized and ready when needed.The five S’s are: Sort, Set in order, Sweepand Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.

KaizenAdopting the spirit and practice of

Kaizen leads to the continuous improve-ment of a company’s processes. Team

collaboration is required for the effec-tive implementation of Kaizen, as itinvolves continually monitoring aprocess, communicating information,and implementing new suggestions.

KanbanKanban is a system for managing

logistics in manufacturing. It is amethod of controlling production sothat it is driven by customer demandrather than arbitrary production quotas.Effective use of Kanban is a key part of “just-in-time” manufacturing thatprevents excessive buildup of inventory.

Lean ConceptsImplementing a ‘lean philosophy’ in aworkplace involves adopting new waysof thinking and acting. Below are a fewof the concepts taught by Quick Starttrainers to help businesses and their teammembers understand how to ‘go lean.’

Value Stream AnalysisThe “value stream” includes all the

actions that take place within an orga-nization. By analyzing the value stream,a company can better identify thosesteps that add value to the process ofgetting a product to a customer, and

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Fighting TrimQuick Start’s training in the ‘lean philosophy’ helpsclients increase profits andstay competitive

Since the beginning of manufac-turing, businesses have pursued efficiency strategies to reduce costs,improve quality and stay competi-tive in their market sectors. With theadvent of the assembly line early inthe last century, streamlining produc-tion became the order of the day forindustries involved in making things.But with the cost of labor and rawmaterials remaining modest, and withthe capacity of for-eign manufacturersremaining limited,there was littleincentive for orga-nizations in theUnited States tolook at anythingbeyond simply getting productsout the door.

Not anymore.When Japanesemanufacturers rebuilt their infra-structure after World War II, theyfound it necessary to develop newer,

more efficientstrategies inorder to competewith Americanbusinesses. Thesenew philosophiesallowed Japanesebusinesses to distill every dropof value out oftheir productionprocesses, andthis changed theface of the glob-al marketplace forever.

Today, these principles, broadlyclassified under the rubric “lean philosophy,” are being adapted bymore and more businesses in the

United States. Thefoundation of thisphilosophy is the goal of minimizing theconsumption ofresources that add no value to a product, withthe ultimate objective being thetotal eliminationof waste.

Many of the tools used in imple-menting a lean program for a clientcompany are derived from practices

first developed in Japan. Kanban and Kaizen are a couple of the fundamental operating principleswithin the lean philosophy that are increasingly becoming part ofevery business’s operating strategy(see sidebar below).

“Quick Start’s team has extensiveexperience in preparing customizedcourses in lean manufacturing forour clients in Georgia,” says JackieRohosky, assistant commissioner forDTAE’s economic development pro-grams. “The philosophy behind a‘lean culture’ can benefit any busi-ness, whether manufacturing or service-based, and by incorporatingthis into a company’s overall trainingprogram, we’re able to help themsave money, increase value for theircustomers, and stay competitive.” �

Quick Start’s Ronnie Pettus(standing) instructs a class inlean manufacturing.

Trainees in lean manufacturing classes usehands-on exercises to practice the conceptsunderlying the ‘lean philosophy.’

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Page 14: Georgia Quick Start

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Georgia Quick Start

Cultural StudiesCross-cultural understanding is required

when working with international companiesGive out your business card with your left hand? Cross

your legs with an ankle on one knee? Give a gift consistingof four objects? All definite “no’s” when interacting with South

Koreans, and valuable lessons for one to learn ifgoing to work for a new South Korean company.

Likewise, failure to say hello or acknowledgethe greeting of a subordinate could cause a South

Korean supervisor to be perceived as aloof by his American employees, impacting bothproductivity and team spirit in a new plant.

Those are just a few of the cultural differences that come into play during worksituations and business interactions. To help facilitate the smooth integration of international businesses with a domestic workforce, Quick Start has been providingcross-cultural training for more than a decade, working with international companiesfrom more than a dozen countries, such as Germany, Japan and China.

“Everybody has stereotypes about other cultures,” said Renee Godley, a Quick Startorganizational development coordinator who specializes in cross-cultural courses. “What’simportant is for everyone to recognize that and work toward mutual understanding.

“Once you become aware of that,” Godley adds, “dealing with those stereotypes andpreventing misunderstandings becomes much easier and leads to a more productiveworking relationship.” �

With continuing changes in tech-nology, companies have to make suretheir employees have the mainte-nance skills to keep their operationsrunning smoothly. Working together,Quick Start and Georgia’s technicalcolleges have developed an efficientprogram to do just that.

“We assess where anemployee is with his orher knowledge of basicskills, and the companytells us where they wantthat person to be,” said JoeyWatkins, Quick Start coordinator,manufacturing technology. “Then wecome up with a training prescription.”

Areas evaluated range fromhydraulics and electrical wiring tomechanical principles and math skills.

“In the assessment, there is no passor fail,” Watkins said. “We are justseeing how much training will beneeded, according to the performancestandards set by the company.”

Once the training prescription iscompleted, the local technical col-lege takes over to provide the actualinstruction, which could take theform of self-study, classroom ses-sions, or Internet-based programs.

“This is another area where thepartnership between Quick Startand the technical colleges has suc-ceeded in providing an efficientsolution for a company’s workforcetraining needs,” said Vic Desmarais,manager of advanced manufacturingtraining, who oversees Quick Start’smaintenance assessment program. �

Below, top: Quick Start CoordinatorRenee Godley (standing) leadsdiscussion in the class “Workingwith U.S. Americans for SouthKoreans” with LG Chem’s SouthKorean staff. Bottom, QuickStart’s Sun Clinton discusses traditional Korean dress duringthe class “Working with Koreansfor U.S. Americans” for LG Chem’sAmerican employees.

A pocket card of basic Korean phrasesdeveloped by Quick Start for employees ofSouth Korea-based LG Chem.

Quick Start team membersprepare equipment for useduring a maintenance assessment exercise.

Equipment on display for evaluating a trainee’smechanical assembly skills.

Keeping Skills Up-to-DateMaintenance Skills Assessment program helps companies train existing employees

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Page 15: Georgia Quick Start

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Media team gets the job done behind the cameraSometimes, nothing works better to communicate a lot of information

in a short time than video, and Quick Start’s media technology group hasbeen providing videos — and winning awards — for more than 15 years.

Employee orientation, safety training and process overviews are just afew areas where video is the ideal delivery vehicle. But for any policy orprocedure a company wants to communicate to their employees, the mediatechnology group provides turnkey service. From art direction and lighting to coordinating on-camera talent and scriptwriting, the groupproduces compelling work that both engages the viewer and communi-cates the company’s message.

The group also produces more than just videos. Just as companies’needs are different, Quick Start has a broad range of media services tocall on to provide the best solution, from audio production to still photography and other digital media.

Over the years, the media group’s work has proven to have lastingvalue for companies.

“I still use the videos Quick Start made for us all the time,” said ahuman resources manager at Havertys’ distribution center in Braselton. “Theyhelp get new employees oriented to their jobs and the company. I absolutelylove them. It’s very nice work. It’s something we use every day.” �

The media technology group works both on location and in a state-of-the-art studio in QuickStart’s Atlanta office, using the latest professional digital video equipment to capture the bestpossible images for their productions. Editing is done on industry-standard editing suites, andthe finished product is delivered in the most effective format, from videocassettes to DVDs orstreaming media over the Web.

Lights, Camera,Action

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Page 16: Georgia Quick Start

D E L I V E R Y S Y S T E M

Michael F. Vollmer, CommissionerGeorgia Department of Technical

and Adult Education www.georgiaquickstart.org34 Technical Colleges With Multiple Campuses

4 University System Colleges With Technical Divisions

Georgia Quick Start • Centergy One • 75 Fifth Street NW • Suite 400 • Atlanta, GA 30308

VidaliaSavannah

Atlanta

Quick Start Headquarters75 Fifth Street NW, Suite 400Atlanta, GA 30308404.253.2800

Quick Start Augusta Office3140 Augusta Tech Drive

Augusta, GA 30906706.771.5716

Quick Start Columbus Office5330 Transport BoulevardColumbus, GA 31907706.565.3534

Quick Start Vidalia Office100-B Brinson RoadVidalia, GA 30474912.538.3277

Quick Start Savannah Office190 Crossroads Parkway, Suite 200

Savannah, GA 31407912.965.6379

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