Industrial training is the heart of every manufacturing business. From safety training to maintenance training to basic boiler and air compressor training, industrial training skills serve as one of the most important building blocks to a successful plant. Just ask durable goods manufacturers around the U.S. who saw a strong 3% increase in December.

On January 26^th, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that during the final month of 2011 manufactured durable goods increased $6.2 billion amounting to a whopping $214.5 billion. Transportation equipment alone has increased for two consecutive months and had the largest growth of nearly $3.0 billion, totaling $58.4 billion. All of which was due to non-defense aircraft and parts. Cliff Waldman, economist for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation stated, “Like other recent data, the December report on demand for long lasting goods paints a picture of an economy that ended a volatile and challenging 2011 on a positive note…Total new orders, now up during five of the last six months, increased a strong 3% after an even stronger 4.3% advance in November and for the year registered a solid 10% gain over 2010 levels”

Waldman’s statement has given the industry a sense of hope which may incite restored confidence in many manufacturers who have been hesitant to begin hiring new talent. But with a brighter outlook on the new year as the first month comes to a close, manufacturers should see an opportunity to tailor new hires and create an effective and productive industrial worker. How? Simple, by offering easy to use industrial training courseware. Whether it is via an online SCORM based platform or through the use of full motion video courseware, quality industrial training is bound to give you the greatest return on investment. Looking for a nudge in the right direction? Contact ITC Learning today to find out how our industrial training courseware can benefit your plant and your workforce.

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The Council on Competitiveness recently published Make: An American Manufacturing Movement, a report which aims to encourage the American public to remember that manufacturing is and has been the cornerstone to economic prosperity. The series of reports focuses on innovation, expansion, talent and productivity. All of which were shown to the government as a non-partisan strategy in an effort to resolve pressures the American manufacturing industry might face down the road.

Concerning industrial skills, the Council on Competitiveness sees harnessing the power and potential of American talent as one of the main challenges that is faced when it comes to today’s industrial training skills. Their recommended solution is to prepare the next generation of researchers, innovators and skilled workers through different vehicles of industrial skills training.

A few of their recommended courses of action include having federal, state and local governments team up with high schools, universities and community colleges to promote student participation in engineering and manufacturing programs. They also suggest that Congress should implement immigration reform that would allow the world’s brightest talent to work in the U.S. They recommend that the Small Business Administration (SBA) create a program like SCORE to bring retired business executives together and have them mentor younger entrepreneurs. Other recommendations included state of the art apprentice ships, study abroad programs for Americans and for Congress to create opportunities for older generations to remain critical contributors to the industrial workforce.

In the meantime, industrial training skills remain the most important element to maintain a productive and knowledgeable workforce. While the Council on Competitiveness lobbies for manufacturing training programs in all areas of education, plant managers must still educate their current employees to maintain a dynamic team. By implementing online industrial training, industrial skills’ training becomes a breeze. Trainees can learn on the job or from the comfort of their own home through online courseware which meets SCORM standards. Without essential manufacturing training the industry and the current workforce will suffer, but with the right training skills manufacturers can increase output and see a quick return on investment. Click here to contact ITC Learning and learn more about the advantages of industrial skills training.

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SCORM is all the more critical as more and more agencies are beginning to hire. For example, the head of Bombardier Business Air says they plan to expand the company’s Learjet site located in Wichita and create almost 450 new jobs over the next seven to ten years. The news of expansion from one Learjet manufacturer comes with a sigh of relief for many Kansas industrial workers, as The Boeing Co. announce last week they plan to shut down their facilities in Wichita by the end of 2013.

Tennessee also received good news in Clinton when Magna International Inc. announced they are planning a $64 million expansion to be implemented over the next five years. The expansion for the automotive parts supplier hopes to add 188 jobs in their facility. New jobs will include assembly and press operators as well as laser operators and maintenance professionals. Also in Chicago, Illinois the freight company Coyote Logistics announced its plan to create 400 new jobs this year in their facility.

As companies regain confidence to hire and create industrial jobs they also have the chance to safeguard the future or their plant’s performance by employing an industrial skills training program that is both effective and user friendly. And SCORM based online courseware is just that. There is a great training opportunity with new hires and even current employees, take advantage and utilize industrial training skills that will advance your business.

With the manufacturing production output for the coming year seeming much more positive than those of the past, many economists are already looking to 2013 as another great year for hiring. The once struggling automaker, Chrysler, plans to add nearly 1,250 jobs to two Detroit factories. 1,100 new hires will go to The Jefferson North Assembly Plant which will also add a third shift to help produce the new diesel model of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. An addition 150 new hires will go to the Conner Avenue factory once it reopens later this year to produce a new version of the Dodge Viper for the Street Racing Team.

Eager for new hiring to begin, the United Auto Workers Union Vice President General Holiefield stated, “Our workers nationwide have had a rough couple of years along with the American auto industry and we are proud to be partners in building a future of success starting right here in Detroit.”

Last Thursday, an update to Mayor Dave Bing’s financial and operational restricting plan noted the city’s unemployment rate had reached 24 percent. The Chief of Governmental and Corporate Affairs, Kirk Lewis, said the percentage accounted for those in Detroit actively looking for work. He said, “It could be as high as 40 percent of our citizens who don’t have jobs.”

A state appointed review team is currently looking into the city’s finances which could ultimately result in Michigan taking over Detroit’s city government. As of now the city is faced with a general fund deficit of almost $200 million. In an effort to save nearly $14 million, thousands of city jobs will be cut in the next few weeks. The hope is that a stable auto industry hiring will help fill jobs.

During the bailouts of 2009 the U.S. auto industry reached record lows over the past 30 years. Since then, auto sales have grown for two years and are expected to rise again this year. Automakers are once again making profits which give high hopes to those searching for manufacturing jobs in the industry.

When new jobs are in development, training your industrial employees becomes an essential part of hiring. The greatest benefit to industrial skills training is that it benefits both your business and your workforce. By enhancing the industrial training skills of your employees you can potentially increase output and ultimately increase revenue. With ITC Learning’s SORM based online courseware industrial skills training is made easy to learn and track. With increased output and a properly trained workforce your return on investment will be easy to see.

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In 1871, the first professional baseball game was played in Fort Wayne, Indiana. And today, almost 141 years later, Indiana is proving to be more than just a great place to hold baseball games, it has become a welcoming host to the manufacturing industry.

In 2003, Brian Emerick narrowed the focus of his Columbia City, Indiana based manufacturing plant to concentrate on the medical device industry after business in other segments had slowed down. Today, Mr. Emerick says it was the greatest move he ever made for his privately owned company, Micropulse Inc. Now, Micropulse has upwards of 200 employees and operates out of a 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Columbia City, Indiana, just 30 minutes outside of Warsaw where medical device manufacturing moguls such as Biomet, Symmetry Medical and Zimmer are headquartered. Fortunately, Columbia City is far enough from the Warsaw that is has no trouble finding qualified help. Emerick says, “There’s a rich manufacturing heritage in the area. It’s a very stable climate”. Micropulse has experienced steady expansion since it started and with the help of Whitley County and the state of Indiana it’s been able to further its business even more. In 2007, Micropulse was given tax cuts and matching funds to help add 47,000 square feet to their manufacturing facility in Columbia City.

While Warsaw has proven to be the orthopedic device manufacturing capital of the world, Northeast Indiana is in close second. With Fort Wayne at its center, the 10 county region is home to over 60 medical device companies that employ almost 2,000 workers. The areas proximity to Warsaw is also a major factor. In fact, it was a major selling point to Iotron Industries Canada Inc., a manufacturer that uses electron-beam radiation technology to sterilize agricultural products and medical devices. Iotron, which is based out of Vancouver, is currently finishing up a $15.3 million project that will build a new 54,000 square foot facility near Columbia County which is due to start production in 2012.

Not too far from Iotron, Fort Wayne Metals, which already has six facilities in Northeast Indiana, is expanding their production capabilities even more with a $12.9 million expansion project that hopes to create approximately 68 jobs by 2014. The metal manufacturer produces fine-grade wire used in medical tools.

While the medical device manufacturing industry is booming in the region, Northeast Indiana’s largest money makers continue to be industries such as transportation equipment, metals and plastics and rubber. General Motors is the region’s biggest industry employer and just recently announced in October that they will invest almost $275 million in its Fort Wayne plant in order to develop its next generation pickup truck.

Government officials in the region have made it a top priority to make sure the 335,000 industrial employees in the region continue to be properly prepared and placed for their work in the manufacturing field. With this effort in mind, there is a $20 million grant in the works, named the Talent Initiative, which plans to improve the industrial skill sets of the areas labor force. The Talent Initiative, which is being funded by a philanthropic foundation based in Indianapolis, will attempt to retrain adult workers for manufacturing jobs that are evolving due to changing technologies, expand engineering programs at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne and start New Tech high schools that utilize project based learning models in an effort to keep the youth interested in the manufacturing industry.

While government intervention is a great way to amp up industrial training, ultimately the responsibility is left to manufacturing employers to ensure their workforce is properly trained with the right industrial skill sets. At ITC Learning we offer superior industrial training that is offered through a variety of mediums, each of which enables trainees to educate themselves on the basic and advanced industrial skills sets necessary in the manufacturing industry. Contact ITC Learning today to find out how you can get stared.

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Forecasts are generally what get us through each day. We watch the news for the weather forecast and determine whether we need to bring an umbrella to work that day. We watch for stock market forecasts to figure out whether to buy or sell. And now, we can look to the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) U.S. Industrial Outlook quarterly report to know what to expect in the coming years in the manufacturing industry. The report analyzed 27 major industries and offered mostly positive economic forecasts for 24 of the 27 industries. MAPI predicts that in the coming New Year 18 of the 24 industries studied will show gains.

In the third quarter this year, U.S. manufacturing production recovered by increasing 4 percent. Daniel Meckstroth, Ph. D. and Chief Economist says, “The growth is being led by the energy, transportation and industrial equipment industries…Firms are profitable and have the need to spend more for both traditional and high tech business equipment, and reasonably strong growth in emerging economies is still driving U.S. exports.”

While manufacturing industrial production has increased at an annual rate of 4 percent on a quarterly basis it is also expected to increase at about 4 percent as a whole in 2011. In 2012, MAPI predicts industrial production will increase by 3 percent and another 4 percent during the following year. According to MAPI’s analysis, non-high tech manufacturing, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of total production, is expected to grow by 4 percent through the end of this year and then slow a bit to 3 percent in 2012 and 2013. High-tech industrial production, which includes electronic products such as computers and components, is anticipated to increase by almost 8 percent in 2011. High-tech production should grow by another 6 percent in 2012 and 10 percent in 2013.

With such positive outlooks on the coming years, employers will hopefully begin hiring new industrial talent. To ensure new hires are properly placed, managers should implement advanced industrial training courseware. By assessing the industrial skills of your workforce you can determine their strengths and weaknesses and in turn provide the most up to date and effective industrial skills training. Contact ITC Learning today to find out more.

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Replacing an empty propane cylinder on a forklift is not a difficult task, however there are specific standards that should be studied and applied when doing so for the safety of your employees and for the safety of your business. Some of these standards include the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Standard of 1910.178 and the American National Standards Institute/Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation Standard B56.1-2009.

According to the OSHA, there are two classes of propane fueled forklifts. The first, Class IV is an internal combustion engine truck with solid/cushion tires. While the second type, Class V, is also an internal combustion engine truck but has pneumatic tires instead. The plus side is that the propane cylinders in both classes can be replaced by following the same procedures. Industrial workers who are not properly trained to execute such an exchange should not do so. Only appropriately trained personnel should handle the replacement by utilizing the proper safety measures and equipment, such as gloves and safety glasses. The forklift operator’s manual should always be reviewed before handling the propane cylinder as with any industrial equipment.

Operations and maintenance training of forklifts is only one example where further industrial training beyond manuals and basic floor training it critical, especially while plant owners prepare for a younger and less experience workforce to take over. Appropriate industrial training and safety measures should always be taken before operating or maintaining a forklift or any other industrial machinery for that matter. ITC Learning offers quality industrial training and expert knowledge when it comes to manufacturing operations. Ensure your employees are properly trained for all aspects of their daily industrial tasks, and contact ITC Learning today.

Currently number five in U.S. auto production, Alabama could potentially reach a top three position by the end of the year with an expected annual auto production at nearly 900,000 units. The incredible turnaround comes with a sigh of relief as just two years ago, in the midst of an economic downturn, Alabama’s auto production reached just below 468,000.

According to the Automotive News Data Center, in 2010 Alabama stood at number five reaching almost 698,000 vehicles. Michigan remained in the number one position with 1.6 million, Ohio at number two with 1.1 million, Indianan at three with 890,000 and Kentucky came in fourth with 739,00. Thus far, Alabama has produced upwards of 677,000 cars, and expects to surpass last year’s numbers by the end of the month.

Expansions in plants such as Mercedes-Benz and Honda will help boost the states production capacity. Although no expansion has been announced by Hyundai, the Montgomery based factory has already surpassed its capacity. On its own, Hyundai produced nearly 317,000 vehicles by the end of November, breezing by its previous annual capacity of 300,000 units. And with demand at an all-time high for the Sonata and Elantra among environmentally and cost conscious buyers the production trend is expected to continue.

LMC Automotive estimates North American auto production will reach 12.9 million vehicles by the end of 2011, an almost 9 percent increase from the previous year. However, numbers are still down from the 15-17 million vehicles that were produced during the mid-1990s and mid-2000s.

With Alabama’s production output increasing, recruiting opportunities are sure to open up. In order to support the continued success, plant owners will need to develop a talented workforce. The only way to ensure positive growth among employees in an expanding plant is to provide them with quality training for all aspects of their jobs. This includes process training, maintenance training, control training and all other relevant areas. Industrial skills training is key when it comes to the safety and productivity of your factory employees. Click here to learn more about how industrial skills training can benefit your business.

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A major union dispute between Boeing and its employees has hopefully come to a resolution. The unionized workers of Boeing voted to extend a four year long contract that aims to stabilize labor relations while the company plans production of their planes for the next few years.

The deal developed by Boeing during several secret meetings that took place over the past few weeks will ensure the new 737 will continue to be built in Renton, Washington rather than in a non-union plant in South Carolina. The 737 MAX manufacturer hopes to settle the National Labor Relations Board case filed against them for reacting to a 58 day strike in 2009 by  illegally retaliating against the union and starting a non-union plant in South Carolina to manufacture the 787 Dreamliner. With the deal ratified by the Machinists the union plans to put their issues with Boeing behind them.

The 58 day strike that took place back in 2009 was not the first of its kind. Almost 28,000 union workers in Washington, Kansas and Oregon have proven to be aggressive and persistent advocates over the years, going on strike in 1987, 1995, 2005, 2008 and most recently in 2009. The latest strike caused a delay in the delivery of the new 787 and cost Boeing a substantial amount of money, hence their attempt to retaliate against the union.

Once agreed upon, the contract will increase annual wages by nearly 2 percent, offer an incentive program with bonuses and an improved pension program. However, most importantly it guarantees Renton union workers the 737 MAX production will remain in the state of Washington. The agreement also intends to bring labor peace to both sides. Voting for the deal ends Wednesday evening of next week. Approximately 74% of union members support the contract and union officials have openly announced to the press that they believe both parties will agree to the revised contract extension.

With the industrial industry becoming more and more competitive, proper industrial training has become a critical aspect to every manufacturer’s success. ITC Learning offers superior industrial training in all facets of the industry. Click here to learn more.

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With the beginning of a new month comes the statistics of the past month. And this year, they’re looking positive. Thanks to an increase in new orders and production, U.S. factories saw the greatest increase in business since June 2011. Washington reported that manufacturing has increased for the past 28 consecutive months. The Department of Labor said that the number of unemployment applications increased to approximately 400,000 last week, the greatest increase over the past four weeks. While they also reported productivity of those employed rose at an annual rate of 2.3 percent during the July through September quarter. These statistics suggest that the hiring market may be growing at a slower rate compared to production output. The Commerce Department states that construction spending rose for the third consecutive month, however in spite of the increase spending overall remained low in November.

While the unemployment rate stayed at 9 percent for the second month in a row, payroll provider ADP seems optimistic, stating that companies added nearly 206,000 workers last month. Few economic indicators point toward the economy slowly reaching recovery while U.S. factories are reaping the benefits from increased auto sales and subsequent parts and raw material sales.

Consumer confidence seemed to reach an all-time high over the holiday weekend, giving corporations hope that steady growth is here to stay and ultimately will create more jobs in the coming year.

Hopeful corporations means factories and plants will want to ensure their workforce is trained to meet the highest of standards. ITC Learning strives to help organizations achieve the productive and efficient output goals they aim to reach. ITC Learning’s impeccable industrial training skills ensure that your workforce is properly and effectively trained for their job on the factory floor. From process training to maintenance training we aim to provide easy to use and innovative training courseware. At ITC Learning we offer full motion video courseware. With video gradually becoming a more engaging form of communication compared to simple text and images, we are able to provide a learning experience for adult learners like no other training program. By utilizing video courseware, instruction is put into action. As a result, your trainees are able to see how processes and procedures are carried out in real time.  Click here to browse ITC’s video courseware catalogue and our expansive library of online training courseware.

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