Tooling U

What's Being Done to Address the Lack of Skilled Workers?

2011-10-12T09:11:00.002-05:00

Tooling U featured in Huffingtonpost!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michele-nashhoff/whats-being-done-to-addre_b_1005375.html

What's Being Done to Address the Lack of Skilled Workers?

2011-10-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

Tooling U featured in Huffingtonpost!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michele-nashhoff/whats-being-done-to-addre_b_1005375.html

Mission Critical : WORKFORCE 2021

2011-09-27T08:57:00.002-05:00

Mission Critical Timeline

2011-09-27T08:45:00.000-05:00

We are SME

2011-09-20T10:16:00.002-05:00

Industry Week's Best Plants 2011 - Tooling U Interview with Hamid Farzad

2011-05-16T14:48:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to our IMTS Challenge Winners!

2010-09-21T12:58:00.008-05:00

Tomasz G.
Prince Industries Inc. – Carol Stream, IL

Sam F.
HTR Machine – St. Louis, MO

Marvin E.
Decimal Engineering - Pompano Beach, FL

Brad P.
BorgWarner - Auburn Hills, MI

Mike B.
Northcentral Technical College - Wausau, WI

Marty H.
Kirby Risk Precision Machining- Lafayette, IN

SME to Acquire Tooling U to Address Skilled Labor Shortage

2010-09-16T07:53:00.003-05:00

Measuring Organizational Effects of Training

2010-02-22T08:56:00.005-05:00

Organizations do not implement training initiatives without expectations. However, these expectations differ from one organization to the next. For each company, there is a key question: “Why did the company consider the training program?” There are many answers to this question and each answer can validate the training investment:

Training is needed to satisfy ISO audits.
Training is needed to get new jobs completed.
Training is expected by employees.

None of these answers are incorrect, but ultimately training needs to have a positive effect on the organization as a whole. These organizational effects produced by training ultimately determine if the training is worth the effort.

The Training Effect

When a training program is initiated at a company, a great deal of effort must be exerted to make everything run smoothly. There are many areas that must be addressed before the training begins, such as marketing the training internally, making employees aware of training benefits and constructing a training launch plan. Once all these activities are completed, the training can be launched successfully. A training program that is properly launched and that is adopted by the company will cause many changes within the organization. The changes happen at all points during the training program’s cycle. But a question remains – when should these organizational effects caused by training be measured and reported?

The question of when to measure and report is extremely important for organizations who initiate training programs. Most companies assume that the ideal moment to capture results occurs at the completion of the training program. This would be a mistake! In any company, many elements contribute to overall success. Such obvious items are marketing of products, pricing discounts and focused resources on a certain aspect of business. These all have an effect on the potential success of an organization, and leaders of marketing and sales will certainly and rightfully take credit for these positive effects, even if it is not due to them. This taking credit for contributions to success is where some people who lead training programs in organizations fail. Does training have an effect on employees and company success? Absolutely!! But often the effect that training has is captured and reported too late.

The Beginning or the End?

A properly targeted and launched training program has profound, positive effects on a company. These positive effects occur throughout the program, not just at the program’s end. The ideal training plan includes reporting on the training impact on the business. This reporting is best scheduled throughout the training process, and the impact of training should be communicated to all levels of the business.

Since communicating the effects of training on the business requires talking to different levels, the message must be tailored to each level. Even though terms like “enrollments” and “completions” are important to the HR and Training divisions, they are not necessarily important to C-Level executives who are controlling the budget, or to business-line executives who care more about what their employees thought about the training. To have these conversations, you need to know your audience. For business-line executives, you should address consumption, attendance and satisfaction. For the C-Level executive, you need to trace everything back to the “big three”: profitability, productivity and revenue growth.

When you start a training program, in order for it to be successful, there are many areas that need to be considered. There are obvious areas such as who will be trained and what topics will be covered and also not so obvious such as how to communicate the impact that training is having on the organization. Although this step is difficult to deliver upon, it is crucial to the success of not only the current training effort but any future training endeavors.

Jim Kasperik

Director of Services

Certificates of Completion Upgrade

2009-10-19T14:33:00.006-05:00

The Certificates of Completion students earn for completing ToolingU classes or competency programs for their organizations have been upgraded.

Functionality

The certificate system has been upgraded to create PDF files. The use of PDF files eliminates several issues regarding the different browser standards and the printing of background images. However, using PDF files does require the use of Adobe PDF Reader.

Design

Administrators are able to select any of the certificate designs to issue a Certificates of Completion to their students.

Students are able to select any of the certificate designs to use for their Certificates of Completion. Students who are a part of a corporate or educational program will be able to print certificates based on their organization’s setup, following these criteria:

1. If an organization uses a custom certificate, a student will only be allowed to print certificates using that custom design.

2. If an organization has opted to display their logo on the certificate, a student will only be able to select one of the four certificate designs created specifically to show an additional logo.

3. In all other situations a student will be allowed to select their preference (provided their administrator has granted them permission to print certificates of completion).

Tom Torres
Web Developer

Robotics and Rigging Training

2009-08-18T08:01:00.003-05:00

This month, TOOLINGU.COM is releasing two new departments to enhance our already robust catalog of manufacturing classes. Our company has created the robotics and rigging departments to offer you even more manufacturing-specific training opportunities.

The new Robotics department offers a comprehensive overview of modern industrial robotics, including installation, maintenance, the basics of programming, and more. The various components of robots are explored in-depth, including end effectors, drives, and vision systems. These classes add to the large curriculum for maintenance professionals already available on our site.

Our Rigging department is focused on some more "back-to-basics" classes that can be used with new employees at any company that does heavy lifting. This new department focuses on the proper attachment and use of cable, chains, slings, and hoists, as well as other essential topics such as proper load calculations and rigging safety.

Robotics:
Intro to Robotics 110
Robot Safety 115
Robot Components 120
End Effectors 125
Applications for Robots 130
Robot Axes 140
Robot Sensors 150
Robot Troubleshooting 160
Robot Maintenance 170
Concepts of Robot Programming 210
Robotic Drives, Hardware, and Components 220
Robot Installations 230
Robotic Control Systems 240
Vision Systems 250

Rigging and Installation:
Intro to Machine Rigging 110
Rigging Equipment 120
Lifting and Moving Equipment 130
Rigging Inspection and Safety 210
Rigging Mechanics 220
Greg Herlevi
Director of Content

What do Training Regulations Mean for Your Business?

2009-08-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Productivity mandates, reductions in workforces and cross-training initiatives often create unintended consequences. Recently, a plant manager told me he couldn’t afford to lose production time for training and could not afford to pay overtime. Another told me that paying his people to train when others at the plant were getting laid off would send the wrong message. In both cases, I recommended they offer a voluntary training program “off the clock” – taken on the employees’ own time.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has been striking fear in the hearts of managers for 71 years, thanks to some hefty fines and legal judgments levied upon corporate wrongdoers. It has also spawned a number of state laws, union work rules and, unfortunately, several common misconceptions. Here’s the good news:

Attendance at training or educational programs normally is not considered working time and therefore does not have to be compensated if:

Training is outside the employee’s regular work hours

Participation is voluntary

The employee does no productive work while training, and

The program is not directly related to the employee’s job. If an employee on his own initiative attends an educational program, the time is not considered hours worked even if the program is related to the job.

If you would like to read the exact wording in the Dept. of Labor documents without wading through the whole book, see below. Remember that only a small portion of the FLSA, which established a minimum wage and regulated important issues such as child labor and unpaid overtime, deals with training issues.

You may, however, live in a state with stricter regulations. To the best of my knowledge, all states allow training as long as it is voluntary and does not constitute productive work. But I’m no lawyer and you’ll sleep better if you ask one to verify the standards in your location.

If you would like to become more versed in the intricacies of the FLSA as it relates to training, I recommend an online class offered by a distance-learning colleague: The Human Equation.

What about the union?
ToolingU was recently written into a collective bargaining agreement with an automotive manufacturer where union leaders embraced the voluntary initiative to learn new skills on their own time. Management responded by providing a wage incentive plan tied to the successful completion of Toolingu.com classes and arranged into three levels of accomplishment.

Another Toolingu.com customer has a strict policy of paying employees for training time. However, the company negotiated a union concession to have training hours paid in “straight time” rather than “time-and-a-half,” even though the training time is performed in addition to the work week’s 40 hours.

There’s a growing recognition on the part of both labor and management that some of the decades-old work rules do not necessarily apply to the modern manufacturing environment. Communications and openness to new ideas are benefitting all concerned to make these companies more competitive.

Len Scaffidi

Senior Client Executive

____________________________________________________

CHAPTER V—WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
PART 785--HOURS WORKED

§ 785.29 Training directly related to employee’s job

…Where a training course is instituted for the bona fide purpose of preparing for advancement through upgrading the employee to a higher skill, and is not intended to make the employee more efficient in his present job, the training is not considered directly related to the employee’s job even though the course incidentally improves his skill in doing his regular work..”

§ 785.30 Independent training.

Of course, if an employee on his own initiative attends an independent school, college or independent trade school after hours, the time is not hours worked for his employer even if the courses are related to his job.

§ 785.31 Special situations.

There are some special situations where the time spent in attending lectures, training sessions and courses of instruction is not regarded as hours worked. For example, an employer may establish for the benefit of his employees a program of instruction which corresponds to courses offered by independent bona fide institutions of learning. Voluntary attendance by an employee at such courses outside of working hours would not be hours worked even if they are directly related to his job, or paid for by the employer.

§ 785.32 Apprenticeship training.

As an enforcement policy, time spent in an organized program of related, supplemental instruction by employees working under bona fide apprenticeship programs may be excluded from working time if the following criteria are met:
(a) The apprentice is employed under a written apprenticeship agreement or program which substantially meets the fundamental standards of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training of the U.S. Department of Labor; and
(b) Such time does not involve productive work or performance of the apprentice’s regular duties. If the above criteria are met the time spent in such related supplemental training shall not be counted as hours worked unless the written agreement specifically provides that it is hours worked. The mere payment or agreement to pay for time spent in related instruction does not constitute an agreement that such time is hours worked.

The Other SME

2009-08-11T09:58:00.000-05:00

Many of you are familiar with SME, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. I’d like to talk about the other SME, the Subject Matter Expert. As a member of the content team at ToolingU, I have met many Subject Matter Experts. An SME is a vital component of our training development process. Largely behind-the-scenes, SMEs validate the content of our products by testing its accuracy and relevance. From my experience, all the great SMEs possess four essential qualities: Knowledge, Experience, Accessibility, and Enthusiasm.

As the name implies, an SME is an expert in a subject. SMEs know the "theory" (from the Greek theoria, which means to view something as a witness) of our topics, and ensure our research is accurate and reflects the most up-to-date advances in a particular field.

An SME is an experienced practitioner of knowledge, putting knowledge to work in a practical manner. SMEs "practice" (from the Greek praxis, which means to enact theory) what they know, and have the ability to make our material relevant to our students. Theory and practice, or knowledge and experience, are inextricably linked.

Knowledge and experience are nothing without accessibility. An SME is accessible, which in today's world is achieved in many ways: via phone, conference call, email, and on-site visits. Being able to readily tap into an SME's knowledge and experience is invaluable.

Lastly, and incidentally my favorite part of SME interaction, SMEs enjoy sharing their knowledge and experience in order to help others and to improve the workforce of tomorrow. Enthusiasm is infectious. Every SME I know loves sharing their knowledge and experience, and is committed to the advancement and long-term success of manufacturing.

The SME contribution to our training materials is passed to our students, and that contribution is likely to stay with the student long after they log off their accounts, into the future of success in the field.

Ben Johnson

Senior Content Developer

ToolingU.com Website Update

2009-08-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

ToolingU.com has been updated with new features to improve user experience and simplify common user tasks.

On ToolingU.com

Assessment Tests – an Excel export has been added.

Solution Pages – new pages featuring the Administration Center and the Student Center have been added.

For Administrators:

Student Passwords – can now be reset by Administrators.

Subscriptions – a new feature has been added to allow Administrators to lookup Subscription numbers to view details and determine if the number is a valid Subscription.

Student Names – in the case of misspelled student names, an easy method has been created to allow Administrators to request a correction. Once set, a student name cannot be changed. However, in the situation of a misspelling a Tooling U Customer Service representative can correct the name.

Student Groups – a new method has been added to provide Administrators with an easy and flexible method to view and print the students that have been assigned to a group or a range of selected groups.

Bulk Approvals/Disapprovals for Competencies – Administrators can now select competencies as being approved or disapproved in a single click. Prior to this change an administrator was forced to approve or disapprove each request one at a time.

Student Templates – can now be applied to all students within a selected group.

Student Permission – a new permission has been added to give the Administrator the option of requiring only that a Final Exam be completed before marking a class as being complete.

Administrator Accounts – Administrators can now update their own account information without being required to have permissions to manage other Administrator accounts.

Manage Administrator Accounts – a new feature has been added which allows multiple administrators to be added to a single Administrator Role. Prior to this change, it was only possible to apply an Administrator Role by opening each Administrator account and making the change.

Competency Manager – offline tasks can now be applied to a class, creating a direct relationship between an offline task and a class. This shows a student which offline tasks they should be completing in conjunction with a specific class.

Class Goals – can now be configured to reset on a recurring role. For example an organization may require each of their students to complete Fire Safety and Prevention 101 by July 1st every year.

If you have any questions or need assistance using any of the new features please contact support at info@toolingu.com.

Tom Torres

Web Developer

Another Successful Sales Meeting!

2009-08-04T07:00:00.002-05:00

The 7th Annual Tooling U golf outing took place on Friday, July 24th at Big Met Golf Course in Ohio's Rocky River Reservation. The culmination of our annual sales meeting, the golf outing is our chance to catch up and interact with team members we may not necessarily see on a regular basis. The day and night were exceptional, even if the golf skills were not.

The gorgeous-weather day began with lunch at the award-winning Rocky River Brewing Company. Granted that waiting on a large party is not easy, the food and service at RRBC were outstanding. The foursomes then assembled at the golf course for a series of tee times beginning at 1:30 PM. Despite a shortage of carts (Big Met is, after all, the busiest course in Ohio…allegedly) the Tooling U golfers managed to tee off and subsequently grind the pace of play to a near-halt. Special thanks to the starter at Big Met for his patience, cordiality, and lightness of mood.

Shooting a scorching 1-over-par, Wes Howard, Dan Pruitt, and Tom Torres managed the best score of the day. The winning team had the right combination of power drives and precise approach shots, which gave the biggest competitive advantage.

The team with the lowest number of putts consisted of Michelle Robinson, Hamid Farzad, Carlos Sarmiento, and Chad Schron. Last and certainly least, Cindy May, James Vickers, Chris Pinner, and Gretchen Schultz managed to shoot an amazing 8-over-par in this scramble. That is no easy feat. Nice job guys!

After a long day on the links, the group headed to the home of James Vickers for dinner and to claim their prizes. Individual prizes went to Tony Keating (longest putt), James Vickers (longest drive), and Tim Cunningham (closest to the pin). Bryan Knaack, Chris Petty, Carlos Sarmiento, and Aleah Kapusi took away some pretty nifty door prizes.

Once again the golf outing proved to be a great way to foster camaraderie here at Tooling U. I would like to thank everyone for their participation and enthusiasm. Lastly, special thanks to Greg Herlevi for his efforts in organizing the event.

Ben Johnson
Senior Content Developer

Dislocated Workers & ToolingU

2009-07-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

The Government and Education team has been working with several dislocated worker programs throughout the country. The goal of these programs is to provide workers whose companies have either closed or laid them off with the skills they need to obtain new jobs. In the process, some of these workers have even gained valuable computer skills. Check out this article to learn more about one of these programs.

Bryan Knaack

Director of Business Development

Junk In, Junk Out

2009-07-28T00:56:00.001-05:00

One of my jobs at Tooling U is to clean up the database. We are currently using Salesforce to organize all of our leads and contacts. CRM software plays an important role in our Client Executives’ everyday tasks, and as part of the marketing department it has been useful for planning our overall marketing strategy and campaigns.

There are many reasons why it is important to keep your CRM clean and up to date. As data is entered, it is not always double checked against existing records. Therefore, duplicate accounts need to be merged or deleted. Records also need to be updated frequently, as addresses may change and people frequently change jobs.

The data housed within the CRM helps sales and marketing to analyze data and prospect more effectively. There is no real way to measure marketing effectiveness, but if the lead source is correct for each record, we can determine where our customers are finding out about Tooling U. This helps us determine if we are advertising in the right magazines and websites and can also improve our SEO (search engine optimization) on sites like Google and Yahoo.

This year, we did a lot of research to determine the characteristics of our typical customer in order to prospect more effectively. This process involved quite a bit of database cleaning. Continuously updating and taking the time to put in the correct information can make running a report to find this information simple, instead of requiring months of filtering information.

For marketing purposes, another reason to keep your database clean is to make your direct mailing and campaigns much easier. It is time consuming to ensure every contact’s name and information is correct. When putting together direct mail campaigns, I have noticed names on labels that look like this:

Vincent Shay – Gone
Or like this:
Sean (scene) O’Malley

These are great examples of how records can be up to date and yet still clutter up a database. Vincent’s last name is not Shay-Gone. Vincent Shay happens to have left his company, hence, “gone.” And as for Sean, it is important that our staff does not mispronounce his name, but receiving a piece of mail with “Scene” is also a little offensive. It is important that all employees are writing this type of information in the notes or archiving old employees. The most important lesson? Since you can never guarantee correct names, always double check your address labels before you mail them.

For a database to stay continuously updated, it has to be an overall company goal. Training, making crucial fields required, incentives, and communicating the importance of why your database needs to stay updated can be helpful in accomplishing this goal.

Krista Maurer

Marketing

Informal Learning

2009-07-23T13:02:00.002-05:00

We recently returned from the ASTD in Washington DC. One of the many popular topics with the presenters and exhibitors was around the idea of Informal Learning. The statistic used was “70 Percent of learning within an organization is informal or social learning.”

I would tend to agree that this statistic would be accurate in manufacturing today. Whether it is time spent debugging a CNC program, discussing a weld, deciding on the best way to fix a machine or discussing an employee issue, all of these events are training events.

If 70 Percent of all training occurring is informal, how do you capture this training? Track the training? Budget for this training? Measure the training? With all of the new and emerging social media like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, how do you keep up with it?

Since social media like this is new to all industries, I doubt that any industry—particularly the manufacturing industry—has an answer as to how to capture informal training and learning that occurs in the workplace. But, it certainly has gotten -ideas flowing at ToolingU. Stay tuned for some exciting new products, sites, and features being added for students, administrators and manufacturing community to address the Informal Learning occurring in manufacturing today.

Chad Schron

VP Operations

On the Road Again: Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference

2009-07-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Tooling U’s Cindy Bernosky and Amy Solis attended the Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Kansas City June 21-June 26th. Students that have won their regional contests advance to the state competitions and students that win at the state level advance to the National contests. The National Leadership & Skills Conference showcases contests in 91 different disciplines ranging from Advanced Manufacturing to Cosmetology. The students compete with a written test, hands-on skills, and then a leadership competition. Advanced manufacturing was well represented with competitions including CNC Milling, CNC Turning, Precision Machining, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation and Welding.

“There is sometimes a negative perception of career and technical education. If those people could have seen the talent, commitment and professionalism of these students, they would be blown away. These students are training for highly skilled occupations that are vital for the future of the American economy,” said Rich Stape of Mahoning Valley Career & Technology Center. Rich is not only active in the Skills USA program at a regional, state, and national level, but is also a longtime Tooling U customer.

We would like to send our congratulations to all of the students that competed at the national level, but especially to ToolingU.com student Chris Harkless from Miami Valley Career & Technology Center for his silver medal in the Precision Machining Technology competition.

Toni Neary
Government & Education

Wedding Bells!

2009-07-16T06:31:00.002-05:00

Wedding bells rang on Friday, July 3rd as Cindy Bernosky of the Government and Education team married her handsome groom James May. On behalf of the entire ToolingU team, I would like to send out a big CONGRATULATIONS to Cindy & Jamie as they start their new life together. The bride was stunning in a beautiful beaded gown and the groom looked dashing in his tuxedo. The couple celebrated and danced into the night with friends and family from throughout the U.S. right here in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio.

Jeremy Sobeck, of the ToolingU Content team, was the best man for the festivities and did not disappoint with his sentimental, yet humorous toast. Stunning bride, handsome groom, and witty best man were not to be outdone by the four-tier chocolate on chocolate wedding cake covered with chocolate-covered strawberries. It was not only a fantastic site, but the cause for not one, but two pieces of cake for me. The newlyweds will be honeymooning in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

We would like to congratulate Mr. & Mrs. May and wish them a lifetime of happiness!

Toni Neary

Government & Education

The Ongoing Search for a Good Restaurant: Mexico

2009-07-14T08:49:00.004-05:00

Last week, I made my first trip to Monterrey, Mexico, and I spent the week with Carlos Sarmiento, our Client Executive for this territory. This trip was a real eye opener for me in many ways, both for business and social understanding.

I never realized the number of large U.S. manufacturing operations that are located in Monterrey. Carlos will have his hands full in this region but so far he is doing a fantastic job getting us in front of some of the premier manufacturing companies. During our time in Monterrey, we met with John Deere, Lennox, Nemak, GE Energy, and MD Helicopter, just to name a few. I was worried about the language barrier, since as Carlos will tell you, my Spanish is not the best. Luckily, all but one meeting was conducted in English. For the one exception, let me tell you, I had no clue what was being said. Carlos afterwards did tell me that the meeting went well, but for all I know, they could have been discussing sports or the weather.

After the long days of visiting companies and knocking on many doors, Carlos was excited to show me what Mexico was all about. I have to say this was the first time I was not the one deciding where we were going to eat that night. I was leaving this up to the resident expert of Mexican culture and food. During our first night, Carlos took me to a fancy restaurant named San Carlos, where their specialty was lamb. Of course, the menu was in Spanish, so Carlos had to translate and I decided to order the rack of lamb. I was not expecting what came out. There was just the meat on a plate. This was followed by tortilla shells along with a bowl of homemade salsa. The meal was fantastic and was the first of many great restaurants where everything was served with tortilla shells and eaten with your hands. One of my favorites was a busy “fast food” place named El Pollo Loco, or the Crazy Chicken. Here again they just provided a whole chicken on a plate and brought out tortilla shells with a few types of salsas. No forks… just eat with your hands. Fantastic.

In Monterrey, MX I learned that both the training and food is “hands-on”. I truly feel that our online training will complement the on-the-job training as it does here in the states.

James Vickers
Director Of Sales

Staffing Update

2009-07-07T07:11:00.000-05:00

Tooling U is glad to welcome Amy Solis to the team. Amy joins the Government and Education Group to aid them in the research and prospecting of new government programs, technical schools, and colleges. Amy is currently training for a triathlon, so when you get a second, wish her luck!

Bryan Knaack
Director of Business Development

Updated Reporting Capabilities

2009-06-30T13:01:00.011-05:00

One of the most powerful tools at a Tooling U Administrator's disposal is the Group Report. Group Reports provide Administrators with the ability to track student usage, progress, and performance within Tooling U; and for the Site Administrator there exist additional reports to review usage and progress for the entire organization.

Current Tooling U Administrators enjoy several “canned” reports (reports available to all Administrators) and the ability to create custom reports to meet their specific needs. Following the launch of the sixth version of Tooling U, one of the areas the Application Development team monitored and reviewed was the Group Reports section and identified several areas of improvement, which led to the development of several enhancements:

The Amount of Data – Large amounts of data can be accumulated throughout years of use and several reports were generated using an organization’s entire history resulting in extremely large sets of data. To prevent this, many reports now feature several search parameters to allow the Administrator to narrow the amount of data returned in the report.
Data Filtering – Custom reports are great when an Administrator has a specific report format they need to run on a regular basis; but they can become a bother when one of the canned reports retrieves the data the Administrator wants but requires the Administrator to page through too many results. To address this issue column filters have been added to almost all of the reports, allowing the Administrator to search for a subset of the results based on the column being filtered. For example, in the Comprehensive Report an Administrator can enter in “Smith” (last name) and modify the results to only display students with “Smith” in their last name. One filter per column can be used, allowing for a flexible and powerful method of filtering and sorting data.

Data Sorting – Launched with the release of version six of Tooling U, many Administrators may not be aware the column titles (when applicable) allow the Administrator to sort the entire report by the data in the selected column. A single click sorts the data in an ascending order (a, b, c, d … etc.), a second click sorts the data in a descending order (z, y, x, w … etc.), while a third click will reset the report to its default display.

Exporting Data – Many of the reports provide the capability the export their results directly to an Excel file. All of these Excel exports feature some enhanced features which went live with the release of Tooling U Version 6. However, after monitoring exceptionally large data exports it was discovered that the file size grew exponentially in size, creating difficulties downloading the report. Eventually, it would be possible to reach the limit of what Excel could handle. To compensate for this, all reports to Excel have now been capped to a specific level, which once reached will then switch the export format to CSV (a flat text file) reducing the size of the file while allowing more data to be exported.

While they are currently in the testing phase, these Group Reports enhancements will launch at the end of June.

If you are a current Tooling U Administrator and have some ideas of your own regarding the Group Reports feature please visit the Tooling U Idea Exchange at http://www.toolingu.com/community to share your idea’s with us and help us improve your Tooling U experience.

Tom Torres

Web Developer

Kick Down the Door!

2009-06-25T10:53:00.005-05:00

Cindy Bernosky & Gretchen Schultz of the Government & Education Group here at Tooling U headed to Minnesota earlier this month to participate in the “Kick Down the Door: Building Bridges to Connection” conference organized by the MPMA (Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association).

The conference, held April 29th through May 1st, provided a forum to understand the needs & concerns of everyone involved in the manufacturing industry. Cindy said the meeting was really productive, stating that “the group just wants what is best for the industry overall. It was great to have secondary and post-secondary educators with industry in the same room.”

The overall goal of the conference was to find ways to improve technical education throughout the state of Minnesota. Some of those improvements include getting educators and industry on the same page, and understanding the needs of students, employers and instructors. The conference included break-out sessions to discuss these needs, and what should happen as the manufacturing industry moves into the future.

Rumor has it the casino night of the conference was also quite a good time. Reportedly, Cindy was the highest bidder for a bottle of wine, but we haven’t seen the bottle around the office, so we don’t know where it ended up.

Toni Neary

Government & Education Specialist

Photo Courtesy The Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association

A Look Back

2009-05-12T07:56:00.049-05:00

Every so often at Tooling U, we work on a project that causes us to look back at where we have been. The recent release of our new website in March spurred a flurry of conversation about how we have grown since we started in 2000. Our newest design incorporates our modern approach to training in an easy-to-use site. However, just a glance at each of our homepages reveals how many changes we made to get here.

2000

2001

2003

2004

2006

2008

2009

As you can see, it has been a long road to get to where we are. We think each change has been an improvement not just in how we look but in how we offer the best online training available.

Chad Schron
VP Operations

Expanding the Team

2009-04-28T07:36:00.004-05:00

Tooling U is proud to announce that we have added two members to our team.

Jim Kasperik has been hired as Director of Services. Jim will help Tooling U customers create and implement training programs within their facilities.

In addition, Tony Keating is the new Client Executive in the Northeast area of the United States. Tony will be working with clients in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

James Vickers

Director of Sales

The New Face of Manufacturing

2009-03-30T09:03:00.004-05:00

Times are tough in manufacturing. Anyone even casually following the news lately knows a lot of companies are struggling. For companies in some of the hardest hit fields like the auto industry, business is drying up. But if there’s one thing I’ve seen, it’s that a good company will always pull through. Manufacturing companies rely on innovation to get through tough times, and now is no different.

A lot of smaller, contract-based manufacturing companies have found that diversifying the industries they work with is key to getting by and even possibly growing. To help them out, Tooling U recently sponsored Industry & Innovation: The New Face of Manufacturing to discuss how to do this effectively. This symposium in Cleveland, OH focused on moving into the energy, medical and aerospace industries. This conference was also a great opportunity for Tooling U to meet with manufacturers looking to continuously improve their businesses. TU’s Chad Schron, James Vickers, and I went to the event to meet with the wide variety of companies that are dealing with the challenges of diversifying.

Jack Schron, CEO of both Jergens Inc. and Tooling U, came to speak in two different sessions on March 17th regarding the importance of training a workforce to become a more flexible company. These “early bird” sessions drew nearly 200 people to hear Jack discuss the pros and cons of different training. Jack explained that the best option with training programs is a blended approach. Using theory-based training to back up hands-on practice helps people learn more quickly, and retain that knowledge on the shop floor. Having knowledgeable people in a company makes diversification a ready option in tough times.

Sarah Wering

Marketing Manager

Tooling U Expands Presence into Mexico

2009-02-16T10:50:00.005-05:00

Tooling U is pleased to welcome Carlos Sarmiento to its sales team. Carlos joined the company in mid-January and has been assigned to the newly created Mexico/Latin America region.

Tooling U has been experiencing a large number of requests for training in the Latin America region. In an attempt to respond better to our regional customers there, we have expanded sales and support to the region.

Carlos joined the team in Cleveland for our annual sales meeting, and was immediately treated to “American Mexican” food at Zocalo. Carlos claims to be a very good dancer and singer, so hopefully he will be showing off those skills at our semi-annual meeting in July!

Welcome to the team, Carlos.

James Vickers

Director of Sales

Sales Team Goes Home Chalupa-less

2009-01-22T16:34:00.010-05:00

Tooling U wrapped up its annual sales meeting in January. On January 8th and 9th, the entire sales team flew in from around the country to meet at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Cleveland. We accomplished a lot in the two days we were there—we worked on developing our sales strategies and projecting how we think Tooling U will react to the turbulent market and economy. Our main focus was on how we can improve our products to enhance our customers' experience with the products.

On Thursday, January 8th, we looked at historical sales data and worked on our marketing plans for 2009. Friday, we discussed best sales practices, contract negotiation best practices and goal setting.

The highlight of these meetings is always the food (and drink!), and this year proved no different! Thursday night we had a fantastic dinner at The Bistro on Lincoln Park in Tremont. Friday we enjoyed a Mexican feast at Zocala on East 4th.

Without a doubt, the most memorable event was our team bonding event. At dinner, we were surprised with the news that we were going to be attending the Cavaliers/Celtics game. We had great seats, right behind the basket. Dan Sloan’s height proved a worthy asset during the game – he reached far above the crowd and managed to snatch a lottery ticket parachute floating from the catwalk.

LeBron James made us proud, leading the Cavs to a 98-83 win. I must say, though, that we did feel a bit cheated in the end. Had the Cavs scored 100 points, everyone in the crowd would have won a free Chalupa from Taco Bell. I've never had a chalupa and was looking forward to trying one! But, with 12 seconds left in the game, the Cavs opted not to attempt the 100th point. So no Taco Bell Chalupas for us!

Sarah Wering
Marketing Manager

Welcome Aleah & Chris!

2008-10-17T14:53:00.006-05:00

Tooling U would like to extend a warm welcome to two new members of our team.

Aleah Kapusi is joining the Inside Sales team. Aleah will be qualifying incoming leads and working with Michelle and Katie to provide support to current customers. Aleah is a dedicated PTA mother and sports fan – if you have a question on Cleveland sports statistics or trivia, send her an e-mail.

Chris Petty will be joining the Outside Sales team, focusing on the western region of the United States. He will be focusing on Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. I would encourage you to send Chris a welcome e-mail – and when you do, ask him to explain to you why he has had over 300 stitches in his head!

James Vickers

Director of Sales

IMTS

2008-10-02T07:58:00.021-05:00

Phew! IMTS 2008 is over! For those of you who missed the show, there’s simply no way to describe it. The best I can think of is 1.2 million square feet of robots, CNC machines, conveyer belts and salespeople! We were lucky enough to be located at the entrance to the North Hall, which provided the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our product to the entire show. I
got a chance to meet a lot of great people over the course of the week – and managed to get a few laughs when I showed them my personal Tooling U test scores.

I think the picture that best sums up IMTS, though, comes from Chris Pinner’s desk. Chris is one of Tooling U’s dedicated writers – and IMTS’ dedicated snatchers. Let’s face it, we all like free stuff. And as trade shows go, IMTS is a free stuff paradise. Chris? Well, he strives for excellence. I think you can tell from the picture below that he made his way around the entire show.

I suppose it’s a good thing that IMTS is every two years. These companies would go bankrupt if they had to supply Chris with new desk decorations every year. See you in 2010!

Sarah Wering

Marketing Manager

The Era of Stolen Workers

2008-08-18T13:08:00.003-05:00

I recently came across an editorial in Metalforming which I found extremely interesting. The editorial was titled, “Labor Shortage? Grow, and Keep, Your Own.” We’ve all known for quite some time that skilled labor is a growing shortage within the United States. Companies are having a harder time finding and hiring employees who already have the skills necessary to complete the job. That’s why Tooling U is so successful – companies can focus on hiring a dependable worker and worry about training them later.

In the past, companies who lacked skilled employees simply stole employees from another rival company by offering better hours, wages or working conditions. Manufacturers in South Carolina and Alabama lured workers from Ohio and Michigan by offering sunny Decembers. Steelworkers in the Ohio Valley were lured to new companies by promises of higher pay and advancement. This era is over.

Across the United States, small and large businesses alike are finding it difficult to find and retain skilled workers. Manufacturing is shifting toward higher skilled, higher paying jobs and as a result, the applicant pool is shrinking. The editorial pointed out that the top four most difficult jobs to fill are for engineers, machinists/machine operators, skilled trades and technicians. According to the article, one company, The Minster Machine Co. in Ohio, has discovered a way to increase retention within its ranks. It has implemented an engineering internship program which begins engineering students on their way to a career with the company. Minster has found that over 95% of the students in their program graduate, and 95% of those engineers stay in Ohio to work. This is impressive work when you consider that over half of Ohio’s engineering students leave the state to begin their career.

Educating employees is simply not enough when facing a labor shortage. Manufacturers need to be grooming future employees through internal training programs, internships, apprenticeships and affiliations with local vocational schools. Tooling U is taking an active stance in helping these programs work. We are currently a part of several educational partnership programs throughout the country.

If your company is not currently facing a labor shortage, it will be soon. As the workforce ages and retires, there will be fewer and fewer skilled workers to replace them. Consider getting your company involved in one of these programs – if you need help or don’t know where to turn, talk to Gretchen Schultz in our Business Development program. She’d be happy to help you get started on the way to recruiting and retaining your own employees.

In you are interested in reading the Metalforming Editorial, click here.

Sarah Wering
Marketing Manager

6th Annual Tooling U Golf Outing

2008-08-01T08:47:00.015-05:00

The 6th Annual Tooling U Golf Outing and Sales Meeting was held Thursday and Friday, July 24 and 25, 2008. The event was kicked off by 12 straight hours of “Sales Meeting” at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Cleveland, complete with stimulating presentations by the Content, Marketing and Sales teams. The highlight of the day was the lack of flowcharts and PowerPoint presentations – thank you James Vickers!After the meeting, the sales team headed to Ohio City for some fine dining and muchas margaritas at Mamocho Mexican restaurant. The staff would again like to thank Mr. Vickers for moving the Friday morning meetings from 7:00 to 8:00 am. That extra hour allowed time for more margaritas, er…sleeping!

Friday morning found the sales team back at the Hilton Garden Inn for a few more hours of business before moving on to Thunder Hill Golf Club and Fish Hatchery in Madison, OH. Team Daniel Cremieux made an appearance for the second year in a row, but found some stiff competition from Team Roundtree & Yorke. Hats off to both for their team spirit and inspiring a new award category for next year’s event – “Ugliest Team Shirt”. There are not many people who can pull off bright red shirts adorned with various fishing apparatus, or wear pink and teal palm trees with such unabashed pride.

The teams teed off to begin an arduous 18 holes of golf on a course with arguably more water than green. It is still up for debate what is more dangerous – the sand traps, the water hazards or the people driving the golf carts. Some drivers needed to be reminded that they were not on the tea-cup ride at the state fair, nor are “donuts” appropriate on a golf course. Once again it was proven that golf balls don’t float, ugly shirts improve your game, Chris “Seth Rogen” Pinner should never have been given a drivers’ license and golf scores don’t improve as the day goes on. Most important however, is the obligatory injured team member whose sole responsibility is to keep the golfers hydrated. Many thanks to Gary Hill. You’re the best beer man Thunder Hill has ever seen!

After an exhausting 5 hours of trash-talk and poor sportsmanship, the group moved on to the Grand River Cellars Winery and Restaurant for dinner, the post-golf party and awards ceremony. The following awards were announced: Best Score was awarded to Tim Cunningham, Dan Pruitt and Toni Neary who all received Gift Certificates to McCormick & Schmick; Greg Herlevi, Cindy Bernosky and Len Scaffidi were awarded Gift Cards to P.F. Changs and an assortment of golf instruction books for Lowest Putts AND Worst Score; The Longest Drive prize went to Jeremy Sobeck who took home a Ping Craz-e Anser Putter; Dan Sloan took home a Nike Tour Sand Wedge for Closest to the Pin; and Tim Cunningham was awarded a Ping G12 Hybrid Club for the Longest Putt. An assortment of door prizes were also awarded: A pair of much-needed noise-cancelling headphones went to Michelle Robinson; a $50.00 Gift Certificate to the spa of his (wife’s) choice went to Wes Howard; I won a $20.00 Chipotle Burrito Card; Katie Strand and Gary Hill each took home golf instruction books; and Chris Pinner received a $75.00 Gift Certificate to McCormick & Schmick.

Many thanks to the Golf Outing Committee for putting this event together, and to all participants for providing such an enjoyable day, despite the general lack of skill.

Chad Schron

VP Operations

OSU and Tooling U Partner to Provide Continuing Education Units

2008-06-20T10:25:00.005-05:00

Have you ever wished that you could receive education units for your Tooling U classes? It is now possible through a partnership between Tooling U and The Ohio State University Center for Corporate and Community Education.

Tooling U and OSU have joined together to offer continuing education units (CEUs). For every seven Tooling U classes a user completes, the Ohio State University Center for Corporate and Community Education will award one CEU for a minimal cost. Continuing Education Units are used nationally as a way of quantifying the time an individual spends in the classroom working on training and professional development activities.

There are several reasons why Tooling U decided to enter this arena. First, our users have been demanding it. While CEUs are not eligible to be used toward a college degree, they serve multiple purposes for both the employer and the employee. Employees are able to maintain a nationally-recognized record of their training. This will help employees who have pay incentives based on skill. Plus, many companies will pay for an employee’s training if it is attached to a CEU or college credit. Meanwhile, employers gain additional concrete metrics upon which they can base raises and promotions, or even hire new employees.

The Ohio State University was a natural choice when it came to choosing a partner for this initiative. OSU is a nationally recognized university—and conveniently located in Tooling U’s home state.

If you are interested in turning your future Tooling U classes into CEUs, contact Katie Strand in our Customer Support division. She can be reached at katie.strand@toolingu.com.

Greg Herlevi

Director of Content

Eleventh Annual High School Machining Contest

2008-06-05T11:11:00.003-05:00

I recently got the chance to travel to Rochester, New York in early May for the Eleventh Annual High School Machining Contest. The competition, sponsored by Monroe’s Community College’s Applied Technologies Center, challenged nearly 30 students to complete a lathe project within three hours, and then complete a mill project within three hours. This competition showcased the skills of students at the BOCES throughout New York. The student that placed first won a semester’s tuition to MCC.

While the students were machining, the instructors got a chance to hold a round table meeting to discuss issues each facing their programs. Some of the common concerns that were voiced included increasing enrollment, engaging students in the classroom and trying to reach academic standards for their respective states. One of the solutions to these problems is using Tooling U to upgrade theory components of curriculum and to help reach academic standards. I was proud to introduce our product to the instructors who were not familiar with it.

If your school is currently facing issues meeting state academic standards or preparing for NIMS testing, make sure to talk to me. I can help you figure out how to make your program shine.

Toni Neary

Government & Education Specialist

Tooling U Goes Mobile

2008-05-21T10:25:00.010-05:00

In case you hadn’t heard, Tooling U did something pretty cool this week. There is now a mobile version of our training program. Users of Tooling U can now access all training and assessment information from their cell phone. The application is compatible with all Blackberry, Apple IPhone and Windows Mobile devices. Check it out at http://www.toolingu.com/mobile.

I got the opportunity this weekend to try it out. I have to admit – this was the first time I had ever used my cell phone for something other than “send” and “end.” Talk about technologically savvy!

Logging in was very easy. The most difficult part of the entire process was trying to navigate myself to the website. I wasn’t exactly sure how to type in the website address. When I finally managed to load the site, I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to access the website. I logged in as a student without any problems, and opened a class. Despite what I anticipated, the text on my screen was large
enough for me to read and comprehend. The graphics loaded with each lesson were clear and easy to interpret.

To be honest, I think the application is pretty cool. It opens many possibilities for Tooling U users, including monitoring training from outside the office. I can’t wait for the first time I see someone taking a final exam ahead of me in line at Starbucks!

Sarah Wering

Marketing Manager

April Showers Bring... New Hires!

2008-05-15T15:01:00.009-05:00

The Tooling U family grew a little larger this past week as the company welcomed three new hires to the team.

Patty Szewcyk has joined Michelle and Katie in our customer service division. Patty will be handling incoming customer support issues. Meanwhile, Sarah Martin has joined the marketing staff. Look forward to seeing some great new ads in the following months! Finally, Tim Cunningham will be beating the pavement in the Southeastern United States (Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Alabama) in search of new accounts for Tooling U.

Welcome to the team!

James Vickers

Director of Sales

2008 Annual Sales Meeting

2008-01-25T08:22:00.003-05:00

The Tooling U sales staff recently held its annual sales meeting over the span of four days in Scottsdale Arizona. While initially it might appear to make most sense to hold meetings at our Cleveland headquarters, the sales staff unanimously agreed to give up low-30s temperatures, rain/snow mixes, and 2 ½ hours of daylight so that the sales team could focus on 2008 goals in a remote location free of distractions... except for gambling. That distraction was deemed allowable.

The location of the sales event was the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino, which provided comfortable rooms, tasteful dining options, and the adjacent casino for evening entertainment. Greg Herlevi, Director of Content Development, was also relieved to find out that he did not have to share bunk beds with Len Scaffidi, despite the numerous and contradictory reports made earlier from various salespeople.

The series of meetings kicked off on Thursday, January 10th with presentations focusing on updates and projections from both Content and Site Development. James Coufalik, Director of Marketing, also presented his activities for the year and unveiled the company's new logo and color scheme. Bryan Knaack, Director of Business Development, focused on the new roles of the Government and Education group, as well as training installations for new customers. The remaining meetings addressed standard processes and documentation for sales. Although the meetings were long, the ideas exchanged were very useful and engaging.

Friday night consisted of fine dining in the casino's steak house, followed by various scenes of entertainment: Toni Neary dancing, Chad Schron counting cards, and Dan Pruitt losing Mark O'Bryan's money.

Saturday afternoon, after wrapping up the group meeting sections of the agenda, the entire sales team participated in a team-building event that involved a two-hour cattle drive. Each person was paired with an appropriate horse and given the task of guiding cattle through the Arizona landscape. Hamid Farzad was in charge of guiding his horse "Rainbow" in circles, and Dan Pruitt could be viewed proudly riding his horse "Hummer H2." As is true with any team building event, the sales team learned a few key lessons: groin and glute soreness typically lasts three days, and horse droppings are green.

On Saturday night, after numerous appetizers, I presented my individual awards. Dan Sloan received the Diamond Award for Best Sales in 2007, and Cindy Bernosky, Toni Neary, Len Scaffidi, and Dan Sloan all received Star Achievement Awards for their individual contributions and superior efforts during the year. Steve Klein also received a Mediocre Fantasy Team award.

In general, the event was a noteworthy success, and the entire sales team looks to even greater successes in 2008. Thanks to all those key people who participated.

James Vickers

Director of Sales

The Tooling U staff continues to grow!

2008-01-25T08:19:00.003-05:00

James Coufalik Added as Tooling U Marketing Director
Another key resolution for Tooling U in 2008 is to boost our marketing efforts. We have hired James Coufalik as our new Marketing Director. James is already working to solidify our brand identity, unveil our new logo, and plan our marketing and advertising campaign for the calendar year. James brings extensive experience helping consumer, business to business, and pharmaceutical companies communicate their brand in the US and Europe.

New Customer Service Representatives
Our customers want and deserve live support that matches our web-based training tools. We recently hired Michelle Robinson and Katie Strand as two new Customer Service Representatives. Michelle and Katie join our talented Customer Service Team and will be responsible for assisting our customers with their accounts, training new users on web site features, and working with prospects to help them identify the proper Tooling U training solution. Both Michelle and Katie will provide support for our individual customers needing assistance, as well as our corporate customers.

Gary Hill Added as West Coast Regional Sales Manager
We have also added Gary Hill as our new Regional Sales Manager for the west coast territory. Gary is excited to help increase sales and meet the unique needs of west coast manufacturers. He brings to us his knowledge and experience gained while selling training and IT technologies .

James Vickers

Director of Sales

Tooling U Introduces Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) Classes

2008-01-08T15:43:00.000-05:00

Cleveland, OH – Tooling U, a provider of online manufacturing training, has developed a series of online training classes that address programmable logic controllers (PLCs). These new PLC classes will be included with other classes that address electrical systems, motor controls, and mechanical systems to provide comprehensive training for maintenance professionals.

PLCs are used in a wide range of applications for automation and electrical control over industrial processes. The PLC itself is a software-driven device that detects input signals, processes these signals with a logic-based program, and then sends signals to the appropriate outputs. This allows the PLC to control traffic light signals, packaging processes, assembly lines, or any other application demanding automated control.

PLC training is a key topic for maintenance professionals. "Many of our customers have asked about PLC training, especially for their maintenance people. As equipment gets more complicated, the people that fix it really have to keep up with the learning curve," said Chad Schron, Vice President of Tooling U. "With these PLC classes, or any of our subjects, we work with industry experts to make sure the material is relevant and up-to-date for our audience," added Schron.

Tooling U provides a wide range of online training courses for people in the manufacturing industry. These courses are delivered through a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that allows companies to assess training needs and track performance. In addition to the new PLC training titles, Tooling U offers training packages for mill/lathe operators, press operators, and assemblers, as well as custom-created training material for Fortune 500 manufacturers.

For more information about Tooling U and the new multi-language interface, visit www.toolingu.com or contact a Tooling U sales representative at 1-866-706-8665.

Tooling U Develops Multi-Language Interface in Spanish, Chinese and German

2007-12-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

Cleveland, OH – Tooling University, a provider of online manufacturing training, has developed a new multi-language interface to deliver content in multiple languages. The interface includes all the key features needed for users to fully utilize Tooling University's learning management system (LMS). The company's web site is currently used to deliver content in English, Spanish, and German, with additional training content in simplified Chinese expected by January 2008.

The new multi-language interface was created to satisfy the training needs for large international manufacturers, allowing these companies to provide consistent, standardized training to their workforces worldwide. Like the English-based classes, all Tooling University non-English classes contain a rich array of multimedia, easy navigation tools, and a section for the student to take and save notes.

Full multi-language capability presented some unique challenges. According to Chad Schron, Vice President of Tooling University, "the average person is surprised at the work needed [to add multi-language capability]. In the U.S., we're used to a certain number of characters. But because Chinese contains so many different symbols, you have to switch to a double-byte character set."

A fully functional multi-language site is just one recent step for Tooling University in a long series of changes made to accommodate international users. Said Schron, "we first got started by translating our content for Spanish-speaking users in the U.S., and then redesigned the site navigation in Spanish to reach a broader audience in Mexico. Once our customers started requesting German and simplified Chinese, we knew a multi-language site was inevitable." Tooling University expects to release Chinese-language training for CNC machinists in January 2008.

Tooling University provides a wide range of online training classes for people in the manufacturing industry. These classes are delivered through a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that allows educational institutions and companies to assess training needs and track performance. Tooling University offers training packages for CNC operators, mill/lathe operators, press operators, assemblers, and maintenance professionals, as well as custom-created training material for Fortune 500 manufacturers.

For more information about Tooling U and the new multi-language interface, visit http://www.toolingu.com/ or contact a Tooling U sales representative at 1-866-706-8665.

Tooling U working with the State of Sonora, Mexico to Develop a World-Class Workforce

2007-12-17T15:12:00.000-05:00

Hermosillo, Sonora, México – Tooling University, an online manufacturing training provider, has partnered with CANACINTRA Hermosillo (Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Transformación) and ICATSON (Instituto de Capacitación para el Trabajo del Estado de Sonora) for the implementation and delivery of a strategic industrial training program to develop its workforce in the state’s capital Hermosillo. This new training initiative was made possible with the support of the State Secretary of Economy (Secretaria de Economía) and the Secretary of Education (Secretaria de Educación y Cultura). Supporters of this unique training initiative expect the student base to expand throughout the state of Sonora as well.

Icatson started its first blended training course, combining classroom and online training, in April, 2007. Twenty unemployed students took computer numerical control (CNC) training that was sponsored by the Secretary of Economy. "The proactive interest and great vision of the State Government, Canacintra, and Icatson was the key to the success of this program realization," said Ing. Noe Hernandez, Tooling University Representative for Latin America. "After completing their classes in August, 2007, these students are fully prepared to join the industrial market with valuable knowledge and skills," added Hernandez.

Supporters of online manufacturing training portray an optimistic view of its success. More importantly, a number of trained workers have received job offers from various multinational companies. According to Ing. Noe Munguía, President of Canacintra Hermosillo, as quoted in the newspaper El Imparcial, "We are certain that all these students will get good jobs right away because the industry has a huge need for skilled people."

The State Promotion Agency (COPRESON) is currently planning with Icatson and Canacintra the implementation of a state-wide industrial training program. This program would offer Tooling University classes to all the Icatson locations throughout the state and would involve the participation of their teachers. “We are very excited to help manufacturing in Mexico continue the training of technicians and engineers. Training is crucial for the successful growth of the industry and the emergence of a world-class workforce,” said Chad Schron, Vice President of Tooling University.

Tooling U Partners with NCATC to Offer Industrial Training

2007-09-01T16:02:00.000-05:00

Cleveland, OH – Tooling U has partnered with The National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) to provide a new blended learning solution to NCATC members. This new partnership will combine Tooling U's extensive list of online training classes with the hands-on training resources of NCATC members to offer manufacturing companies a solution for improving the skills of their workforce.

As part of this new initiative, Tooling U will offer NCATC members special pricing for online training assessments, along with discounted 6-month and 12-month subscriptions providing access to the entire Tooling U online class catalog. Tooling U will also provide train-the-trainer sessions at the Summer & Fall conferences.

With this new partnership, NCATC schools can incorporate online training classes into their existing curriculum, as well as bring this new blended training solution directly to the companies. According to Craig McAtee, Executive Director of NCATC, "By working together, NCATC and Tooling U can offer a compelling blended learning solution that brings together online training and essential hands-on training. Both are crucial for offering efficient and effective training for today's manufacturing workforce."

Tooling University provides a wide range of online training classes for people in the manufacturing industry. These classes are delivered through a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that allows educational institutions and companies to assess training needs and track performance. Tooling University offers training packages for CNC operators, mill/lathe operators, press operators, assemblers, and maintenance professionals, as well as custom-created training material for Fortune 500 manufacturers.

For more information about Tooling U and the job-specific training programs, visit www.toolingu.com or contact a Tooling U sales representative at 1-866-706-8665.

For more information about NCATC, visit www.ncatc.org.

Tooling U Introduces Troubleshooting and Press Brake Classes

2007-08-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

Cleveland, OH – Tooling U, a provider of online manufacturing training, has developed three troubleshooting classes as part of their Quality department and also six new press brake classes.
The troubleshooting classes teach students how to evaluate problems on the shop floor by understanding the root cause of problems and studying their causes and effects. The students are encouraged to use teamwork and proactive solutions to create a safer, more efficient workplace.
Troubleshooting classes apply to virtually any type of shop atmosphere. "Many of our customers wanted to see troubleshooting classes because they wanted to teach their employees about the process of solving problems in the shop. We want to discourage 'quick fix' solutions that lead to greater problems in the long run," said Chad Schron, Vice President of Tooling U.

The press brake classes allow students to familiarize themselves with part creation and bending process on the press brake machine. The topics covered include safe use of the press brake, the components of the machine, operations performed on the press brake, how to operate the press brake, and the specifications of different press brake machines. "We already offered a full stamping department, but many customers still use the press brake in their shop and requested training specific to the more precise, manual operation" added Schron.

Tooling U provides a wide range of online training courses for people in the manufacturing industry. These courses are delivered through a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that allows companies to assess training needs and track performance. In addition to the new troubleshooting and press brake titles, Tooling U offers training packages for mill/lathe operators, press operators, and assemblers, as well as custom-created training material for Fortune 500 manufacturers.

For more information about Tooling U and the job-specific training programs, visit www.toolingu.com or contact a Tooling U sales representative at 1-866-706-8665.

Welcome to Tooling U 4.0!

2007-08-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

We have been hard at work on the new version of Tooling U and it is finally here. A big thanks goes out to our customers because a lot of the improvements came right from you. Another big thanks goes out to all of our Beta Testers! Below is a list of just some of the new student, administrator and new products released in the new version of Tooling U.

Student Center Updates

New Lesson and Student Center Interface and Navigation
FLASH video and Audio for better performance
Dramatically faster tests and classes
Map Skills Assessment to your schedule
Improved Certificate
And Much More

Administrator Center Updates

Improved Administration Center Interface and Navigation
Custom Class prerequisites
Remove Classes via Individual, Group or Enterprise wide
Groups for Assessment Test Takers
New Reports – Subscription and Competency
Improved Reports with Group Filters
Improved Class Registration

New Products

Content Editor – Now you can add your own text and multimedia content directly into Tooling U classes. Very similar to Wikipedia.
Competency Manager – Do you need to track online and offline training or career path employees? The competency manager will be your new best friend.
Reference Portal – Looking for a quick reference source where you can look up your manufacturing questions? Want to skip clicking through an entire class to find your answer? The reference portal is the place for you.
Online Community – The new Tooling U online community is where you can download training videos, make content and site suggestions, get best practices, implementation tools and MUCH MORE.

Let us know what you think!

The 5th Annual Tooling U Golf Outing

2007-08-01T14:16:00.001-05:00

The 5th Annual Tooling U Golf Outing was held on Friday, July 20, 2007. The golf gods accepted our tribute (two Briardale range tokens and a "Congratulations Cindy and Bryan" party favor golf tee) and granted us a beautiful day with blue skies and temperatures in the low 70s. The day began with a quiet lunch for the assembled linksters at Chammp's at Crocker Park, at least until the sales group arrived and commenced the traditional pre-golf trash talk. It was an enlightening lunch, mainly because the group never knew that Dan Pruitt is a descendant of Old Tom Morris himself, beat John Daly in a longest drive contest, and left the PGA tour qualifying school for a career in sales.

After lunch, our twenty duffers took to the Hilliard Lakes Golf Course in Westlake OH for 18 holes of championship golf. "Little Augusta" was in great shape and was poised to be a strong test of golf. And our golf teams also looked great and were poised to test the limits of the game and each others' patience. Hats off to Team Daniel Cremieux for landing an endorsement, er…buying matching shirts. You looked good; we just never want to see those shirts again…ever! After a brief and hurried stop at the driving range, the foursomes teed off the starter, then teed off. Special thanks to Bryan Knaack for agreeing to play, in spite of his embarrassing lack of skill. We were pulling for you to break 125 and were hoping your team could use at least one of your drives. On a side note, can someone tell me where the sandbags in Bryan's cubicle came from? It's a mystery.

The grueling 18-hole test of golf separated the winners from the losers, which were to be distinguished at the post-golf party. Special thanks to James Vickers for opening up his Pottery Barn showroom, er…home for our exclusive use. The following award winners were announced after dinner. The following members of the team with the lowest score (i.e. best team) each received a gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods: Bryan Knaack, Dan Pruitt, Dan Sloan, Tom Cramer. The team with the highest team score (i.e. worst team) each received a copy of "Happy Gilmore": James Vickers, Greg Herlevi, Kathy Puskas, Beth Ray. Bryan Knaack, the undisputed underdog of the entire day, came out of nowhere to claim the longest drive contest and a dozen Callaway balls. The disputed longest drive for a newbie contest was awarded to Toni Pattison and Dan Sloan, who both received gift certificates to BestBuy. Chipotle gift cards were awarded to the team with the lowest putts: Wes Howard, Ben Johnson, Steve Klein, Kathleen Davis. A dozen Callaway golf balls were awarded to Cindy Bernosky (closest to the pin) and Bryan Knaack (surprise surprise…for the longest putt contest).

The golf outing committee would like to thank everyone who participated in this outstanding Tooling U tradition.