Good workers are hard to find. They’re even harder to train when they are new on the job. Factor in the influx of Baby Boomers continuing to retire from the workforce over the next several years, and you’re left with a growing knowledge gap on the shop floor.
That’s where “Training Within Industry” programs enter the picture. Often described as a hands-on method of training and coaching for supervisors, team leaders and workers, TWI was first introduced by the United States Department of War in 1940 to meet the high demand for wartime materials from a less experienced workforce. The training method gained traction in Japan after being introduced at the end of World War II and was most notably embraced by Toyota, becoming a cornerstone of the company’s team leader training that’s still used today.
In the U.S., TWI has seen a resurgence in popularity that started about a decade ago, according to Jay Jochman, a certified TWI trainer and consultant with Madison-based WMEP Manufacturing Solutions.
“Most people just don’t have any type of training or skills related to teaching others,” said Jochman. “So, (TWI) gives them an approach that they can take to fill that gap.”
A TWI program is typically broken into four training modules: job instruction, job relations, improving methods, and improving safety. Most manufacturers opt to start with either the job instruction module, which standardizes a method for instructing employees, or the job relation module, which deals with building company culture and how to treat employees.
Regardless of what module a company starts with, what makes TWI successful is the standardization of the process, said Jochman. For example, if a company wants to train a new employee on a CNC machine, they will follow step-by-step instructions outlined on what’s known as a job breakdown sheet. In addition to key steps, the sheet explains why a job is done a certain way and provides trainers with steps for putting their trainees at ease during the process.
“(TWI is) really focused on coming up with a standard process, sticking to that process, and by doing that, business owners reduce variation within their organizations,” said Jochman.
For Mark Sarder, chief executive officer of Delavan-based MicroPrecision, the decision to begin implementing a TWI program came after the company welcomed a new chief operating officer who was already familiar with the training method. Before that, the company “fumbled along” with its training process.
“It was more like you hand a document to a trainee, say ‘here are your work instructions’ and ‘good luck,’” Sarder said.
After hiring a consultant last June, MicroPrecision began the TWI training process by first bringing in managers to familiarize themselves with the method. Then, company leadership needed to identify which employees would be the best fit to take on a role as a trainer. It’s key to make sure these positions are completely voluntary, said Sarder. Three employees eventually volunteered for the first round of training and later hosted a town hall to showcase the TWI method to their peers.
“They just did a simple training instruction, and it was very impactful,” said Sarder. “I think on the other side of it, we had a lot more people wishing they volunteered.”
Introducing a TWI program can also encourage positive employee relations between departments that might not typically interact with one another. Groups of MicroPrecision employees that might not have known each other at one point in time were suddenly working in training sessions together.
“It just creates this overall bonding within the whole organization,” said Sarder. “It’s this idea that … the whole business owns the program.”
While it’s too soon to tell if MicroPrecision’s employee retention rates have improved following the introduction of its TWI program last June, Sarder said some of the initial feedback he’s received from employees has been promising. Typically, companies can expect to dedicate between 40 and 60 hours of time for initial TWI training.
“We’re still in the early stages of this, but we believe it’s working just because of the response we’re getting and the interactions that we’re getting between employees, which I think are all positive,” said Sarder.
Tips for manufacturers:
- Start with a commitment from company leadership to complete the training.
- When looking to identify potential trainers within the company, select employees who willingly volunteer. This will create a sense of goodwill and commitment.
- Show your employees you’re fully dedicated to the TWI learning process. Perhaps consider slowing down, or even shutting down operations temporarily to showcase what the TWI training method looks like.
- Job breakdown sheets aren’t set in stone. As workers discover better ways to do things, sheets should be adjusted accordingly.
