Inside the Quick Start process

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

At Quick Start, we're proud of the many companies we work with and the training we've been able to deliver for them. We're also proud of the methods and techniques we have developed that enable us to provide our services to the people and businesses of Georgia and help support job creation in our state. From the initial project study to the final delivery of training, Quick Start's professionals follow a rigorous process that
guarantees top-quality performance. Through the Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process, we carefully structure and monitor every aspect of our projects to ensure that each is customized to the specific needs of an individual business. Creativity and professionalism are the hallmarks of all our projects, whether we're working for manufacturers, call centers or headquarters operations.
While both employees and employers around the state are aware of the results produced by the Quick Start team, few know how we do it. "Inside the Quick Start Process" now lets you go behind the scenes to see our training professionals at work.
Jackie Rohosky Assistant Commissioner, Economic Development Programs

Table of Contents

3 Georgia's Quick Start Solution Quick Start is well-known by companies it's served, but many are curious about its secret of success.
4 Getting It Right The "project study" provides the basis for training to be customized to a client's specific needs.
5 Some Assembly Required A "task analysis" looks at each step in a company's unique process to guarantee customized training.
6 The Virtue of the Virtual Computer animation and simulations bring the big picture down to size.
8 Follow the Leaders Collaboration skills are fundamental to the operation of effective teams.
9 The Producers Around the state, Quick Start's creative services teams produce high-end training materials and job aids.
10 Fitting In Manufacturing Process Training shows employees how an entire operation comes together.

10 Point, Click, Learn e-Learning provides effective, interactive training.
11 A Deep Bench Quick Start and Georgia's technical colleges work as a tag team for business success.
12 Exercise in Excellence Quick Start's training professionals bring creativity to every challenge.
Driving Lessons
Mobile labs and portable modules take training wherever it needs to be delivered.
13 Fighting Trim The "lean philosophy" shows clients how to cut waste, increase value and stay competitive.
14 Keeping Skills Up-to-Date Maintenance skills assessments help companies keep employees prepared.
Cultural Studies
Mutual understanding is key to success when working with international companies.
15 Lights, Camera, Action From concept to the final cut, Quick Start's media technology team makes five-star videos.
16 Quick Start Office Location Map

Published by Georgia Quick Start www.georgiaquickstart.org Quick Start is a registered service mark of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education Michael F. Vollmer, Commissioner. Address comments and questions to: Rodger Brown, Director of Communications rbrown@georgiaquickstart.org GA Quick Start 75 Fifth St. NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308
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Georgia's
Quick Start
Solution
It happens all the time.
A company announces it is considering Georgia for new investment. Georgia's economic development team comes together to explain to the company the various incentives that are available from state and local organizations. Typically, as with all states, there will be talk of tax credits, real estate, and the quality of life.
But Georgia has something other states don't Quick Start. And when company officials hear what Quick Start has to offer, they usually don't believe it...
Continued on page 4
The key to Quick Start's effectiveness is the thorough and structured process the organization follows to develop and deliver training. From top left: The process begins with a project study (see page 4); information gathered during the project is transformed into lesson plans and job aids; training materials are produced; training is delivered, either in the classroom or on the job; training is put into practice producing high-quality finished products.
This illustration of Quick Start's process was put together with the generous assistance of Quick Start client Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres in Sparta, Ga., where decoration is applied to perfume bottles for distribution around the world.
3

Georgia Quick Start

Continued from page 3
This is what they hear: Quick Start will provide customized workforce training to any qualified company, whether it is new to Georgia, expanding its workforce, or adding new technology to stay competitive.
Here's the too-good-to-be-true part: It's free.
"I didn't believe it," an executive with a national food company said about Quick Start's services. "It seemed too good to be true. I didn't believe they would deliver the program as professionally and as efficiently as they did."
He's not alone. For company

executives who are used to being saddled with the hassles and headaches of recruitment and training on their own and being offered little in the way of support from other states Quick Start's solution to startup training is the "killer app" they didn't even know they were looking for.
But when they see the results, they're convinced.
"We discovered Quick Start and learned they could deliver this fullblown, wholehearted induction program for our employees and manufacturing operations," said Nigel Briers, Perkins Shibaura change facilitator, after his company

decided to locate a new plant in Griffin, Ga. "And all this could be done prior to us taking over the facility and starting production. That's just something you could not walk away from."
Since Quick Start's beginning in 1967, thousands of companies in Georgia have come to the same conclusion. Over the course of nearly 5,000 training projects, more than half a million Georgians have benefited from Quick Start's services.
While the results Quick Start delivers are proven, what remains a mystery to most is just how Quick Start is able to consistently live up to its name and help companies go

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

Getting It Right

`Project study' the foundation for effective training

It's the centerpiece of Quick Start's unique method of developing workforce training. It's the "project study," and it provides the foundation for all the coursework, hands-on and job-specific training to follow.
It begins when a company expresses a need for Quick Start's services. A project leader is assigned, and the Quick Start team begins an intensive analysis of the company's production processes and the skills required for the jobs being created. The team interviews employees and managers and observes and records the details of the tasks that will be at the heart of the training. Once the jobs have been analyzed, the team puts together a training program targeted specifically to that company's needs.
"The project study is critical to Quick Start's process," said Eddie Fite, a project manager based in Quick Start's Augusta office. "It establishes the relationship with the company and makes sure the training we develop will be focused on just the right skills for the job. Almost the entire training plan grows out of the data collected during the project study.
"The project study and the training plan that is derived from that are unique to each client," Fite said. "Without this groundwork being laid and this work being done up front, there could be a lot of wasted effort. But following this method, our training is always on target." I

Right: Sketches made during a project study are later turned into technical illustrations for training materials. These depict the construction of the AeroSphere, a new high-altitude airship being developed by Columbus-based Techsphere Systems International.
4

from mission statement to mass production, and do it fast.
As one company official put it, "I don't know how they did it, but they did."
How we do it
What makes Quick Start unique and effective is the process the organization has developed over nearly three decades of creating customized workforce training. Rather than deliver off-the-shelf training programs, Quick Start tailors each project to a company's specific needs. And to guarantee the effectiveness of each customized training project, Quick Start's pro-

Instructional Systems Design
Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is a systematic method of analyzing training needs, designing targeted materials, and delivering instruction focused on clear objectives that is at the core of Quick Start's process. Feedback mechanisms measure effectiveness and promote continual improvement. Quick Start's professionals are rigorously trained in ISD to guarantee consistency and quality of training programs.

fessionals follow a rigorous and thorough process of defining a company's needs and designing training that works.
Every Quick Start project begins with a project study where a training

professional researches a company, learning about its products and services and the details of its planned startup or expansion (see "Getting it Right," page 4). A task analysis
Continued on page 6
Far left: Columbus Quick Start staff members take apart a diesel engine to produce assembly instructions (center) and practice modules (below) to be used by trainees.

Some Assembly Required

`Task Analysis' first step in training development

When Perkins-Shibaura decided to open a plant in Griffin for putting together diesel

engines, the first thing Quick Start did was take one apart.

"We got sample engines from the company, but we didn't have any clear instructions for

how to assemble them," said Shelby Lee, Quick Start training coordinator. "So we just began

taking them apart and photographing each step. Then we just reversed the sequence of the

photographs and created training materials that showed how to put them together."

This kind of analysis is fundamental to successful training. During the project

study, Quick Start's team observes employees performing certain jobs and compiles

a detailed breakdown of every step. Easy-to-use materials are then developed by

Quick Start's creative services team to use during training.

"Part of our job is to translate technical information into materials that can be

easily understood by a new employee," Lee said.

All the training materials are reviewed and tested for accuracy to make sure no

step is left out. Materials are approved by company officials and put through trial

runs to work out any bugs.

A Quick Start team reviews the accuracy of operating instructions developed for a client company in Claxton, Ga., to

"In the end, the trainee gets the best materials possible," Lee added. I

ensure effective training.

5

Georgia Quick Start

Continued from page 5
identifies the steps required to do a job correctly and the skills the employee will need to perform successfully. A comprehensive training plan is drafted, lesson plans are designed, and training materials are produced.
Finally, the training is delivered -- whenever and wherever the company wants.
That flexibility can be critical for making a training program fit with a company's schedule. At Goody, in Manchester, instructors frequently held classes during the graveyard shifts. "Quick Start was there to do

the training whenever it was needed," said Bob Koon, Goody's molding technical manager.
"They had classes to accommodate our shifts, and sometimes training started at 3 a.m.," Koon said. "If Quick Start hadn't been able to work around our shifts, we'd still be struggling along."
Benefits beyond training
Because of the thoroughness of Quick Start's process, companies frequently discover added value in the relationship.
For example, companies in strategic industries such as aerospace and medical products are able to use the

"Quick Start has invented
a new technology of
training that is superior
to anything I have seen
in Europe."
Hans Wilden, CEO of Wilden AG
documents Quick Start produces to help them meet requirements set by federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the Federal Aviation Administration.
Executives at Wilden Plastics in Peachtree City needed to demonstrate the production quality of a

Multimedia developer David Deane (right) works with a consultant in a Quick Start lab to assemble components for a robotics simulation.

The Virtue of the Virtual
Simulations target specific training needs safely and effectively

Increasing numbers of manufacturers are turning to robotics to help keep their businesses competitive, so Quick Start's new robotics course will become part of the curriculum available at the new Center of Innovation in Manufacturing Excellence, located at Lanier Technical College in Gainesville. At right, examples of some of the computer animation used in the virtual robotics simulation to help trainees learn the basic principles underlying the technology.

When a task is repetitive, dangerous or requires a high level of precision, the perfect solution is robotics, but to train employees to use the expensive equipment, company managers can't just cross their fingers and turn them loose with a control pad and two tons of whirling steel.
With more manufacturers installing automated systems, Quick Start has developed innovative training that uses computer animation and a virtual robot that responds to an operator just as a real one would, only without the hazards that come with beginners operating heavy machinery. "We visited plants and observed their operations and wrote the program to exactly simulate a complete robotic work cell," said David Deane, multimedia-based training developer with Quick Start's southern operations. "But even though it's virtual, we made sure to incorporate safety procedures throughout." "We went with a software simulation because it offers the flexibility needed to help reproduce a client's real-world work environment," said Vic Desmarais, manager of advanced manufacturing technology at
Quick Start. "Now we have a program that can be used wherever robotics are being installed."
Seeing the big picture
Safety is one major benefit to using simulations in training, but they have also proven effective to help trainees visualize large systems or practice interactive scenarios.

6

medical device made at the facility. FDA approval was required before the product could be marketed, and after Quick Start analyzed the production process to develop a training program, the documents proved valuable in meeting FDA standards.
"Quick Start has helped us meet every level of qualification," said the plant engineer at Wilden's Peachtree City facility.
"The advantages of Quick Start's methods are that they can be used in so many areas," said Hans Wilden, CEO of Germany-based Wilden AG, after reviewing the materials developed by Quick Start. "Quick Start has invented a new technology of

training that is superior to anything I have seen in Europe."
At Havertys' Eastern Distribution Center in Braselton, company managers found that Quick Start training directly impacted the bottom line.
"We've had zero major injuries, thanks to Quick Start training and signage," said Steve Schingler, VP of distribution. "Because of the safety training and signage, we also save on our insurance. The Quick Start training is very cost-effective."
It's this proven track record of delivering real-world results that has made Quick Start a key part of Georgia's economic development team. Responsive and effective

workforce training has become one of the most critical ingredients in a company's successful startup or expansion, and Quick Start's expertise in delivering customized training solutions is making a difference as companies decide where to make new investment and create new jobs.
Once companies become aware of Quick Start's services and record of performance, the issue of workforce quality in Georgia becomes a positive incentive rather than a challenge.
As one executive said during a training plan signing ceremony in Thomasville, Ga., "When we look at what brought us here, No. 1 on the list truly is Quick Start."

Quick Start works with many businesses in the service industry, particularly call centers. At right, technical college staff members Austin Johnson and Tonya Cooper experience a call center simulation to familiarize them with the latest technology that can be used to benefit their industry clients.
"Warehouse and distribution centers are so large that you can't see the whole process," said Burt Bethea, a training coordinator in Quick Start's Vidalia office. "But here you see it all in one easily understood simulation.
"When you can't train someone on the job," Bethea added, "you have to be able to bring the job into the classroom."
Training for call centers and customer service operations also benefits from computer-based simulations.
"We use the simulation as part of a pre-employment assessment so trainees can experience what it's like to be a customer service representative and for the potential employer to be able to select the best employees," said Sandra Morris, Quick Start's director of performance technology. "It's a great tool for providing a realistic preview of the call center environment."
"The research and development we do at Quick Start keeps us up-to-date with changing industry needs," said Quick Start's head Jackie Rohosky. "And these virtual simulations are state of the art." I

Burt Bethea (far right), a Quick Start training coordinator, walks a class through a simulation of a warehouse distribution system.

7

Georgia Quick Start

Kimberly TaylorFears, a Quick Start instructor, takes her HighPerformance Leadership class through a lesson in human needs.

Follow the Leaders

Courses in `soft skills' help produce well-rounded employees

Why are 15 supervisors and team leaders who usually work with molding machines on a plant floor gathered around a raw egg dangling from the ceiling by a piece of string?
They're clustered in groups trying to build a device that will catch the egg safely when it falls. It's part of a Quick Start exercise designed to teach teamwork, communication skills, and how to deal with change.
"There's more to handling change than putting a good plan together," says Jim Drake, a High-Performance

Leadership class instructor. "You must deal with what your people are losing -- things like security and their power base."
While having employees who know how to operate complicated machinery safely and efficiently is essential for any company's success, equally important is having good leaders on the floor -- people who can motivate employees, encourage teamwork, and communicate changes while helping workers deal with uncertainty when necessary.

That's why Quick Start offers courses in the "soft skills." Programs in One-to-One Communications, Managing Difficult Situations, Resolving Interpersonal Conflict and Introduction to Teams, among others, complement the technical training employees receive, teaching participants interpersonal skills they can use to maintain a smoothly functioning workplace.
In High-Performance Leadership, for example, participants focus on determining their personal leadership styles and studying proven leadership techniques. Case studies, class discussions, video presentations, and even egg-saving exercises are part of the 32-hour course. The end result is the creation of a Leadership Action Plan, which helps participants take key skills from the course and apply them to their own work situations.
"As important as it is that employees know how to do the physical tasks of their jobs, it's equally important that they be able to work together to solve problems," says Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner for economic development programs. "We want to make sure our companies have the best all-around workforce possible." I

On the Road for Economic Development

Since its beginning in 1967, Quick Start has evolved from a modest training program to one of Georgia's key assets for supporting new and expanding industries. To ensure the quality of Quick Start's services, Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner for economic development programs, who has led Quick Start since 1990, regularly meets with employees and employers around the state to monitor the effectiveness of Quick Start training.
"Quick Start has a mandate to deliver the exact training needed by companies to help keep them competitive and to protect jobs in Georgia," Rohosky says. "We can only do this by getting out in the field, visiting companies and seeing what they really need to keep their businesses prospering." I

Photos, clockwise from left: Jackie Rohosky (center) speaks with Jan Melcher (left), then-vice president of economic development at DeKalb Technical College, and Kazuhiro Iwata (right), president and CEO of Nisshinbo Automotive Manufacturing Inc.; an employee at Kimberly-Clark (left) demonstrates a control
system to Rohosky at the company's LaGrange facility; Rohosky (left) and Patrick Perus, president of Polycor Georgia Marble, tour the company's mining operations in Tate, Ga.
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The Producers
From pocket cards to computer-based 3-D animation, Quick Start's creative services departments deliver the goods
To produce the training aids and course materials needed for Quick Start's projects, each office is staffed with a team of graphic designers, illustrators and desktop publishers. Experts in technical drawing, computer animation, layout and production, the teams produce thousands of job aids, charts and interactive computer programs each year.
"We have the capability to produce nearly every kind of training material a client could need," said Gary Wilson, manager of creative services in Atlanta. Quick Start offices in Savannah, Augusta, Vidalia and Columbus each have their own creative services capabilities to support local projects.
"By having the ability to produce this range of materials quickly and customized to each project, we're able to deliver the total package when it comes to workforce training," said Jackie Rohosky, assistant commissioner of economic development programs. I
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Georgia Quick Start

Fitting In

Manufacturing Process Training puts employees into `the big picture'
One common approach to training new hires is to have each "shadow" an existing employee who teaches the new person how to perform his or her specific task. This technique can work, but there are definite downsides: too much detail presented out of context can cause confusion; bad habits are passed on; and new hires learn only one step in the process, limiting their ability to contribute to producing optimum quality.
Quick Start, however, has a better solution. By including Manufacturing Process Training (MPT) in most of the programs delivered to companies, Quick Start helps new employees learn more quickly, make fewer mistakes and contribute at a much higher level.
MPT provides a structured and

An example of a Manufacturing Process Training aid.

thorough overview of a company's entire process, explaining each function, process variable, and the purpose of each task. By understanding the logic behind the entire process -- seeing "the big picture" -- the employee is better able to avoid mistakes, contribute to effective troubleshooting and innovation, and incorporate new methods.
At PCC Airfoils in Douglas, Ga., for example, the company used

Quick Start's MPT to help evaluate applicants for new positions they were creating.
"This made our selection process much more effective," said Gene Snyder, PCC Airfoils' head of human resources. "We're in the aerospace industry and have to adhere to strict guidelines. The quality of our employees has to be above average, and Quick Start's process helped us guarantee that." I

Point, Click, Learn
e-Learning makes training truly interactive
Imagine a classroom where the lessons are given whenever you want them, you are the only student, and the instructor never gets tired of repeating a lecture.
With Quick Start's e-Learning, that's exactly what happens. Interactive courses are delivered via computer using text, graphics, audio, animation and video. Companies can use their own intranet to offer the courses, or deliver them via CD.
"A study conducted several years ago showed that e-Learning increases retention by 25 to 50 percent," says Sun Clinton, Quick Start's senior multimedia-based training developer. "It provides a rich learning environment where trainees can hear, see and practice their subject."
Quick Start uses e-Learning to deliver many types of training, especially involving hazardous materials or complex machinery. "It's ideal in manufacturing training because we can use animation to break things apart and put them back together for students," says Bobby Jennings, multimedia-based training developer.
Producing an e-Learning project requires a number of skilled team members. A typical program can involve an instructional designer, project manager, subject matter expert, writer, programmer, video producer, graphic artist and animator, just to name a few.
"No one delivery method is the total solution for a company's training needs," says Clinton. "But for companies that need flexibility in their training, e-Learning is a valuable component in the total package." I

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A Deep Bench

Quick Start and Georgia's Technical College System cover the bases in workforce training

One of the features that makes Georgia's workforce training efforts unmatched is the close collaboration between Quick Start and Georgia's technical colleges. Both organizations are part of the Department of Technical and Adult Education, and, along with the agency's adult literacy programs, constitute a formidable tag team for workforce development.
"Our adult literacy programs guarantee that all Georgians have the basic skills needed to be competitive in the job market," says DTAE Commissioner Mike Vollmer. "Quick Start provides customized training as an incentive for new and existing industries, and our technical colleges provide state-of-the-art training for high-skill, high-wage employment. We're a triple threat when it comes to improving the quality of our state's workforce."
Typically, Quick Start will deliver workforce training programs for new, existing and expanding businesses, and then the local technical college will maintain an ongoing relationship with the business, providing customized training on a cost-recovery basis.
"The local technical colleges are always partners in any Quick Start project," says Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner for economic

CEDT Program Brings Georgia's Economic Developers Together
The Certified Economic Developer Trainer (CEDT) program was created by the Department of Technical and Adult Education to provide professional development for staff involved in supporting business and industry in their communities. Since 1989, the program, which is administered by Quick Start, has provided training to hundreds of economic development professionals, keeping them up to date on the latest techniques and technologies applicable in their fields.
"Through CEDT, both technical college and Quick Start staff are better able to develop a high-performing workforce for Georgia's new and existing manufacturing and service industries," says Sandra Morris, Quick Start's director of performance technology operations who oversees the CEDT program. "CEDT training is highly relevant because we continually update our training to match the evolving needs of businesses."

development programs. "We share knowledge, expertise and resources as needed to make sure we're able to deliver the training that companies need to stay competitive."
To ensure consistency in the quality of services provided by the colleges and Quick Start's staff, Quick Start administers the Certified Economic Developer Trainer (CEDT) program (see sidebar), a professional develop-
ment program which staff

members from all over DTAE go through to keep up with all the latest developments in workforce training techniques and technologies.
"The collaboration among adult literacy, the technical colleges and Quick Start is unique to Georgia and has been praised worldwide for its effectiveness," Vollmer says. "We've got a deep bench when it comes to providing workforce training, and they just keep hitting home runs." I

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

11

Georgia Quick Start

Exercise in Excellence
Creative thinking addresses company's challenges

Quick Start's Tim Beech (right) observes a trainee as she
demonstrates her aptitude at disassembling and reassembling
an alternator during a preemployment exercise.

The challenge seemed daunting -- find a way to evaluate potential employees' range of mechanical and electrical skills without having them actually take torque wrenches to million-dollar jet engines.
Joe Bailey, director of Quick Start's western operations, faced that task when Quick Start began a project for a

company looking for new hires at their plant for rebuilding jet engines. It was critical that the employees have the basic talent and skills to work on costly aircraft parts where one mistake could cost the company thousands of dollars.
There was no off-the-shelf solution. Following Quick Start's commitment to customizing its training to a company's specific needs, Bailey applied the creative thinking Quick Start is famous for.
Then it hit him: a Delco alternator. "We knew whatever we came up with had to be hands-on, had to include precision measurement, mechanical and electrical skills," Bailey said. "And it had to be a very efficient exercise because we had to work with a lot of applicants in a short time." Thus the "alternator exercise" was

born. Used as a pre-employment module to evaluate the skill set of potential employees, the exercise requires a candidate to complete a couple hours of classroom instruction followed by a hands-on exercise of taking apart and then reassembling an alternator, using just the right tools, and following directions exactly as described in the manual.
"This exercise allows the company to observe these applicants and see if they have the right aptitude and temperament," Bailey said. "Because without a pre-hire sequence, if you hire someone and a few days later they quit, you've wasted a lot of time and money." I

Driving Lessons

A portable kit for studying principles of pneumatics.

Mobile labs and portable modules take training wherever it's needed

Serving client companies across Georgia means Quick Start has to put a premium on mobility. Mobile labs and other portable training tools allow Quick Start to deliver training on-site at a client's facility, minimizing travel time and other inconvenience for employees participating in the training. Quick Start uses mobile labs also to teach programmable logic controllers, and has portable tools to use in training for everything from lean manufacturing to welding.
In addition to convenience, some portable modules have the added value of being safer than the real thing. Small-scale models of pneumatic or hydraulic systems allow trainees to learn underlying principles without the danger involved with working on large industrial systems.
"With the mobile labs and training modules, we're able to drive up to a company anywhere, plug in and start training," said Joe Bailey, Quick Start's director of western operations. "It's the perfect training solution." I

Quick Start's mobile computer lab (left) brings training to a client's front door. At right: Inside Quick Start's mobile PLC lab, Fred Stinson delivers training on programmable logic controllers.

Instructor Stacy Askew helps a student practice software applications in the mobile computer lab.

Fighting Trim more efficient strategies in

Quick Start's training in

order to compete with American

the `lean philosophy' helps

businesses. These

clients increase profits and stay competitive

new philosophies allowed Japanese businesses to

Since the beginning of manufac- distill every drop

turing, businesses have pursued

of value out of

efficiency strategies to reduce costs, their production

improve quality and stay competi-

processes, and

tive in their market sectors. With the this changed the

advent of the assembly line early in face of the glob-

the last century, streamlining produc- al marketplace forever.

tion became the order of the day for

Today, these principles, broadly

industries involved in making things. classified under the rubric "lean

But with the cost of labor and raw philosophy," are being adapted by

materials remaining modest, and with more and more businesses in the

the capacity of for-

United States. The

eign manufacturers

foundation of this

remaining limited,

philosophy

there was little

is the goal of

incentive for orga-

minimizing the

nizations in the

consumption of

United States to

resources that

look at anything

add no value to

beyond simply

a product, with

getting products

the ultimate

out the door. Not anymore.
When Japanese

Trainees in lean manufacturing classes use hands-on exercises to practice the concepts underlying the `lean philosophy.'

objective being the total elimination of waste.

manufacturers rebuilt their infra-

Many of the tools used in imple-

structure after World War II, they

menting a lean program for a client

found it necessary to develop newer, company are derived from practices

Quick Start's Ronnie Pettus (standing) instructs a class in lean manufacturing.
first developed in Japan. Kanban and Kaizen are a couple of the fundamental operating principles within the lean philosophy that are increasingly becoming part of every business's operating strategy (see sidebar below).
"Quick Start's team has extensive experience in preparing customized courses in lean manufacturing for our clients in Georgia," says Jackie Rohosky, assistant commissioner for DTAE's economic development programs. "The philosophy behind a `lean culture' can benefit any business, whether manufacturing or service-based, and by incorporating this into a company's overall training program, we're able to help them save money, increase value for their customers, and stay competitive." I

Lean Concepts
Implementing a `lean philosophy' in a workplace involves adopting new ways of thinking and acting. Below are a few of the concepts taught by Quick Start trainers to help businesses and their team members understand how to `go lean.'
Value Stream Analysis
The "value stream" includes all the actions that take place within an organization. By analyzing the value stream, a company can better identify those steps that add value to the process of getting a product to a customer, and

those that waste time and resources.
5S
A simple system that is often overlooked, the goal of 5S is to reduce clutter in a workplace and make sure all items needed to perform a task are clean, organized and ready when needed. The five S's are: Sort, Set in order, Sweep and Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.
Kaizen
Adopting the spirit and practice of Kaizen leads to the continuous improvement of a company's processes. Team

collaboration is required for the effective implementation of Kaizen, as it involves continually monitoring a process, communicating information, and implementing new suggestions.
Kanban
Kanban is a system for managing logistics in manufacturing. It is a method of controlling production so that it is driven by customer demand rather than arbitrary production quotas. Effective use of Kanban is a key part of "just-in-time" manufacturing that prevents excessive buildup of inventory.

13

Georgia Quick Start
Keeping Skills Up-to-Date

Quick Start team members prepare equipment for use during a maintenance assessment exercise.

Maintenance Skills Assessment program helps companies train existing employees

With continuing changes in technology, companies have to make sure their employees have the maintenance skills to keep their operations running smoothly. Working together, Quick Start and Georgia's technical colleges have developed an efficient program to do just that.

"We assess where an employee is with his or her knowledge of basic skills, and the company tells us where they want that person to be," said Joey Watkins, Quick Start coordinator, manufacturing technology. "Then we come up with a training prescription."
Areas evaluated range from hydraulics and electrical wiring to mechanical principles and math skills.
"In the assessment, there is no pass or fail," Watkins said. "We are just seeing how much training will be needed, according to the performance standards set by the company."
Equipment on display for evaluating a trainee's mechanical assembly skills.

Once the training prescription is completed, the local technical college takes over to provide the actual instruction, which could take the form of self-study, classroom sessions, or Internet-based programs.
"This is another area where the partnership between Quick Start and the technical colleges has succeeded in providing an efficient solution for a company's workforce training needs," said Vic Desmarais, manager of advanced manufacturing training, who oversees Quick Start's maintenance assessment program. I

Cultural Studies

Cross-cultural understanding is required when working with international companies

Give out your business card with your left hand? Cross

your legs with an ankle on one knee? Give a gift consisting

of four objects? All definite "no's" when interacting with South

Koreans, and valuable lessons for one to learn if

A pocket card of basic Korean phrases

going to work for a new South Korean company.

developed by Quick Start for employees of South Korea-based LG Chem.

Likewise, failure to say hello or acknowledge

the greeting of a subordinate could cause a South

Korean supervisor to be perceived as aloof by his American employees, impacting both

productivity and team spirit in a new plant.

Those are just a few of the cultural differences that come into play during work

situations and business interactions. To help facilitate the smooth integration of

international businesses with a domestic workforce, Quick Start has been providing

cross-cultural training for more than a decade, working with international companies

from more than a dozen countries, such as Germany, Japan and China.

"Everybody has stereotypes about other cultures," said Renee Godley, a Quick Start

organizational development coordinator who specializes in cross-cultural courses. "What's

important is for everyone to recognize that and work toward mutual understanding.

"Once you become aware of that," Godley adds, "dealing with those stereotypes and

preventing misunderstandings becomes much easier and leads to a more productive

working relationship." I

Below, top: Quick Start Coordinator Renee Godley (standing) leads discussion in the class "Working with U.S. Americans for South Koreans" with LG Chem's South Korean staff. Bottom, Quick Start's Sun Clinton discusses traditional Korean dress during the class "Working with Koreans for U.S. Americans" for LG Chem's American employees.

14

Lights, Camera,
Action
Media team gets the job done behind the camera
Sometimes, nothing works better to communicate a lot of information in a short time than video, and Quick Start's media technology group has been providing videos -- and winning awards -- for more than 15 years.
Employee orientation, safety training and process overviews are just a few areas where video is the ideal delivery vehicle. But for any policy or procedure a company wants to communicate to their employees, the media technology group provides turnkey service. From art direction and lighting to coordinating on-camera talent and scriptwriting, the group produces compelling work that both engages the viewer and communicates the company's message.
The group also produces more than just videos. Just as companies' needs are different, Quick Start has a broad range of media services to call on to provide the best solution, from audio production to still photography and other digital media.
Over the years, the media group's work has proven to have lasting value for companies.
"I still use the videos Quick Start made for us all the time," said a human resources manager at Havertys' distribution center in Braselton. "They help get new employees oriented to their jobs and the company. I absolutely love them. It's very nice work. It's something we use every day." I
The media technology group works both on location and in a state-of-the-art studio in Quick Start's Atlanta office, using the latest professional digital video equipment to capture the best possible images for their productions. Editing is done on industry-standard editing suites, and the finished product is delivered in the most effective format, from videocassettes to DVDs or streaming media over the Web.
15

DELIVERY SYSTEM
34 Technical Colleges With Multiple Campuses 4 University System Colleges With Technical Divisions
Quick Start Headquarters
75 Fifth Street NW, Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30308 404.253.2800

Michael F. Vollmer, Commissioner Georgia Department of Technical
and Adult Education www.georgiaquickstart.org

Atlanta

Vidalia

Quick Start Augusta Office
3140 Augusta Tech Drive Augusta, GA 30906 706.771.5716
Savannah

Quick Start Columbus Office
5330 Transport Boulevard Columbus, GA 31907 706.565.3534

Quick Start Vidalia Office
100-B Brinson Road Vidalia, GA 30474 912.538.3277

Quick Start Savannah Office
190 Crossroads Parkway, Suite 200 Savannah, GA 31407 912.965.6379

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