Dairy wises up to training on demand

Citation

(2007), "Dairy wises up to training on demand", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 39 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2007.03739aab.002

Dairy wises up to training on demand

E-learning technology is helping Wiseman’s Dairies to improve employee understanding of the set-up and maintenance of its line production system (LPS) in Bellshill, UK.

A CD-based on-demand training (ODT) tool covers the functionality and maintenance of the LPS used in the dairy’s filling halls and is designed further to improve training standards while increasing operating efficiencies.

Recognizing that traditional training manuals were either not read or sufficiently understood, Wiseman’s approached Halo Training to develop an e-learning programme to help to familiarise new employees with the LPS, and as a reference aid for existing engineers who only occasionally used the equipment. The LPS, located in the dairy’s filling hall, is a quality control procedure that checks that the correct quantity of milk is poured into bottles and that these have the right labels and coloured caps.

At the centre of the LPS is a personal computer with a user interface that provides batch information and has several engineering and diagnostic screens. After completing the needs analysis, Halo split the ODT programme into several categories: overview of the dairy operation from milk procurement through to depot delivery; how to operate the LPS computer; how to fault-find major components; and how to access information from the database, reference documentation and fault-finding charts.

“ODT offers us a cost-effective means of delivering good quality training without the associated overheads of setting up and running a separate department”, commented Calum Robertson, Wiseman’s automation training engineer. “We recognized an urgent need to strengthen the training of our engineering personnel and the ODT programme offered an easy-to-use, engaging and visually stimulating learning environment without the need for dedicated training staff. Its modular approach was particularly appealing.”

He continued: “Initial feedback from the workforce has been favourable. In fact, we recently conducted a formal trial using experienced and recently employed engineers as test students and both found the content useful and the learning interface intuitive. Comments have been so positive that we are now considering developing ODT for other processes at Bellshill as well as other Wiseman’s sites.”

Provided on CD or high speed intranet/internet, each bespoke ODT solution incorporates animation, video and audio commentary to help to demonstrate plant processes and equipment operating functions and procedures.