Industrial Scientific Corporation
Oakdale, PA
Training Within Industry
We all know WHAT to do about Waste, the problem is DOING IT. Companies today keep asking the question, “Why is it that continuous improvement never seems to be continuous when implementing Lean.” Some answers:
- Supervisors and managers often leave improvement until after “making the numbers.”
- People tend to rely on others for improvements.
- Companies tend to rely on “scheduled events” to make even small changes.
- People who do the work are typically not part of the improvement process.
- People resist change; as mindset causing them to backslide and abandon improvement.
- Even when workers are involved and want to improve, they don’t have the improvement skills.
The Training Within Industry (TWI) Program closes these gaps and builds upon lean manufacturing principles. TWI consists of standardized programs addressing the essential skills needed by supervisors, team leaders, and anyone indirectly leading others.
Catalyst Connection is a certified provider of the Training Within Industry Program by the TWI Institute. Click here to learn more about the TWI Institute and download a brochure about this certified training program.
TWI Training Modules
Catalyst Connection offers two training modules from the TWI Program:
- Job Instruction: Quickly train employees to do a job correctly, safely, and conscientiously
- Job Methods: Improving the way jobs are done for continual improvement
History
TWI was developed in the U.S. during WWII to train replacements of an industrial workforce off to fight a war. It provided rapid and consistent training and is recognized as part of what helped the Allied forces secure victory as they boosted industrial production and out-produced the enemy.
TWI was introduced in Japan during post-war rebuilding. It is still in widespread use in Japan and most notably, in Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System (TPS). It is a foundation to Toyota's success in continuous improvement, and more importantly, in its ability to sustain those improvements.
During the prosperity of post-war America, the TWI program was abandoned and it soon became a faded memory. Thanks largely to the not-for-profit Central New York Technology Development Organization (CNYTDO), TWI is experiencing a rebirth throughout industry. In what has been described as a "movement," lean enterprises are increasingly turning to TWI as a means to emulate Toyota's ability to sustain improvements and achieve standard work. Industries such as healthcare, construction, and manufacturing are reaping modern day benefits from this proven and recently revived program.