Company: Energy Absorption Systems, Inc. (EAS) (www.energyabsorption.com) is the world's leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of highway crash cushions and other highway safety devices. These products have helped save more than 25,000 lives on world roadways. Over 50 employees work at the company’s R&D lab and accredited testing facility in Rocklin.

Challenge: According to Aaron Cox, Applications Design Engineer, EAS recognized that some of the internal processes were taking too long. The company formed a task force to investigate and make some initial improvements. Then, in order to delve deeper into the issues and commit to a full fledged continuous improvement program, they turned to Sierra College Training & Development. “This is not a quick fix,” said Cox. “Our management has been very supportive and the Sierra College Training consultants helped establish reasonable expectations. Not only do we have to learn continuous improvement tools such Cause and Effect Analysis and Value Stream Mapping; we are changing our culture, measuring and tracking like we’ve never done before and questioning our processes. We know this is likely to take one to two years.”

Solution: The initial training was on process improvement tools. “Our team gained a great deal of respect for Jes Vargas’ style and industry expertise through the training,” said Cox. “We also realized that we had to look deeper into systemic problems and work through a series of solutions rather than take a band-aid approach. The weekly coaching provided by Sierra College Training has been critical to keeping this process on track.”

Competitiveness: “In the long run, our company will gain a competitive advantage by not only improving the process we are working on now, but because we have learned the tools to test, measure and evaluate that can be applied to other processes,” said Cox.

Customization: “Sierra College Training & Development has been very easy to work with and flexible in scheduling,” said Cox. “Our coach, Jes Vargas, provides an invaluable service when he listens to what everybody says and then summarizes it in a succinct conclusion. He keeps this project on track.”

Additional Benefits: “Doing exercises together such as process mapping gave our employees a greater understanding of their co-workers’ responsibilities,” said Cox. “We were amazed that we did not know how we did many tasks. Now we are improving our systems and documentation. Our managers also see how these tools can apply to other parts of the organization.”

PRIDE Industries ( http://www.prideindustries.com/ ) provides high value outsourcing solutions that also create jobs for people with disabilities. When looking for Supply Chain Management training expertise, PRIDE turned to Sierra College Training & Development, according to Tony Lopez, Director of Distribution Operations . “Sierra College Training responded quickly to our business needs and we were immensely impressed with the instructor’s wealth of industry knowledge,” said Lopez. “He reviewed our processes and then customized the training to be more relevant and applicable to our organization."

Roseville-based SureWest Communications (http://www.surewest.com/ ), a leading independent telecommunications holding company featuring highly reliable products and services, asked Sierra College Training & Development to present an introduction to process improvement concepts and principles.

In the training session, employees received an overview of process mapping. They reported that “building a process diagram and challenging current company norms” were some of the most valuable elements of the training. Employees said that they gained information that they could immediately use on the job such as “mapping differently during internal auditing,” “reworking current flows to identify inefficiencies” and “‘floor walking’ to see if people really are following documented procedures.”

Over 30 Technical Support, Call Center-Core Products staff at Thomson Broadcast & Media Solutions in Grass Valley participated in two -- four hour training sessions to enhance their customer service skills. Thomson (http://thomsongrassvalley.com/) is world leader in digital video technologies.

According to participants in the Sierra College training, they learned importance of their attitude in shaping the outcome of customer interactions as well as providing service to both internal and external customers. Employees said: “It raised my consciousness on how I play a part in good customer service,” “I learned how to deal with ‘bad news’ and make it positive for the customer,” and “I benefited from the exchange of ideas with customer service teammates.”

Sierra College Training & Development customized a business math skills program for NEC Electronics America, Inc. (necel.com) employees to refresh their math knowledge. Training participants reported: “my confidence in math has improved,” “the facilitator was extremely knowledgeable,” and “this class helped a lot in brushing up on math skills.”

Certification training in IPC-A-610 soldering for electronics assembly operators and IPC/EIA J-STD-001 is now available. Instructors can use your equipment or bring a mobile soldering lab onsite.

Both Northrop Grumman (northropgrumman.com) and InterMotive Vehicle Controls (intermotive.net) employees recently received soldering training from Sierra College CACT. The InterMotive Vehicle Controls employees reported that it was valuable to “identify your own problem areas as compared to standards,” and “demonstrate in real time, under the magnifier, the correct ways to solder and de-solder.”

The California Ski Industry Association (californiasnow.com) selected the Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (sierracollegetraining.com) to conduct “RoMec” or Ropeway Mechatronics training for technicians who maintain the ski lifts.

Industry Partnership: The partnership started in the summer of 2006 shortly after Sierra College launched the Mechatronics (RealSkillsRealJobs.com) program that combines electronics, mechanics, pneumatics and hydraulics under computer control. In 2007, the college delivered two levels of training to 59 lift mechanics and operation managers, up from 43 participants in one course level offered in the first year. Based on the previous two years’ success, curriculum is under development to expand the program in 2008 to three levels: beginning, intermediate and advanced.

Customized Training: Equipment safety is a top priority for ski resort operators, according to Steve Hunter, Sierra College CACT Mechatronics trainer. In addition, he said that providing top quality maintenance reduces the amount of down time during the busy season. “The Sierra College CACT training was developed to address specific industry needs and provide technicians with in-depth training,” said Hunter. “Ski lifts are very complex and operate using advanced computer control with dozens of sensors, complicated electrical circuits, high pressure hydraulics, and large scale mechanical systems.”

Kathy Hubbard, Deputy Director for CSIA, explained that although training in the past was done at the job site, there was a demand for a broader range of knowledge. “With this training program, the lift mechanics will know the whole system,” said Hubbard. “That knowledge prepares them to keep equipment functioning safely and efficiently.”

Hands-on, On-site Training: Students applauded the Sierra College CACT trainers’ knowledge and hands-on activities. They also benefited from the courses being held at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort because they learn a technique and then see how it applied on actual equipment in the field. Students commented: “As far as electro-mechanics go, I learned more this week than the previous 10 years in the industry,” “The lectures were put into ways that were easy to follow for us real world people,” “The hands-on was key so that we could see and observe what happens based on the lecture,” and “Very helpful in filling in the gaps on things I thought I fully understood.”

Workforce Development: The training addresses another need – filling the pipeline with more qualified employees to assume greater levels of responsibility, explained Hubbard. “There is a demand for lift maintenance technicians and resorts anticipate losing a significant portion of the work force through retirement over the next few years,” said Hubbard.

According to Gary Campbell, CACT Mechatronics trainer, there are excellent opportunities for motivated individuals interested in entering this field. “Through multiple levels of specific hands-on RoMec training courses, Sierra College CACT is working with the ski industry to advance the skills of less experienced technicians so they’ll be prepared to fill the gap left by seasoned technicians who are retiring,” said Campbell.

Thomsom Grass Valley (thomsongrassvalley.com) recently engaged Sierra College’s Training & Development to train employees in using Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet software more efficiently. The company develops video and film technologies, products and services sold to all major Hollywood studios, all major television, satellite, and cable broadcasters under the Grass Valley brand-name for the delivery of analog and digital entertainment.

The training was well received according to Diane Masegian, Customer Service/Training Coordinator. “The training was excellent and I am already hearing that others want to take the course,” said Masegian.

Instructor, RoseMary Monroe, customized the training to meet Thomson Grass Valley’s needs. “RoseMary is a great instructor,” said Masegian. “She knows her stuff and she was so accommodating.”

Company: 2Wire (www.2Wire.com) provides global telecom carriers with broadband service platforms that enable an integrated triple play of networked data, voice and media services. For the past three consecutive years, the company has ranked on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. With its corporate headquarters in San Jose, 2Wire also has nearly 50 employees based at its research and development facility in Nevada City.

Challenge: According to Lance Kesner, manager of engineering labs and technician services, 2Wire sought out Sierra College CACT to provide state-of-the-art IPC 610 Standard RoHS compliant soldering training. By upgrading the equipment and soldering skills of its research and development engineers, 2Wire wanted to increase reliability and meet the technical challenges of moving to lead-free component technology.

Competitiveness: “2Wire has a proud history of staying at the forefront of technological trends, and the Sierra College soldering training was great way to enhance our team’s skills,” said Kesner. “The electronics industry is trending toward smaller components, more complicated package types, and lead-free soldering. This training program helped us update our engineering rework skills and processes to keep pace with these trends.”

Customization: Sierra College CACT tailored the course to focus on the key skills 2Wire needed, and delivered the material in less time than traditional IPC 610 Standard training.

Additional Benefits: The on-site course also eliminated travel costs and allowed for more participants. “Because Sierra College offered the training on-site, it was convenient for our research and development engineers to attend the program, and gain insight into more refined product design,” said Kesner.

Results: “Sierra College was extremely flexible, the course material was very relevant to our business, and the instructor fine-tuned the training based on our needs. On the whole, the training course was very well done,” said Kesner.

Company: Abso (abso.com) delivers fully integrated highly automated talent management and background screening services to businesses of all sizes via the web. Its services include hosting corporate career websites, talent management tools, background and drug screening services, a virtual end-to-end hiring solution. It delivers all the factual, up-to-date information required to make intelligent hiring decisions in the shortest possible timeframe at an affordable cost.

Challenge: Based in Roseville, the fast growing company of 128 employees, has added new products for applicant tracking that require project management and on-going follow-up, explained LeAnn Filbrun, Abso’s Training Manager.

“With teams of people working on projects, Abso needed a consistent system of tracking tasks, assignments, deadlines and completions, and training to use the project management system effectively,” said Filbrun.

Competitiveness: Managers working in the quickly expanding organization all benefited from participating in the project management training.

Customization: “We appreciated the flexibility in scheduling the 14 hours of training,” said Filbrun. The first session was four hours long followed by two hour sessions held every other week. “The participants worked in groups on assignments in between sessions,” said Filbrun. “Part of our training was the planning and implementation of a hypothetical project which helped us to apply the skills we were learning.”

Benefits: Managers reported that that the training was very relevant to their work. “Everyone enjoyed going through the class,” said Filbrun. “They all gained more confidence in their project management skills.”

Evaluation: This is what class participants said –
“The training provided a valid, proven method for project management for both short and long-term projects.”
“Similar terminology and communication got all the team members on the same page about how to complete projects.”
“I appreciated learning classic project management methodologies, as well as the instructor's knowledge and use of relevant examples.”
It was valuable to learn the important factors that go into developing a good project plan and how to manage it.”

Results: “The training was very professional and everything met our expectations – quality, content and the instructor. It says a lot when an organization delivers what they promised, I’d recommend Sierra College’s Training & Development program.” LeAnn Filbrun, Training Manager, Abso.

NEC Electronics America worked with Sierra College Training and Development to design Technical Writing training for employees charged with writing work instructions for the quality department. Instructor Dennis Wade customized the course to use the company’s standard internal template. Then, based on employees’ needs, the class reviewed writing skills and techniques.

On the evaluations for the four recent classes provided by Sierra College in Technical Writing and Systematic Problem Solving for NEC Electronics America employees, 98% agreed that the training was relevant to their jobs, 95% reported learning new skills and 92% said that they could apply the training to their jobs.

The California Office of State Publishing engaged Sierra College CACT to train 258 employees in process improvement. Staff learned how to document their processes with Value Stream Mapping, improve communication with Visual Controls, reduce waste with Five S, work on a Kaizen team to streamline processes and achieve a Lean Manufacturing environment.

CACT consultant, David Jones, conducted 26 workshops on five different topics for participants on three shifts. Five Kaizen Teams met, with goals to reduce downtime, improve quality and increase productivity. Teams estimated that they could achieve a 98% reduction in the distance an employee needed to travel for job clarification, cut equipment downtime by 80% and reduce wasted time by 95%.

Energy Absorption Systems (energyabsorption.com) selected CACT to present 16 hours of customized training in December 2006. The company develops crash cushion impact protection for highway, work zones and railroad intersections. The training covered geometric dimension and tolerance, documentation basics, and welding and electrical conventions. According to Keith Mortensen, Supervisor, Technical Services, the informative, high energy presentations resulted in positive employee feedback. “Along with the technical information gained, I believe your training inspired renewed commitment for meaningful dialog between departments,” said Mortensen.

In January 2007, Sierra College CACT instructor Dennis Wade conducted two classes on “Strategies for Better Business Writing” for 18 NEC Electronics America, Inc. employees. Each one-day workshop focused on improving employees’ communication skills used in everyday writing for memos, emails, directives and reports. This course has been offered three times and has consistently received high ratings for the instructor, program content and job applicability.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (northropgrumman.com), a global defense company, selected Sierra College Training & Development to train eight Sacramento employees in IPC Soldering Workmanship Standards this summer. According the Ed Sagucio, Cable Manufacturing Supervisor, the class was so successful that another one is planned for November. Employee comments included: “Lots of hands on experience,” “Instructor was very knowledgeable,” and “The instructor inspected the soldering and told me where improvement was needed.”

Carpenter Advanced Ceramics (caceramics.com) in Auburn recently engaged the Sierra College CACT to analyze how the company uses solid modeling software, identify features not being used, and recommend training. A customized on-site training course is underway, focused on integrating solid modeling across multiple platforms.

The Sierra College CACT’s engineering consultant, Jon Stallman, helps companies increase accuracy, save time and reduce costs with solid modeling, rapid prototyping, document control and concurrent engineering. “We start out with a demonstration of concepts and technologies,” says Stallman. “Then we design and deliver short-term modular training that meets the businesses’ needs.”

In May 2006, the Nevada Irrigation District (nid.dst.ca.us) asked Sierra College Training & Development to provide introductory and intermediate Microsoft® Access Training to employees. When data becomes too complex for a spread sheet, MS Access can be used for analyzing, summarizing and reporting. Employees immediately found practical applications for their new skills: “I’m in the process of setting up databases, queries and forms for information needed by several departments. Now I can do it!” and “Now I’ll be able to set up forms in the GPS unit.”

Blaylocks (blaylocksinc.com) is a custom shop in Foresthill specializing in wire processing, discreet wire and multi-conductor harnesses, electro-mechanical assemblies, cutting and stamping and terminating. Employees participated in a 16 hour IPC Solder Workmanship Standards training in May. When asked what the most valuable part of the course was, staff reported: “Understanding the physics of soldering,” ”Being shown different soldering applications” and “plenty of hands-on work.”

The CACT computer-aided engineering and manufacturing demonstration held in Roseville sparked discussion among attendees on how Solid Modeling can be used to re-design a shop floor, recalibrate a part, test a new design or layout a shop floor. The group also saw how 3D working parts can be produced using rapid prototyping.

With ski industry equipment becoming more sophisticated, technicians need on-going training in maintenance of mechanical, electronic and hydraulic systems, according to executive director of the California Ski Industry Association (californiasnow.com) Bob Roberts. “Repairing high speed lifts, snow making and grooming equipment, and fleets of off-road vehicles now requires Mechatronics skills,” said Roberts. “We are co-sponsoring a specialized training program with Sierra College in summer 2006 because we were impressed with the first class instructors and the practically-driven Mechatronics program. This partnership reinforces California’s leadership role in winter sports technical training.”

To attract qualified workers and give them the basic skills needed to enter the construction industry, Sierra College CACT co-sponsored a two-week Construction Boot Camp in early June 2006. Graduates earned certifications in CPR/First- Aid Certification, OSHA Safety Overview, Forklift Safety Training and Flagger Training. Construction companies met with candidates at a job fair immediately after the graduation.