Kama has training all wrapped up

Citation

(2002), "Kama has training all wrapped up", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 34 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2002.03734dab.007

Kama has training all wrapped up

Kama has training all wrapped up

A training programme, which fits around shift patterns, has been adopted by a firm that produces plastic packaging for the food industry.

Kama Europe Ltd, a 100-employee company, is using the programme to develop the management skills of its supervisory shopfloor workers.

The 30-hour course, devised by the Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance, uses self-help workbooks and involves attending a productivity workshop at the alliance's residential training centre.

Derek Robb, course facilitator, said: "The programme is designed to benefit workers who are in a supervisory or management role and need broader knowledge to help them to do their jobs more effectively. By basing the course around workbooks we are able to help busy production staff to fit their learning around their work commitments. The workshop helps them to learn about communication, teamwork and Japanese production techniques, away from the distraction of the shopfloor."

Betty Powton, Kama Europe personnel manager, commented: "Our company is committed to training all employees who are in a supervisory role. In the past, we have used a classroom-based course and an entirely self-help method of learning. However, the alliance's programme offered something in between, which was ideal for us."

David Bentham, Kama's extrusion shift manager, has just been awarded an introductory management certificate. He has been with the company for six years, and a shift manager, responsible for seven workers, for 18 months. He said: "Kama operates a very lean, highly-computerized and efficient production line where there is little room for error. This requires front-line workers like me to be equipped with various skills to ensure that downtime is avoided, wastage reduced and productivity maximized. The training approach used suited me because it gave an overview of personnel issues, production techniques and quality procedures that are relevant to my daily job. The structure of the programme enabled me to work at a pace and place to fit around my shift patterns."