PLYMOUTH – To meet the increasing needs of an evolving workforce, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center has developed two new courses that focus on training workers with the practical skills and tools needed to succeed in a changing manufacturing industry.
The courses offered are Practical Approach to Project Management and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, each taught by experts who possess valuable experience that will benefit those who attend.
“As we conduct consulting engagements with clients across the state, we see first-hand the need for applicable, practical training that supports company objectives,” said Robert Lyscas, Vice President of Manufacturing Services at The Center. “These new courses address immediate needs in the industry, which supports our mission of helping Michigan’s small and medium-sized manufacturers compete and thrive in a changing and challenging environment.”
As companies across the state take on more and more projects to stay competitive and avoid losing market share, the need for internal staff to have the skill set to manage projects effectively is rapidly rising. To combat this need, The Center is now offering a course to help train new or existing project managers in how to best initiate, plan and implement a project plan. Projects include changes/additions to services, product offerings, production capacity, location or quality processes.
Being solely responsible for delivering project results is a challenging task, and this course explains how to more skillfully manage it. Directed towards general managers, plant managers, project managers, engineers, and quality, supply chain and I.T. personnel, the course provides attendees with the tools necessary for strengthening project management skills to ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget and on target.
The growing application of lean manufacturing also has brought change to the manufacturing industry as companies look for ways to improve efficiency. With a focus on eliminating ineffective processes and identifying their underlying causes, Lean Six Sigma is being learned and applied in more companies each day. Six Sigma is a data-driven approach with the ultimate goal of increasing quality and efficiency within a company by enforcing the DMAIC method: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control. As these methodologies are incorporated into companies, it is important for employees to understand the changes being made and know how to support them.
The Center’s new course in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt training is aimed towards team members working in supporting roles on a variety of Lean Six Sigma projects led by Certified Green or Black Belts. The course will help attendees become well-versed in the foundational elements of the Lean Six Sigma methodology as well as learn how to utilize, interpret and apply these principles in a skilled, yet limited, context. Further courses for Six Sigma mentoring and certification in Black, Green and Lean Green Belts also are offered by The Center.
Course schedules and descriptions for Practical Approach to Project Management and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt can be found on The Center’s website at http://www.the-center.org.
