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Press Operator and Frontline Leader Training Yield Significant Impacts
With the help of: Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Ohio MEP)
About
For more than 50 years, Simpson Strong-Tie has focused on creating structural products that help people build safer and stronger homes and buildings. Considered a leader in structural systems research, testing, and innovation, Simpson Strong-Tie is one of the largest suppliers of structural building products in the world. The company is committed to helping customers succeed by providing exceptional products, full-service engineering and field support, product testing and training.
The Challenge
The pandemic presented Simpson Strong-Tie with increased sales as housebound property owners have turned a renewed attention to home improvements. Already a market leader at 70% of the market share, Simpson Strong-Tie must continue to attract and retain top talent to fuel continued growth. However, candidates for these in-demand occupations are increasingly hard to find as Ohio manufacturers’ demand surpasses the supply.
Working with MEP was an integral part of the success of our project. Even though there were many moving parts, usually simultaneously, working with Michell helped to bring all of those moving pieces into synchronization. The MEP associates that we worked with were the true definition of collaborative. They knew that the Simpson employees were the subject matter experts, and listened intently to what our needs were, and made sure to understand what was being asked. The Press Operator Program created a much needed hybrid model of classroom learning and production floor training. It provides a structured curriculum which allows for trainer interchangeability and a defined timeline to expect a new hire to become a trained associate. The end result was directly in line with what our vision was, and that happened thanks to the collaborative and cooperative spirit of MEP and everyone involved with it. The impact of the program that was created for the Press Operator will be exponential as it will be used as a template for creating future training programs as we strive to create a World Class Training Department at Simpson Strong-Tie.
MEP's Role
The MEP at Columbus State, part of the Ohio MEP and the MEP National Network™, provided a press operator training project that increased SST’s ability to attract and retain the best talent for press operators and corporate trainers. The project provided SST with a replicable onboarding and training program for press operators' leadership training to increase workplace satisfaction and grow the next generation of leaders at the organization. Additionally, the MEP at Columbus State developed, updated, and standardized work instructions to guide the usage of presses at SST. Lastly, the MEP helped update Simpson’s talent attraction and hiring processes by developing job analyses and behavioral interview guides to help the organization better attract and select the right candidate for the roles.
Created January 24, 2023