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Electrical and Instrumentation Training
Program
A 17 year training partnership between STLCC and
Procter & Gamble
“Procter & Gamble has worked in conjunction with STLCC to develop an
Electrical and Instrumentation Training program (E&I Blitz) that is unique
and geared toward the technical challenges at the St. Louis Plant. Strict
design and teaching standards with critique follow-up were developed to
insure a high rate of success and quality instruction. This program
maximizes the blending of technical training with practical experience so
students are capable of providing shift coverage within a relatively short
period after graduating. This demonstrates how business and local
educational institutions can work together to develop a truly successful
program,” stated Lonnie Koeltzow, Power Controls & Information Systems
Leader, St. Louis.
The Center for Business, Industry and Labor (CBIL) of STLCC is honored to
have partnered with P&G from the first E&I Blitz delivery in 1994 to the 7th
successful class of graduates in June 2011. This unique, customized training
program is a performance based, apprenticeship type curriculum that takes
over six months to complete. Students for each course are carefully selected
from existing P&G employees and are then assigned full time to attend the
program. There is a dedicated classroom at the St. Louis plant, but some
classes are also held at area colleges. Students complete over 776 hours of
classroom training, including machine control, power distribution, process
control, and in depth classes in automated controls. Students must also
complete projects of wiring and programming modules which are very similar
to the actual machinery in the plant; over 200 hours are spent in hands on
activities.
While many training vendors and P&G internal resources are involved in
delivering this program, CBIL’s role in the program has been substantial
over the years. Since its inception, Ellen Irons, a long time CBIL
associate, has provided continuity and continuous process improvement as
well as performance analysis and instructional design services. At the end
of each E&I Blitz, Ellen, incorporating feedback from participants, provides
recommendations for improvements to both CBIL and P&G. These recommendations
are then incorporated into the next scheduled program. Four P&G managers
have headed up the E&I Blitz program – Tom Zimmerman, Gary Weidler, Steve
Waller, and for the 2009, 2010 & 2011 E&I Blitz programs – Lonnie Koeltzow.
Ellen has been able to provide the continuity and assist in each year’s
improvements and changes.
CBIL has also provided a large percentage of the Automated Controls classes
every Blitz. From our initial classes with PLC5s to our current “state of
the art” classes in controllogix, motion E&I Blitz programs, Troy Kitchen, a
CBIL associate, has been the primary PLC Instructor. His excellent teaching
abilities and technological expertise have been consistently valued, so that
CBIL now provides seven out of the eight major automated controls courses.
Beyond CBIL’s pride in our role, it’s important to recognize P&G as a leader
in developing technicians from their internal workforce. Very few companies
nationally have invested in their employees and in an ongoing program to
this extent. But of course, the pay off has continued to be well worth it -
the graduates of the E&I Blitz have become plant electricians & provided
electrical leadership -graduation after graduation. So - congratulations to
the class of 2011 and may there be many more classes!
Submitted by Pat Tuttle, CBIL Project Manager |
3221
McKelvey Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044