DOCUMENT RESUME

EP 052 432 AC 010 458

AUTHOR Gentles, E.M.

TITLE Training the Operator; A Dractical Guide.
INSTITUTION Institte of Personnel Management, London (England).
REPORT NO
PUB DATE 69
NOTE 42p.; First in a new IPM series of Practical
Handbooks

EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-S0.65 HC-$3.29

DESCRIPTORS Adult Programs, *Guides, *Industrial Training,
*Machine Tool Operators, *Skill Development,
*Training Techniques

ABSTRACT
Practical methods that may help the training officer
in ;factories in the selection and training of operators are
presented. Subjects discussed in this guide are: selection; Where to
Train; Skills Analynis Training; Training Manuals; Instructors;
Records; Induction; Training of Special Groups; and Retraining. (0B)
 U i DiPARTMENT -)F HEALTH,
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OFFICE OF 'DUCA IT.A
THIS DOCUMENT HAS atEIN REPRO
DUCE3 E YACTLY AS RECEIVED FR')M
THE PERSON DR OP GANIZAriO4 ORIG-
INATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN
IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY
REPRESENT OPTICAL 0 4ICE OF EDU
CATION POSITION OR POLICY

Training we Operator
A Practical Guide

E M Gentles

INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

 THE INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
YOUN ETD INCORPORA; Eli 1924

THE Institute of Personnel Management is the association of men and women

the British Isles who arc engaged in the personnel function of management. The
Institute is a voluntary association financed by the subscriptions of its members
and governed by an annually electcci Council. The aim of the Instilsits; is to
encourage and assist the development of personnel management in Great
Britain by (i) spreading knowledge and information about i.ts practices; (ii) pro-
moting investigation and research; (iii) establishing and maintaining through
training and r .her services high standards of qualification and performance.

The institute publishes a monthly journal and Digest and other reports and
publications; provides appointments, advisory, information and reference library
services; arranges conferences, c 311rses and meetings; keeps in touch with govern-
ment departments, employers' associations, trade unions and other appropriate
national organizations for the purpose of obtaining and giving information on
personnel management; collaborates with education authorities in the training
and education of those who have adopted and those wishing to adopt personnel
management as a career, and provides such other services to members as
Council may from time to time decide.

Regular meetings and conferences are ar. wed by the Institute's regions and
branches throughout the country cud prowl°. an important service to members,
since they cater for particular local needs.

Requests for further information about the aims and rctirities of the Institute
should be addressed to the Director, IPM, 5 Winsley Street (5th floor),
Oxford Circus, London WIN 7AQ (01-580 3271).
 Training the Operator
A Practical Guide

by

E M Gant lea
form.4rly of South Birminghnm Techn;:e1 College
rJ
r4-N

c\I
O

IPrice Oa
IPM Pectical Her:kooks No 1

INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 Wins ley Street, Oxford Circus, London WIN 7AQ

3
 First published July 1%9

This publication is the first in a new !PM series of practic91 handbooks on

personnel management subjects. Training the OperatorA Practical Guide for
is intended to provide an introduction to the subj:ct of operator training
recently appointed personnel end training officers; it should also prove useful
to line managers, supervisors and insttuciors on the factory floor.
TRAINING TM, OPERATORA PRACTICAL GUIDE

CONTENTS
Chapter Page

1 Iatroduciion 5

2 Selection 6

3 Whee to train 9

4 Skills mrlysis training 13

5 Trening manuils 19

6 Instructors 21

7 Records . 26

8 Induction 114)

9 Training of special groups 32

10 Retraining 35

11 Further information 37

12 Bibliography ... 38
Acknowledgements
Whip every effort has been n.ade in this booklet to avoid reflecting the
policies and pwctices of one firm, I would to acknowledge my debt to
Joseph Lucas Ltd as much of his material is based upon my work in operator
trainiag with this company. I have also drawn on my experiences with the
National institute of Industrial Psichology to which I was secnnded for a time
to assist with a snrvey of industrial in-plant training prograinraes in seven
Europ,..an countries.
EMG
1 Introduction

It is neim widely recognized that the selection and training of operators has an
important bearing on the productivity of a factory. Indeed, so ruch advice is
now being given by various bodies from public platforms on the subject of
operator training that the average training officer nity find it difficult to determine
the best approach to the problems confronting him in his organization. The aim
of this publication is t describe some practical methods wnich may help him to
overcome son., of his stifficulties.
Whatever decision is taker on the approach 'es operator training, the chief
need in most factories is now and always has been to instruct unskilled men and
women to acquire food working habits in as short a time as possible, to be
capable of using tools and equipment efficiently up to the speed of the ex-
perienced worker and to do a variet; of related jobs.

The results of training

But why should is e train' Wiaat are the results ? By careful analysis and the use
of plat ned training programmes of constant instruction and supervision,
learni periods can be reduced considerably rod high levels of performance
reached more quickly. It has been proved that l.arning periods for jobs tradition-
ally taking 12 weeks to learn can be reduced to four. Other clear results are
improved quality, reduction in accidents and improved morale. Reduced labour
turnover can often be claimed, too, although where large numbers of women are
employed this can be difficult to determine as the turnover may be high because
so many leave for domestic reasons, '''have is no doubt tha; constructive training
makes for easier recruitment, particularly of older men and women, many of
whom would not have the self-confidence to work in factories at all after years
at home if training were not available. It is possible to make an estimate of the
cost of the instruction by calculating the wages of instructors and trainees plus
the overheads of a training department and by deducting the value of production
work done in the training centre. It is not so easy to make an accurate estimate
of what it costs not to train, cg in terms of lost production, scrap, failure to
qualify for training allowances and grants etc, but if one is prepared to spend
the time, fairly accurate and rather staetling figures can be produced to prove
that training really does pay.

5
2 Selection

The problems of operator training trart with selection. Too often this fact is
ignored completely or the implications are not fully tin ierstood. Where under-
standing exists, there is still a general assumption that little be done, par-
ticularly in those regions where there arc too many vacancies and too few
operators to fill them, although even here h is worth using the techniques of a
full inter view and tests to make the most of the abilities of the few applicants
available; this also hells to avoid the high ltbour turnover which usually
follows hen no attempt is made to sift the qualities of the applicants. It is not
uncommon to hear of cases in areas of full ciployment where a company's
staff intake at the beginning of the week tallies with the number leaving. There
is also a tendency to think that all new semi -:killed operators have the same
level of ability, when in fact the cross - section of the community which forms
the corps of factory operators varies widely in bad:ground and range of ability
from the almost illiterate to the highly irtelligeat. This applies particularly
with women operators, many of whom for various reasons, such as family
background and eaAy marriage, have slipped through the educational net and are
doomed to curt; aut routine jobs well '01.!07f their capabilities. It is to the
credit of some managers that they have recognized this and have quietly pro-
looted such women to key jobs. These women have often had no formal training
for their new responsibilities and no formal recognition of their status.
Much attention is focus( a on the importance of the interview in selecting
personnel and many courses in interviewing rue run in colleges and elsewhere.
But it appears that, for the semi-skilled operator, the interview is still sketchily
conducted by a harassed personnel officer caught up in the vicious circle of
selecting in too short a time applicants who often do not rea.ain with the firm;
they leave bee-au sr- they have not been plated according to their abilities and are
well aware that they can always try the factory fu. they up the ti zd. The seasonal
nature of many industries complicates the problem because long periods when
emplo.ment is at a standstill are followed by relatively short periods when
great haste it made to engage large numbers quickly; with the best will in the
world stand:ads fall. It is surprising, too, hcw often firms give the recruiting work
to the you-g inexperienced man or woman who lacks both knowledge of how
to match the person to the job and skill in interviewing.
There is therefore no short cut to building up a case history of an applicant;
this must be done by a full interview and with the aid of testsa process which
many find time consuming as there are so many points which must be noted.
Surprisingly, it is frequently the unobtrusive points that make an applicant
unsuitable for a particular job, points which the interviewer has failed to pick up
because of lack of time or skill. This is illustrated by the example of a girl who
had two small growths on each thumb which prevented her from picking up
6
small components on assembly. These were not noticeable during the in _r-
view as the girl had train.:d herself from schooldays to conceal her hands out o''
embarrassment, but the growths were revealed when she performed a .iinnie
manual dexterity test.
It is surprising, too, how often interviewers ignore the physical attributes
of the person in relation to the job which he or she will perform. Thus we find
the man who is too tall having to bend in order to see through a glass panel
what is happening to his machine or the man who is too small having co stretch.
There is in fact a tendency to underestimate the amount of physical fatigue
caused by the average semi-sinned jcb.
Tests, both of intelligence and manual dexterity, provide a short cut to
information about an rpplicant but again are surprisingly rarely used in the
selection process for semi-skilled operators, although used increasingly in the
selection of apprentices. The temptation rot to use tests in an area where there is
a shortage of labour is understandable as it can be a lengthy process but this is
just the situation where tests are important in order to make the best use of the
applicant's abilities. Tests should never be used without the interview but the
information derived from the on's. oftzm supplements the other. Both are neces-
sary; for example, a test may show that an applicant is likely to make a good
capstan operator while the interview reveals that there is a medical reason why
he or she is unable to stand at a machine for eiLht hours a day. Again the inter-
viewer may know from a dexterity test that an cicrator is suitable for fine work
but may form an impression from the interview that he or she has not the
patience for such work. Where there is a shortage of employment .t may be
better to use the interview for engagement and to use tests for placing rather
than for initial selection. In this way it may be possible to place the man or
wanian who is not suitable for a fast piecework line in other indirect work in
the factory, such as restaurant, cleaning or labouring jobs, thereby filling
vacancies which are often more difficult to fill than direct production jobs.
Unless the personnel or training manager has considerable experience and is
thoroughly aware of what he is doing, he should avoid experiments in devising
tests. Personnel managers who have engaged a young psychologist straight from
university add plunged into setting up batteries of tests have been disappointed
and disillusioned to find so little correlation between performance on test and
on the actual job. It is much better to go to an caper body like the National
Institute of Industrial Psychology, which rightly insists on proper training for
the person who is going to administer the tests and a copyright of the tests
themselves.
There are also tests which can be bought on the open market and which, if
tiled sensibly, can be of great help. Raven's Matrices non-verbal intelligence
test is one that can be recommended and has be-'n found particularly useful for
entrants who have a language problem or disability, eg of speech or hearing. It
is alwa)s arefetable to use a combination of intelligence and manual dexterity
tests but the use of a simple written intelligence test on its nun can indicate
clearly whether the trainee will be able to cope with an intricate job or must
have very simple work.
7
9
 If there seems to be no justification for a battery of tests and if there is likely
to be a dearth of trained staff to administer them, at least the use of a test of
vision should be considered. So often an employee cannot perform a task at
piecework speed not because of la..* of intelligence or finger dexterity but
because of a visual defect. A simple test like 'he Stereosette Eye Test, which can
be given by a trained secretary, may provide valuable information by indicating
what work the operator will be unable to do because of a visual fault. Further-
moreand this applies to all tests--additional information may sometimes
come to the surface while the test is in progress. In one ease, for example, it was
established from the use of the Steteosette Test that a man was not only blind
in one eye but also illiterate; the use of written instructions about his job in the
form of charts sere thus meaningless to him.
Some ...All argue that tests are negative in that they explain what not to do
rather than what should be done in selection; that they take no t.ccount of
motivation and that the best they can do is to prevent t .e employment of the
ham-handed operator on intricate work. This may be g. a but used in conjunction
with the information culled at the interview, they will provide a much fuller
picture of the likely capabilities of the new employee and a better starting point
for training Furthermore, they provide this informat on in a much shorter
time than if it is left to emerge gradually during the first :ew months of employ-
ment.

8
I (1
3 Where to train

The problem of whether training should be carried out in a section away

from the plant or whether it should take place on the shop floc; is always difficult
for management to decide; what may suit one type of production may not suit
another. Above all it is important that training be tailor-made to suit the demands
of the particular factory. There is, howtser, a good case for carrying out some
initial training away from the noise and bustle of production and then following
it up closely with training on the shop floor.

The separate training unit

If it is decided to hay e a separate training section there are three main problems
involved:
(i) It is important that the plant in the training section should resemble
as closely as possible that is the factory. Nothing is to he gained by training
new 'eople cm old machines which arc likely to break down frequently, par-
ticularly if they bear little or no resemblance to the modern plant which the
trainees will finally operate on piecework. It merely lengthens the time it takes
fc.,r the man or woman to become a skilled operator.
(ii) The airmen( must be representative of the needs of the factory. This
can p.esen a problem as there may be a strong case for duplicating all the plant
required for training purposes. But this would be considered uneccnom3e,
and in most cases training can be given only on the plant which is most commonly
used in the factory. On the other hand, it may be vitally necessary to duplicate
the machine and equipment where the persistent bottle-necks occur, eg where the
,rnover is partieularlf high or where it takes a long period to attain piecework
Irnings. Furthermore, few training sections have the necessary flexibility to
away and bring out plant as it is requireda flexibility which is beckoning
increasingly essential because of the rate of technological change.
(iii) One of the cb'ef prtbleras of a training section is keeping up to date with
the needs of the factory which is changing and expanding. It is important that
budget requirements are made on an annual basis and that the training depart-
ment has it.. share of new plant and equipment. It is equally essential that, is
new jobs and techniques develop, the training department should Le put in the
picture in time to make the necessary training plans. So often it is approached
only when the learning problem has become urgent and valuable time is lost,
for trample, in the training of instructors. A training department that has
become static is out cf date, engaged in training operators on one method of
production when a newer one has siiperseded it.
It is also essential that the work done in the training centre should resenible
as closely as pr ssib/e that done in the factory. In Funicular, the amount of
9
11
work done can give rise to a number of d'ficulties. Once the training officer
has taken over certain production work fkom the factory supervision he must
try to have it completed in the time promised or supervisors will lose faith and
refuse to let jobs go to the training c'epartment. He must therefore estimate
fairly accurately how much he can achieve, beating in mind that his operators
will range from the raw recruit to thz. person who is almost achieving piecework
standard. One good basis for measurement is to accept a work load at half the
speed cf experienced workers; this allows for the new trainee who is producing
little and for the trainee nearly at the end of the course who may be attaining
the speed of the experienced operator.
The time lag in the factory presents another pr lb.ern for the training officer.
To anticipate rising production, a number of new people are recruited at a
faster rate than the work expands and in this situation an emergency supply
of work which can be done over and over again, together with exercises, may be
the only answer.
If trainees are instructed in a training area away from the shop tkor, the
introduction to the factory may have to be handled carefully. The shock of
going from the small compact training unit to the actual work place where the
trainee may not receive individual attention can be frightening. A follow-up
instructor from the training department can do much to help the newcomer over
the problems of settling down which are often not connected with ability to
perform a task at a certain speed but with the difficulties of fitting into a group.
On the ether hand, critics of the separate training department can ova
emphasize the effect of change from training department to works, referring to
the dangers of a 'heaven -bell' atmosphere. But it should he remembered that,
apart fiort school leavers, many new employees will have worked in factories
before and will not therefore be so surprised at the change. In any case the
time spent in the training department is likely to be short compared with that
spent in the factory and is therefore unlikely to make a big impact.

The shop floor

Those who emphasize the problems of training in a separate area tend to
forget that the problems of instructing on the floor of the shop are equally great
even when carried out by a trained instructor. Ensuring the release of production
plant for long enough to provide the satisractory training is one !ifficulty;
fsilute to do this is the cause of much inadequate instruction. Another and
perhaps greater difficulty is that of training on a moving conveyor, the speed
which is often frightening to a new employee. Sometimes, too, there is not
enough room on a conveyor line Pa an instructor to instruct and the new
employee may miss the full impact of what is being said or demonstrated
because of the hustle and bustle around him. Another problem concerns the
instructor himself who may be responsible to a training officer but must work
within the authority of the chargehanda siotatioa which calls for the skills of
a diplomat as well as the* of an instructor. At the same time, most charge-
hands or junior supervisors on their own admission &vote less ime to new
10

12
employees than is generally assumed, mainly because of pressure of other
duties but sometimes through lack of inclination. Most factories need 'peri-
patetic' instructors who are available to assist junior supervisors, particularly
when. the job is complicated or where the trainee is slow to learn. These in-
structors can greatly help production by doing the initial instruction on a new
process or new method, thus eliminating the teething problems before the job is
handed over to the junior supervisor. They are also useful in helping to train
the labour force in a new branch unit until local instructors are selected and
trained.
Most factories which follow the modern pattern of training should therefore
have a small training area where initial instruction and induction can be carried
out. They also need a team of instructors who are able to instruct not only in
the training department but also to help wherever necessary with instructiunal
problems on the she p floor; in particular they must be abie to assist on 'follow-up'
problems.
Whether instruction takes place in a training area or on the shop floor, what
to do with trained instructors during periods of recession or fall-back in pro-
duction always presents a difficulty, although not an insurmountable one.
During such periods instructors can be ttsed in other skills so that they are more
adaptable when production in the factory begins to increase again. A slick
period also provides a good opportunity to examine what is being taught, and
to consider improvements in job breakdowns, sisoal aids etc; retraining of
poor performers can be done more efficiently than at a busy period, and training
facilities can be offered to assist in the training and placing of disabled persons.
In the uaining section it may even be necessary for the instructors to keep jobs
going, or there may be a delay in ce- starting the section required. Once suitable
training jobs are lost to production shops, it is not always easy to regain them.
The method of payment nr trainees must also be considered. On th: whole,
it is probably best to pay trainees at a minimum earnings level during an initial
learn:ag period, such as two weeks, and then on a sliding scale where a job is
likely to take longer to learn. It is importent to have target values to provide an
incentive to trainees to work to speed dining the initial period. On the other hand,
it has been found that if trainees are paid on piecework from the firet day,
training is quickly 'sold' to the experienced workers, many of whom ask for
retraining to enable them to earn as much as the newer operators, but paying
trainees in this way puts addition; pressures on instructors, whirls arc not
entirely justified. Where new operators are undergoing a length; training
scheme became of the complexity of the job, it is essential not to pay 'hens less
th-.n those undergoing shorter q-aining.

Perod of adjustment
When the trainee has completed the training programme and reached the
level of efficiency required, a suitable vacancy will be found for him. This is the
time when problems of adjustment to the new conditions in the factory may
arise and the level of performance will occasionally drop slightly while the
Il

13
trainee settles down. Inability or unwillingness to fit in with a particular group
can create other difficulties; these are sometimes unusual as is illustrated by the
girl who was found particularly suitable for an assembly task in a shop situated
on th- sixth iloor but refused to work there as she had 'no head for heights'!
Whatever problems arise, it is a good plan to have a trial perioA of about two
weeks dur;ng which the trainee still comes under the jurisdiction of the training
department; ibis gives a breathing space when problems of settling down can
be sorted out and, if difficulties prove insoluble, the trainee can return to the
training department to await further placing. Close follow-up during this
trial period is essential and the appointment of an instructor who is responsible
for seeing that all trainees settle down in the factory can be invaluable to super-
visors and trainees alike. If numbers do not justify this, the duties may have to
be shared by several instructors. Miter method can function quite successfully
sod while the first may be favoured because oldie experience in placing gathered
by the instructor, the second hai the advantage that because of his training the
trainee may be better known to the instructor before leaving the department.
After the close follow-up of :wo weeks, periodic visits for about the next ten
weeks are to be recommended, with written reports made at the end of the first
and tided months. Follow-up also provides an excellent check on the effectiveness
of the trairing department's work.

12
14
4 Skills analysis 'training

With the growing emphasis on skill; analysis training, an increasing number

of training officers ere attending courses on 't and learning how to put it into
practice. This method of training originated in Britain in the 194.)s and, through
the efforts of some of its early practitioners, has since spread to the USA and
other parts of the world. Its thief exponent in this country is the consultant,
W D Seymour,I whose 'look Industrial Skills' and Skills Analysis' give com-
prehensive treatrient of he subject. It is not the intention to do more than
comment here from the experience of a number of years in using this technique.
Skills analysi; training, as its tunic implies, means a systematic approach
based on an analysis of the skill of the experienced operator. Many people
steeped in the traditions of TWI1 may criticize it for the long time it takes to
produce a training course but as W D Seymour has pointed out: "Unless the
skills and knowledge of the experienced worker have been analysed and under-
stood, and the training courses based on such an analysis and understanding,
then any results achieved will be haphazard and not systematic "' The in-
sistence dui all jobs require two types of training, one for the knowledge con-
tent end one for the skills, is very sound. So many schemes fail beaus.: too much
attention is given to the one and too little to the other; "A complete training
scheme must set out to integrate the two ".'
The ibllowing is a draft training syllabus using the skills analysis method:
Analytical method of training applied to power press operating
Yob kts-nrle4te
1 Introductionclocking in, cloakroom, res :Arrant and medical arrangements
2 remonstration of job and training arrangements
3 Booking of work and method of payment
4 Safety
IT.se basic cencepts of mills analysis were originated by his brother, the late Dr A II
Seymour
2incratricil Skit' by W 1) Sep-nut's, Pitman, 1966
.15kiFis Ana/pill by W D Seymour, Pitman, 1968
' Training Within Indushy lob instruction method of training so well knows in
this country as to need little cos-anent. T'1 spread during the 19461 front America to
sEsit.l.band, where it developed rapidly, It embodies common sense principles of tra,ning
can to grasped easily by a aide range of people. For the simple lob the pre of
instructional breakdown that it recommends is probably sufficient but not for the more
con pie: lob which demands greater depth. TWI tads to stress the visual aspects of a
task at the expanse of others, :g kinaesthetic. On the otItes hand, it ...an be a useful stepping
store to a fuller and mote integrated scheme and in the aiming of instr.?cter a. 'WI
booklets can be obtained front the Department of Employment and Productivity.
'Some Aspecu of Training, by W I) Seymour, EACiEjogirnal, Vol 20, No 2, Jane 1966,
p 73
sSosu Argecrt of Training, by W 13 Seymour. /3,1CisS toonsed, V'S 2CO3 No 2. June 1966,
p 73
13
15
5 Types of presses, names of parts, types of safety guards, eg interlock and
fixed
6 Visit to factory
7 The company's history and talk on products
8 Fault analysis and quality t pecification

Job skill
I Activities of experienced operators analysed carefully in terms of both
movement and use of senses. List made of all the activ:ties the trainee might
be -xtiled on to do, eg starting and stopping machine, positioning a variety of
components in tool bases, operating a safety guard.
2 Analysis indicates that certain preliminary exercises would be advantageous,
eg to practise piercing up and positionin3 components of different shapes
and sizes, to operate foot lever and safety guard. Targets set.
3 Analysis provides basis for breakdown of a whole job, eg second operatic
simple piercing, bending or raising job into sections. Instruction schedules
prepared: RIGHT HAls'D; LEFT HAND; ATTENTION ?owls. The attention
points indicate to the instructor the way in which he should train newamers
to use each of the senses and other points which need special attention.
Targets set.
4 When each of the sections has been repeated several times correctly and
to target time, the -..-ctions are combined step by step into the whole iob.
Trainees progress towards the total job by a carefully programmed time-
table of half hour periods which are later extended into working periods of
one, two and three hours.
5 Different types of other operations introduced, eg piercing, bending,
forming, raising, blanking.
6 Operations repeated until standards of speed and quality are satisfactorily
maintained over a day and then over several days.

Dextrainer Exercises
Operation Power press trainee seated at bench

Purpose To practise picking up and positioning components vith

right and left hands, and to practise the operation of the
foot lever and safety guards

Description A 1290 power press guard with foot lever attached to a

series of red, amber and green lights
A wooden ilock with a raised surface placed inside the guard
to reprcsert the base of the power press tool
A qu-ntity of end plates with centre bole in hopper fixed to
bench
At the beginning of the exercise the red light is switched on
signifying that the machine is on
14
1t;
Operating Pick up a plate in each haAdposition with let hand first.
Instructions Close guard, pullirg handle towards you with left hand.
When guard is closed completely the amber light comes on.
Press right foot on lever when amber light goo off, green
Fght comes on. Open guard and remove plate with left hand
and feed again with right hand
Repeat

Target 8 components in 23 seconds

16 components in 46 seconds

Remarks Drawing number of the 1290 powe: press guard with foot
lever and lights attached as used in all power press Dex-
trainer Exercises is T 153265
Drawing number of the other equipment used in this
Exercise is T 153100

THE POWER PRESS DEXTV....:NER

15
 THE POWER PRESS DEXTRAINER EXERCISE

16
Training syllabus for assembly work
Duration of course: four weeks (two works in works training department)
Objectives: to teach the correct use of assembly tools and equipment according
to best work study principles; to teach safety, quality and speed as related to
assembly work
Method of instruction: instruction and practice in graded assembly jobs;
general induction lectures with specific talks on assembly with the use of visual
aids

Syllabus
fob skill
First week: simple sub - assembly
instruction in the use of hand tools
Second week: instruction in the use of air press and air screwdriver on
more complicated assernh"..-.4
soldering
Third and more complicated assemblies with accent on achieving
fourth week: piecework speed

Job knowledge
Talks on safety, factory procedures, quail, assembly tools
Talks on working methods, wages, products

The practice of breaking down the instruction schedule into RIGHT HAND,
LEFT HAND and ATTENTION POINTS is invaluable to the instructor and, although
time consuming, provides a much more thorough breakdown for training pur-
poses than the TW I breakdown sheet, which can still be used I the simple jobs.
The use of training devices and exercises is also of great value, particularly
where the job is complicated or with machines where there is an element of fear.
For example, many women who have had experience of the old and dangerous
type of machine' are afraid to learn how co operate a power press but, if
persuaded to alieriment with a 'dummy' mach'el, they realize that the power
press is much less tiring physically and soon d:velop into good operators.
Skills analysis training encourages trainees to wotk to targets, at first over
short periods of time (eg 1 hour, i hour, 1 hour) then gradually building up
speed over the whole shift; there is no doubt that this helps trainees to dtvelop
a sense of confidenrt in their ability to acquire and maintain the speed of the
experienced operator. It is also a good idea to train in pairs whenever possible,
allowing trainees to time themselves and each other with a seconds dock and
to record their own time; this too fosters a sense of achievement and com-
petition. Wall progress charts, on which trainees can follow their own progress,
keep them interested and achieve brisressive results with young and old ahlte.

'Lever operated baud mu

17

19
 Fault analysis (ie the provision of an exhibition of faults where the instructor
can have sessions with trailees so that a fuller understanding of quality standards is
achieved) also makes for more thorough training, provided it is carried out
systematically.

18
S Training manuals

In any tearing scheme it is well worth embarking at an early stage on the

necessary, if time consuming, task of preparing manuals which are not only
essential for training new instructors but provide a useful check on the subject
matter being taught. Some prefer to complete the manual when the first batch
of trainees has been thnoq,h the course while others find that in the early stages
there is not sufficient time for its preparation, and postpone the job until a
quiet period. These manuals will probably need periodic modification and
revision as production changes take place but this in itself ensures that rrainirg
is kept up to date. So often good training schemes are developed by training
officers ;An are later promoted or who move to another company, but because
nothing is written down their methods fall into disuse.
The following is a recommended precis for a manual for drilling operators:

Scope of programme Object of programm

Types of machines used in training
Types of work used in training
Outline of programme Method of training
Dui ation of course
Qualities required in training Physique
Dexterity
Co- ordination
Intelligence
Temperament
General notes for instructors bluding such points as: conforming to
the time-table; lookirg at instruction schedule
before instructing; to make sure that no points
have been missed; letting trainees know how
they are progress:ng, etc
Time-table Set out in drys shoving practical training and
talks
Exercises Details of exercises and training devices
Instruction Breakdow wiining jots on im HAND,
RIGHT HOE), A rTE(TION POINTS principle
Machine practice Pants about the machine on which it is
important that thi. trainee should hare some
knowledge
Safety Safety points listed (a) general
(b) stecific to drilling
Quality, inspection and Details of qsality standard and sample
fault a:idylls faith analyses
19
I 'I
Lectures Details of talks which are necessary for
knowledge of job
Samples of work records Training progress record, training plan
Modification and rev'sion Provision for entering date and details of
any change affecting the traininf, course

Training manuals need not be elaborately produced. In fa c, because of

technical changes which may modification, there is a case for keeping
production as simple as possible. To keep costs down they can be duplicated
rather tin printed but they should be well illustrated. It is sometimes possible
to obtain the services of art college students specializing in technil illustrating- -
an excellent method of providing good experience for the students during the
long vacation and good visual aids for the training manuals.
When preparing a manual it is important that the training officer brings
in the specialist, such as the engineer or chemist, to establish standards of whst
is to be taught; the instructor should also be included as the exercise can con-
tribute much to his own training. Instructors should have their own copies of
the manual as there is a tendency for it to remain hidden in the training officer's
file. They will thus be encouraged to take a much greater personal interest in
applying the contents of the manual.

20
I 1'
6 Instructors

The success of any training scheme depends on the ability of its instructors
and great care must therefore be taken in their selection and training.

Selection
Wherever possible selection should be made from within the factory or
organization es the job of instructor ofers promotion, particularly for women
for whom otherwise opportunities may be limited. There is also considerable
potential ability to be found on the shop floor, not so much among male operators
perhaps, but certainly among the women. In nearly every factory there are
operators with ability and personality who for one reason or another were
deprived of suitable educational opportunities and are doing routine jobs well
below their level of ability. In a newly established factory in a new area, it is
obviously not always possible to find someone with much company ser.rice;
thus where it i.: necessary to select someone with short service it is even more
important to take we in selection.
Written application either by form or letter should be requested as this
indicates if the applicant can express himself dearly in writingno* always a
strong point of would-be instructors. This should be followed up by a written
report from the applicant's supervisor. Initial interviews should be carried out
by a personnel or training officer, preferably backed by the use of tests; a
relatively simple intelligence test plus a few manual dexterity tests and a test of
vision would be particularly useful.

Short list
A short list cf applicincs should then be prepared and the final interview
carried out by a small panel representing supervisory staff and the personnel
department. The more senior the manager in charge of this job the better, as
management's interest in training is made apparent to all and the new instructor
is able to start off with the right kind of backing.
Other points to look for apart from intelligence and dexterity are the qualities
of leadership that one would expect to find in junior superv:sion; good appear-
ance and bearing; an even temperament and patience; self-reliance and
experience. The ability to instruct is paramount but may be dill zult to deter-
mine initially; indications of this ability, however, can be seen in applicants who
are willing to put themselves out to help the new employee tettle into the job.
The really good instructor has an :mate desire to impart information to other
people; an appreciation of method study is also useful.
The following is an example of I job specification for an instructor teaching
on the shop floor and not in a training am:
21
job titleinstructor on shop floor of small factory
Duties and responsibilities
I Instruct new employees, trainees and retrainees daily
z Supervise closely all trainees to detect erres of work and to instil a high
standard of quality
3 Supervise to give confidence and to assist trainees to acquire speed
Supervise to ensure that all trainees understand safety precautions
5 Maintain a high standard of discipline so that new employees may realize
what is expected of them
6 Induct new employeesshow them clocking station, cloakrooms, restaurant,
surgery
7 Work under direct supervision of shop foreman
8 Keep foreman informed of progress of trainees and make recommendations
on final placing. Keep reoords of progress
9 Maintain contact with chargelarmds over supplies of work and tools, and
progress of trainees. Similarly, liaise with personnel officer on %minces.

Edcation Secondary modern

Previous experience A minimum of two years as an operator in the
factory
Experience in instructing or minor supervisory
duties would be valuable
Training time Nine months
Initiative Arranges instruction of trainees
Depene.ability Must be reliable and dependable
Planning /co-ordinating Plans instruction, progressing from simple tc more
difficult jobs
Cooperation and Contact with chargehands, product on control staff,
contact personnel officer
Physical fatigue Long periods of standing
Working conditions Factory floor. Should have own bench where can
talk to trainees and keep records

Training
If there is a training officer in the firm who is familiar with analytical training
methods, most of the training of instructors would be his responsibility, follow-
ing systematically the training manual for the particular type of work. Back-
givund knowledge of work study and human relations is essential to the job of
instructing and a work simplificatior course on simple motion study and a
TWI lot relations course provide a good basic imowledge of these subjects.
For the more able instructors, full -rime courses on MTM (Methods Time
Measurement) give them a sound knowledge of method study, while the less
able can cope adequately with appreciation courses.
If analytical training has not yet been introduced in the firm, the 'MI job
instruction course is a good starting point sod encourages instrcctors to look
22
`analytically' at what they are going to teach by insisting on job breakdowns.
Some people consider that instructors must have sufficient practice on every job
which they are going to teach to enable them to work at the speed of experienced
workers. Admittedly this is most impressive when it is achieved, but the in-
structor does not have to work consistently s t the speed of experienced workers
to be at if he is able to give clear instruction to a trainee working from
a prepared job brealtdown.
Ot.ki background courses which are necessary for new insuTctors cover
safety (eg TWI job safety) and quality. Although much can be achieved by
attending courses, tutorials held by the training officer or the person to whom the
instructor is responsible can enable the instructor to know how to deal with
some of the problems of training. The preparation of 'notes for the guidance
of the iiistrictor' is most useful for this purpose; a copy of these notes, which
can be used as a basis for discussion with new staff, should be given to instructors
as their reference manuals.

Extracts from a sample Instructors' manual

Personal example
Remember that initially the trainee will be wutldng more closely with you
than with anyone else and that his a,aitude to his work will be largely influenced
by you It is therefore most important to set a good example in such matters as
application to dud, 4, timekeeping, tiiiness and personal appearance.

Personal relationships
Although every trainee will have been interviewed, tested and selected far
the work you are going to teach, there will always be some who are uncertain at
first of their ability to learn the job and adapt to a new environment. A helpful
instructor can soon instil confidence in even the most nervous newcomer.
In estry case you should..
(a) quickly put the trainee at ease by having ss short friendly chat as soon as
he or she has been introduced to you;
(b) show a businesslike approach to your work but at the same time be pleasant
and patient, especially with newcomers who appear to be difficult or unsure
of themselves;
(c) not hesitate to reprimand a trainee if you feel there is a genuine reason but
always take care to do this out of hearing of others and in a calm but firm
manner;
(d) try not to bring your own domestic troubles into the training department.
Anxiety is soon noticed and spreads quicl-ly to the detriment of a trainee's
progress.

Authoriv
You will have a position of authority similar to that of a chargehand, but
remember that your real standing in the eyes of trainees will always depend
much more upon your personality and ability than upon formal status. As you
gain experierice, you will find that you carry more weight with your trainees.
23
25
 You are unlil.ely to have difficulty in maintaining proper discipline if you
have their respect and if you alwa.-rs keep them busy and interestec. They will
respect you for three main reasons:
1 You can do the job well
2 You are always prepared to help them in every way you can
3 You enable them to do things which otherwise they coula not do
Yoer ability to create and maintain the trainees' interest in the job depends
to a great extent upon how well you succeed in:
increasing your knowledge of the job. There is always more in a job than
first meets the eye and the greater your own br :round knowledge of the
work, the easier it will be for you to capture the interest of others;
increasing your understanding of and interest in the trainees as individuAs,
acting as the interpreter for trainees by telling them, while they are doing
the job, exactly what is happening and w`syin other words, generally
encouraging them to develop a properly informed interest in their work.
The way to get the best from trainees is by encouragement, not by trying
to drive them.

Other points which should be c vered in the notes arc the reportiag back of
probler.ss, attention to job methods and target times, quality training jobs, and
the need to keep records as well as detailed notes on instruction such as those in
-MI job instruction; these ir,clude ,nsuring that the tools and equipment Sc
be used are in good working order and explaining the physical requirem-e.,
for the job.
Most instructors have to give short talks either formally in a lectur' ; or
informally round the benchan aspect of their job which is ofren .tted
when their training is planned. D:partment of Employment and Pt ctivity
courses such as those held at Letchworth are excellent and the till g officer
may also rscomplish much by holding tutorials with new instructut, and using
the 'notes fot guidance on how to give a lecture'. Points to be stressed include:

I Careful preparation Keep subject matter simple; limit time

to 1-1 hour; arrange subject matter
accordingly; ensure that there aee no
outside distractions
2 Careful planning Every talk should have a
BEG INNING
MIDDLE
END
3 Making trainees interested in Make introduction lively
lecture and holding their interest Arrange for class activity whenever
possible
4 Ensuring that talk is getting Quizzes or exereiso where the results
autos can be seen immediately are a good check
on bow much information has '-ten
absorbed
24
5 Use rd- visual aids
6 Blackboard technique
7 Question technique

Full-day and afle.rnoon conferences con provide a useful .nears for training
existing instructors informally. A part from other advantdges, they give an
opportunity for instructors from scattered units to meet and discuss their
problems.

Sample programme for full-day conference

Speaker
9-9 30 Company requirements Group pe:sonnel manger

S 30-10 45 Work study and operator Work stuffy manager

training
11 15 -1230 Keeping training methods Senior training
up to date supervisor
1 45-3 15 Group discussions:
(A) Instruction xhedvles
(a) Problems of follow -up
(c) Assessing trainees
(o) Instructing on the shop flow
(contrasted with instructing
in a training department)
3 30-400 Reporting back on group dis-
cussions
4 00-4 45 Flinn on training techniques
4 45-5 00 Summing up Conference chairman

Sample programme for an afternoon conference

2 00-2 30 Training policy ono future Senior training
developments supervisor
2 30-3 30 Machine developments Chief yroject engineer
4 00-500 Skills malysis principle Analytical training o'freer
7 Records

It is essential to keep accurate records of the progress of trainees so that all

the necessary information is available when considering placing them in the
factory. Instructors should be encouraged to keep simple records and not to
try storing in their heads details about trainees which they wiJ probably forget.
The TWI training plan (TWI 14) provides a simple framework. For e fuller
record, an individual card is recommended for entries on daily performance, plus
a graph on which progress can be plotted (Fig 1). The training officer should keep
a record card of perzonnel details and selection test res ults; this card should also
include a training report, a summary of which should be issued to the foreman
and to the rso.:nel officer at the end of the training period (Fig 2). Follow-up
records are also imp, a, particularly when the operator has to be considered
for other work (Fig 3). As already mentioned, simple wall charts placed near the
benches and machines of trainees allow them to follow their own progress and
foster a sense of achievement ar,d competition. Industrial training boards ir,ist
on the maintenance of records. At present, for example, the Engineering In-
dustry Training Board requires a r.tgister of people on the payroll who are being
trained. The register must be compiled weekly and must cover all forms of
training, both on and off the job internally and also externally. The board has
also recommended keeping individual records.
If training is done in a special area, it is wise to keep rIccurate records of all
work completed by trainees to avoid any arguments with production staff.
Whenever possible, partiralarly if the work is going direct to the consume:, it is
advisable to mark and date any products completed by trainees in order to
avoid unjustified recriminations over rejects. In fact trainees often make less
scrap than experienced workers because they take more care initially, being
anxious to make a good impression.

26
 Fig.
TRAINING DEPARTMENT WORK RECORD
Name Section No.

Job
Target
No. Done
Job

Target
No. Dor a
Job
'forget
No. Done
Job

Target
No. Done
Job

Targes
No. Done
Job

Target
No. 0000
Job
Urger
No. Done

GRAPH
H Te W TS F H Te W TS / M Te W Th F M To W

I M'e ird Wete 3 I W to It% Wee!

27
form No. 7342A Fit. 1
TflAiNfd RECORD PERSONNEL DETAILS WORKS TRAINING DEPARTMENT

Name ICheck No Dace a 1 Oat* of

MjSfYV Binh Eng, i went

Addreu Type of Traitilni and Lectures

Interview Notes

Capstan ce
Grind°, ilia',"
General
Power Press Coil Windlr g Assembly School
election
Test Resulu

Directions Lines Steadiness BiTinw &I SCA .1.11 D4C1

Wielded
Tess Smite

Tryout Oct. Check List DON. Job

Prorm Report

Transfer
Oise

Dsts Let: R town Saleable For

Ke....ngelemont

30
Form No. 71 i3
Fig. 3
TRAINEE RECORD
FOLLOW-UP WORKS TRAINING DEPARTMENT

WEEKLY PERFORMANCE
Handily Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Nine Ch-eck No.

Dept. kb

FOLLOW-UP INSTRUCTORI REPORT

29
al
8 Induction

For the average newcomer, setting down in a factory is much more than a
question of finger dexterity and abil ty to perform a particular task at speed; it is
also a question of fitting in and feeling at ease with the group. One of the ways
in which we can assist new employ.:..1 is by giving them inforviation about
various aspects of factory life, bearing in mind that what seems commonplace
to us may be strange to them. This is what we mean by induction tniining, the
importance of which is too often under-rated. If we fail to gise the necessary
information, the newcomer is left to gather it as bat he can; this °Len mean;
that he is fed with much incorrect information from a variety of sour ,es. Talks
on factory procedure, rules and amenities, safety, wages and quality are essential
but we could do more to encourage the interest that new employees often want to
show in the history and scope of the firm they are working for and in the products
they are makingpoints which tend to be under-estimated.
Finding their way about the factory presents difficulties to most new em-
ployees and, apart from better signposting, some time de..oted to this aspect of
factory life can be of great assistance.
Some people may Bastion the wiser of attempting a talk on wages because
of the complicated wages structure of many firms, and it is true that even
youngsters coming into the factory from school have only a sketchy knowledge
of fractions and decimals. ktut a general etplanation does give some idea of the
principles of piecework, for example, and the newcomer ceases to think that
doubt.: time means double the consolidated rate. The pay-ated difficulties
sometimes encountered by the new employee arise not only because of Otte-
work schemes hut because of deductions, particularly income tax deduction, and
a talk on wages can deal with queries of this nature. it is not uncommon v find
new women employees who have been paying too much tax in previous jot t and
who are naturally delighted to learn how matters can be put right.
[he timing of induction talks is most important. In 1955 the National Ins itute
of Industrial Psychology set up a project on in-plant training, which fowl, that
personnel officers often had a good scheme of induction talks on paper by : that
it never seemed to work in practice. If the talks were given during dr: first
morning the new operators were not particularly receptive, while if they were
held later there were difficulties in releasing people from production. Carrying
out induction in an already established operator training department h ts the
advantage of making is prAsible to space talks more effectively so the: new
employees do not suffer from mental indigestion; it is also usually ea is to
release the operator from the training task than 1. am the production task.
Where most operators are paid on a week in hand basis, it is usually be :ter to
delay a talk on wages, particularly on piecework, until the second week .$ em-
ployment when the new employee will have received his first pay-card. Bu some
30
trailing officers prefer to give a talk on day work wages during the first week to
clear up any difficulties which may have arisen through misunderst Indicts of
rates quoted on engagement. If time is available, two talks on this most important
subject are to be recommended.
Sometimes the real prc:blem of having an effective induction scheme is one of
administration. induction :owes are frequently conducted spasmodically and
haphazardly because no one person is responsible for running them regularly;
nor rt..o grandiose schemes with specialist lecturers always work in practice. For
example, many departmental heads :eel that the are unable to as:ist on a regular
weekly basis at a particular time. More effective use could be made of instructors
to help with induction programmes provided tle-t they are given assistance
with the course content plus full instruction in the technique of giving talks, and
that they have the backing of good visual aids. Such aids are a necessity for
induction talks since they enable peorle co absorb information more easily and
make the information more interesting. They need not be elaborate, eg a simple
poster type is sufficient for a procedure talk or sn enlarged copy of the pay-card
for a wags talk; more expensive aids such as tape recordings with visual parch
or films and film strips are v be recommended for matters like safety.

Example of an induction prijramme

A much more ambitious r.nd effective induction programme can be organized
in an already established operate: traiaing department but where this does not
exist a programme may be planned on the following line.:
1st tarion (to be he. 1 on the Wednesday of the first week, assuming that new
employees start work on the Monday
Throe half-hourly talks on:
(1) Proceditrecovering yoin. such as regulations on dock-cards;
necessity for notification of absence !lid change of address; need for
medical certificates during sickness loseoce
(ii) Safety
(iii) Quality

2nd union (to be held on tie Wednesday of the second week)

Wages
Organizati 3a of company
Soda) and sports facilities, amenities

3r) miens (to be held on the Wednesday of the third week)

Products
Method study
Visit to other departments

31
9 Training of special groups

The disabled
Fee 40me years the Joseph Lucas organization has offered training facilities
to the Spastics Society and the Blind Institute in order to help them to place
3irls and youths in employment all over the country. The opinions expressed
here are based on the author's experience of instructing such trainees and others
employed by the company.
When training the disabled it is often found that training follows a period of
enforced idleness due to illness or inability to find employment. This means that
the trainee can experience genuine difficulty in adjusting to the work environ-
ment. At first he may find the discipline that the fac'.ory imposes hard to accept,
eg tit ::keeping or working a full factory shift. Allowances may have to be made
for travelling difficulties and permission given to leave the factory before the
normal rush hoer. But it is worth encouraging the disabled employee to work the
full shift from tiv: start if possible, even if additional rest periods hive to
granted. The trainee may have accepted factory life grudgingly as a second or
third choice; and ccnsequently he is not really interested in the work and this
presents another picblem. A difficult home background where the parents are
unable to come to Icrms with the disability can also seriously !kw-raper progre i;
or a dicabled traiuee away from home may be homesick But many trainees are re .re
than grateful for Pie opportunity of employ-rnaot and apply themselves to the
given task win or more conscientiously than the average able-bodied person.
They may also have a li nth ed experience of a particular type of work and weh -me
the opportunity of enlat*g it
It is most important to give a disabled trainee the impression that he is no
different from any other trains e, and to let him think that be can master the job.
It is essential for instructors to be ready to went more time with such trainees
and to continually encourage their efforts. Enceuragemert may also be necessary
to persuade them to make use of a disabled limb at work. For example, the
spastic youth who keeps his disabled hand in his pocket and uses only his good
hind may need considerable encourazement to use the other hand in even a
limited fashion but it is worth persisting for it will help him to work at a higher
speed.
1 he use of training devices and exercises before machine training is even mere
important in the instruction of the disabled shan it is of the able-bodied. On
dummy drill, press or capstan lathe the trainee learns the correct movements
so that he does not waste energy when he comes to operate the actual machine;
similarly, the blind trainee learns the feel of the job without the dangers of the
teal marh'ne. Disabled trainees generally gain confidence to use hands and feet
even in a limited way and to co-ordinate their movements. But it is important
32
that the training devices used should reproduce almost exactly the features of
the machine since the disabled person has more difficulty in transferring the
skill he has acquired.
Although naturally it is expected that these trainees will have greater difficulty
in achieving piecework speed, it is worth encouraging them to work to set
targets and to record the results, even if they are low; each small step forward
represents a major advance. The amount of physical energy which has to be
expended on a job is of great importance and care must also be taken to give
tt e right type of training. For example, a young spastic with a leg disability
may find it difficult to concentrate for long on a machine job involving the
use of a foot pedal, whereas he may find it quite easy to concentrate on an
assembly or inspection iob where he is using only his hands. Deaf and dumb
trainees do not present much difficulty in learning jobs if detailed demonstrations
of each part of the w...rk are given. Tob knowledge can be imparted with the
help of written instructions.

The older worker

Less would be heard of the problems of training the older worker if more
firms ran comprehensive training schemes for all trainees. Older workers can
in fact be fitted into existing schemes without much difficulty. Some time ago a
television programme related a success story of a firm in the Midlands which
had had most satisfactory results from training men over 40 on semi-skilled
machine work, but it seemed that no special arrangements had been made
because the men wen. older. What had been done could equally well have
applied to younger men, ie a training area had been set aside for instructional
purposes and specialist instruction was given by trained instructors.
It is important that older trainees should be given sufficient time to learn
and to acquire the speed of the experienced worker. They may take longer than
a younger person but if allowed extra time to acquire speed they tend to work
more consistently than many youngsters. Moreover, one has to distinguish
between the older woman, eg a widow who has been working in factories all her
life, and the older woman_ who has had r long break from industry bringing up
her family. The former can and does learn as quickly as the young trainee while
the latter takes longer to adjust herself to factory conditions and job methods
which may have greatly changed from her younger days.
Older trainees should be able to control the speed at which they take instruc-
tion. Demonstrations may cause difficulty because the older trainee fails to
grasp points made or misses essential details; thus they may have to be repeated
more often or made more slowly. Simple written instructions on a card at the
work bench or machine may be useful in cert:in cases. Older people tend to
learn much better by 'doing' and it may be necessary to make adjustments to
any talks and lectures to enable them to absorb the information more easily. It is
also important to prevent the older trainee as far as possible from making
mistakes during the early stages of training. If they make errors initially, they
have greater difficulty in unlearning. This is true also where older trainees have
33
35
picked up poor working methods at another firm, eg working with one h-nd only.
Older workers are often more reliable timekeepers. This advantage is particular-
ly true of the older married women whose domestic tie. are lighter and whose
children are older and no longer tequi:e so mveh attention. Providing they do
not take a job which overtaxes their health, these women can be excellent
employees, sometimes motivated by long term goals like contributing to the
expenses of a son's education at school or university.

Immigrants
In many ways, the problems of training inunigsanti are no different from
training local employees. The key is to find the right kind of job to suit the
person's abilities. Physique may be an important factor. Many West Indian and
African women have large hands and fingtss and are much more suitable for jobs
where strength and steadiness of hand is essential than for small intricate work,
while Indian and Pakistani women hare sr. tall hands with slim fingeis and there-
fore often excel at delicate work. Language presents some problems, particularly
in selection, and the use of a non-verbal intelligence test will give _ more accurate
assessment of the trainee's capabilities than a verbal one. Training instructions
must be worded simply and clearly and more time spent ea demonstration.
Notices in the training department and in the factory should be worded simply
with diagrams wherever possible. On the other hand illiteracy is rot a deterrent
to becoming a satisfactory operatnr, as has been proved in training Irish im-
migrants of gipsy origin.

34
36
10 Retraining

As with training the older worker, if a company has a training scheme for nzw
employees, retraining can be fitted in fairly easily. Problems of retraining loom
large beca,, e in many instances no training schemes exist at all, but k must be
realized Olt the finpracial aspect is probably more important here than in the
training of 1, operators. The problem of compensating for loss of earnings has
to h studid carefully or wrong attitudes to the new job are formed arki re-
training i. c4-omed befit': it starts. It is also essential to give promineace the
problems .ection. Just P.5 in the training of the new operator, selection and
training must go hand in hart, as rt is always necessary to discover ii the operator
has the a to be retrain rd for certain jobs. When a production job has ceased,
retraining is all too often, carried out for another existing vacant without any
real t: ht of whether the person is suitable for the second job.
It is possit:le to difeerentiate between vatious types of retraining:
I R:rraining the employee from another firm who has been trained fot the
job t t has pi.:ked up poor working methods, cg working with one hand,
worir:ng from the lap instead of from hoppers provid:d, stretching too far
eh.. This of retraining can be difficult and a great deal of persuasion may
be necvsszry; demon.aration is invaluable to show that tb: work can be done
a' speed with .ess effort and there is a distinct advantage if the instructor can
sit down and work at piecework speed to illustrate that his method is quicker
ar d easier.
2 .trai- ,ing sub-standard performers. This is also difficult because most people,
young and old, hit a problem in unlearning. (raining devices may be helpful
11:, been found with fly-press operators learning to manage a power press.
U. ther hand, retraining of the sub-standard performer need not present
to -o i teat a problem as the operator has j.robably been fully trained in the
fir I. placz, For example, a girl who was being retrained of a rather tricky
'lapping' operation was able to double her performance in three days under the
FuiJ,rce of a trained instructor; she had previously spent a year on the job
as!olittet that she hnd never really understood what was involved in the
cperation.
3 F'r' emp:oyee who has had to give up his preview job because of
i'ln:ss A accident. 1 he trainee may have a chip on his shoulder because of his
di-ad ..ity but nt.ny retrainees in this category are only too willing to attempt to
of rcome II., obstacles. Retraining may follow a paled of enforced idleness;
trainee, -ire therefore often anxious to be hack at work among their fellows and
a p, 'v hemselves conscientiously to the new task.
4 Retra.uing operators who h we Irern a redundant in another part of the
factory or rganization. Established employees are very sensitive about the
break- of the working group and may have little or no motivation to train
35

t3 I
 for something new. In one company, for example, a small packing unit had
to give way to a new depot where there was no opportunity of employment
for the group. The group concerned refused to believe, almost to the last
moment when they could see the demolition people moving in, that their unit
was disappearing and at first refused ?Il offers of retraining. They eventually
accepted training in the company's works training department but progress
was slow because they felt strongly that the unit should not have been dispersed
and had no interest in new work. As they gradually accepted the situation,
they became confident of their ability to learn a new skill and their performance
improved. Carefal assessment of their ability, together with training, led them
to settle down successfully in twos and threes in other factories. Only two
out of the 12 in the group left the company. The fact tiat retraining could be
done as a group undoubtedly contributed to the success of the scheme.
Finally, ILL is always worth remembering that the reason for not making the
grade may be the fault of the method and not the person being retrained. For
example it was discovered that the machine on which an operator was unable to
attain piecework speed sliculd have been fitted with intermittent air to remove
the fini,Thed component but unfortunately, because of technical difficulties,
this device had been r: moved by the setter and the 'method had fallen into disuse.
The operator, however, was still asked to work tc the original piecework value.
judgement should never be passed without a full investigation of all the relevant
facts.

36
 1

11 Further information

This pamphlet has not attempted to cover the subject of operator training in
depth but it is hoped that it has served as a useful introduction. The following
is a list of organizations which provide further information:

The Institute of Personnel Management 5 Winsley Street (fifth floor),

Oxford Circus,
London WIN 7AQ
01-580 3271

The British Association for Commercial 16 Park Crescent,

and Industrial Education Regent's Park,
London WIN 4AP
01-636 5351

The Industrial Society 48 Bryanston Square,

London WI
01-262 2401

The British Institute of lrianagement Management House,

Parker Street,
London WC2
01-405 3456

Department of Employment and Productivity 168 Regent Street,

London W1
01-437 9088

In addition, she Industrial Training Boards publish training recommendations jot

all levels of training.

37
'12 Bibliography

Skier Ana lysir,W D Seymour, Piunan, 1968

Industrial Skills, W D Seymour, Pitman, 1966
Operator Training in Industry, W D Seymour, IPM, 1959
Inc lvrtrial Training for Manual Operations, W D Seymour, IPM, 1954
Training within the Organization, S D M King, Tavistock Publiastions, 1964
Training Made Easier, Problems of Progress in Industry No 6, DSIR, HMSO, 1960
Training i °actory Workers, NIIPStaples, 1956
The Training of Worker> Within the Factory, N11POEEC, Paris, 1957
Training the Adult Worker, B Belbin, Problems of Progress in Industry No 15, DF1R,
HMSO, 1964
Hots Research can help Training, Hilary M Clay, Problems o; Progress in Industry No 16,
DSIR, HMSO, 1964

. 38

40
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LONDON AND FUTON-SVPLII-ItkAl
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 IPM PUBLICATIONS

The folio. ring are available from the IPM, 5 Wins ley Street (5th floor), Oxford Circus,
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Functions of a Personnel Deptetment, G R Moxon 31 6d
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,Joint Consultation .A Practical Approach 4s
Personnel AfanagementA Bibliography Iss
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Some Principles of Training Applied to the Retail Trade,
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Personnel Management in the Small Firm,
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Staff Management, Elizabeth Barbi.); 41 6d
Operator Training in Industry, W Douglas Seymour 7s 66
Job Analysis, H E Roff and Ir E Watson 7s 6d
Supervisory Training, J R Armstrong 7s 6d
Programmed burrito:on, D Mackenzie Davey and P McDonnell to; 6d
Personnel Management in Developing Countries, edited by J E Genders nos 6d
Some Problems of a Factoryn Analysis of Industrial Insrituri. .r,
Wilfred Brown 35
Statistics and Personnel Management, M. G Kendall 3s,
Married Women in Industry, E M Harris 4s
The Worker in Modern Industry, Nigel Balchin as
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Employment of Co.Our,d Yorker. in the Birmingham Area,
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The Future of riqunraris,i in fnJu,r ia! Relations, Allan Handers as 66
Peri,...nri ,Ifaracemi-Nr 1913 f3 At ....1 Niven (bound copy) lot
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Perspecrites in A fPrp,,1%;?? Planning, ;.he Edinburgh Group
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on Atidit
42