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Training trains trainers to train

An Industrial Technology Systems (ITS) product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 21, 2004

By attending ITS' "Train the trainer" course, IMA UK's technicians now have a better understanding of how people learn, including themselves.

IMA UK is a division of an Italian company that manufactures packaging and process equipment to the pharmaceutical industry.

IMA UK provides customer support for clients in the UK and Ireland, ranging from installation, training and production start up, through to breakdowns, modifications and maintenance projects.

Its client base includes the food and cosmetics, the pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging industries.

A large number of pharmaceutical manufacturers based in the UK produce and market products for the USA, and so are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Since the year 2000, the FDA has taken a positive stance against companies that have not met agreed outstanding actions, from previous audits.

Their response has been swift and some of the world's largest organisations have received extremely costly fines (running into hundreds of million of dollars), restrictions and controls on the release of products from their plants.

The resulting effect to these organisations' operations can be catastrophic, delaying shipments to other plants and customers throughout the world.

Organisations such as IMA UK have responded positively to meet the standards by increasing vigilance, resources, and improving their quality systems in a consistent manner at all sites.

This applies to Europe and other markets as well as the USA, in the global drive towards the harmonisation of regulatory standards.

The knock on effect to equipment suppliers and others has been an increase in demand for validation and training.

To meet increasing customer demands for consistent, structured and documented training for their staff, IMA UK's response was to look for a supplier that could provide its technicians with the prerequisite skills and knowledge.

IMA UK's approach was to identify an experienced industry provider of solutions rather than a traditional college.

IMA UK contacted Industrial Technology Systems (ITS) and found that the company had a trainer with considerable experience in the pharmaceutical field.

So a training course was designed based on the national standards for training, to meet the technicians' needs.

Courses were delivered to IMA UK's technicians over a two-year period.

By attending ITS' "Train the trainer" course, IMA UK's technicians now have a better understanding of how people learn, including themselves, the personal and physical barriers that can affect learning and how they can take these into account while training.

ITS' trainer ensured that the technicians' training met the national standards, by assessing them during the last session, when they were required to train a colleague on a one to one basis.

IMA UK's technicians now understand that more emphasis and time needs to be allocated to the preparation and delivery of their courses.

Their customers are now made aware of these requirements during the delivery, eg no interruptions, correct people identified and briefed, and the importance of practice and assessment before allowing the operators to work unattended.

ITS has enhanced the value of IMA UK's products and services, as its customers are far more satisfied with the training that is delivered "right first time".

IMA UK's customers learn and use their new skills far more quickly.

IMA UK's satisfaction in ITS' "Train the trainer" course is highlighted through the feedback received and the following statement from IMA UK's Managing Director: "The skills of our service team are vital to the support of our customers.

Our work with ITS has made an important contribution to the development of these skills".

It is also supported through IMA UK broadening the scope of the training to include its own Italian technicians.