Training the Workforce for Improved Performance

CLIENT INDUSTRY: Aerospace and Defense Company

SOLUTION: Operational Excellence, Leadership and Change Management

A manufacturer of wings and supporting aerostructures was experiencing high rates of employee attrition, which impacted delivery deadlines and revenue goals and compromised important customer relationships. An intensive CBS engagement helped the supplier implement a robust workforce training program, significantly reduce product defects and rapidly improve on-time delivery rates.

The Challenge

In the high-tech world of aerospace manufacturing, capable, knowledgeable and motivated employees are a vital part of competitive success. In this case, the manufacturer was experiencing high rates of turnover, where employees left and took their valuable experience and capabilities with them. The result was a sizable talent gap that slowed production and increased the number of product defects. Moreover, the company had no formalized product-specific training program to offer mechanics and other new employees, so assimilation was slow, and supervisors were forced to spend time solving problems created by a lack of training.

The Approach

Utilizing its rapid site-assessment process, CBS quickly realized the importance of establishing a process that onboarded employees without delay and enabled them to “hit the ground running” in their individual manufacturing roles—recognizing that the sooner employees fully integrated into the organization, the sooner they would be able to meet quality and performance expectations. In addition to building the onboarding process, the CBS team mapped out a plan to create standard work in critical processes, improve productivity, reduce defects, eliminate waste and address other operational issues.“In aerospace industries,” said Bryan Ward of CBS, “we see a huge gap in employee training, which has not been a strategic focus for most companies for many years. High turnover is requiring it to become more important. At CBS, we have made training a part of our toolset from the beginning.”

Increasing Output and Reducing Defects

CBS deployed a blend of 26 kaizen events and projects focused on driving improvements in output, productivity, and product quality while reducing hours. Key components of the improvement initiative included the overhaul of existing but insufficient basic skills training and the first-time implementation of a product-specific mechanics skills training. CBS developed a side-by-side “crew cycling” approach that accelerated learning by pairing experienced workers with more junior employees— enabling faster upskilling and higher productivity. This provided company leadership with the ability to create higher levels of discipline and individual accountability as well as decrease the time required for employees to become productive.

The skills of a predominately junior workforce were upgraded through training, and new employees were quickly assimilated.

Results

For this aerospace manufacturer, the absence of an effective training program coupled with high employee turnover had a negative impact on product quality, on-time delivery and customer relationships. Once workforce skills appropriate to a complex manufacturing process were cultivated, defects were reduced by 20% and on-time delivery improved fourfold. Equally important, employees were onboarded faster; morale and productivity improved. The company has continued to maintain implemented skills training, with plans to expand those programs to other areas of the facility.