For Immediate Release

June 19, 2009

 

ASNUNTUCK COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERING PROGRAMS ON LEAN MANUFACTURING

CBIA program helping train manufacturing workers to improve business practices and become more competitive

Manufacturing employees from Connecticut and Massachusetts are participating in a new certificate program in lean manufacturing offered at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield. Asnuntuck joined six other community colleges in the state that offer the two-course certificate training program in lean manufacturing. The courses help employees improve manufacturing processes and reduce waste so that their employers can be more competitive in today’s global marketplace.

Ten participants from three local businesses completed the certificate program:

Delta Industries, East Granby

Tell Tool, Westfield, Mass.

Ben Franklin Design, Agawam, Mass.

The first course, Introduction to Lean Manufacturing, introduced the students to principles and techniques of lean, including value stream mapping and identifying and eliminating wastes.

 

The second class focused predominantly on a project to be completed back at the company, incorporating the strategies, tools and content knowledge attained in the first class. 

Delta Industries achieved “jaw dropping” results, according to class instructor Megan Piccus with Asnuntuck Community and Springfield Technical Colleges. They were able to incorporate principles and techniques learned in the class to achieve an 86 percent lead time reduction on engineering changes, leading to more performance improvement suggestions. They also saw a 25 percent reduction in the time needed to produce their products, adding more capacity to support business growth.

The program was made possible by a U.S. Department of Labor High Growth Job Training Grant in Advanced Manufacturing awarded to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association and the Connecticut Community Colleges and managed by Quinebaug Valley Community College. These courses are taught by CONNSTEP, the manufacturing extension program serving Connecticut.

CBIA’s Education Foundation will offer this certificate program to other interested companies for their incumbent workers at several of the state’s community colleges in the fall. Seven of the state’s 12 community colleges are participating in the program: Naugatuck Valley, Northwestern Connecticut, Manchester, Quinebaug Valley, Gateway, Tunxis and Asnuntuck. For more information, contact Nancy Castonguay, CBIA grant manager, at 860-244-1932.

CBIA is the state’s largest business organization, with 10,000 members.

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For more information contact Nancy Andrews, CBIA media relations manager, at 860-244-1957 or andrewsn@cbia.com.

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