By Jeff Sanford
Hoffman Estates, Illinois — August 12, 2015 — I-CAR has officially launched a program for production managers. The courses will be available a part of I-CAR’s Professional Development Program.
One theme more than one of the speakers at this year’s NACE event in Detroit touched on was the increasing complexity of collision repair jobs and workflow, leading to a need for production management. Managing this work flow is a key skill in today’s industry. The new course is a recognition of this fact.
“This is a terrifically interesting development from I-CAR US,” says Andrew Shepherd, Executive Director of I-CAR Canada. “This is not only covering an important role in the shop but moving the ‘learning organization’ concept from theory to practice.”
The new curriculum goes beyond technical training. Utilizing the experience of actual production managers and shop owners the course will provide participants “insight into critical issues and multiple areas of the shop floor, while enhancing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.” Working through the course will enable participants to “quickly address complex problems shop personnel face in collision-repair production.”
“Effectively managing production is one of the key success factors seen in collision shops that are thriving in the midst of the ‘Technical Tsunami’, rather than just surviving it,” says John Van Alstyne, CEO and President of I-CAR.
The courses enable a facility’s production management leader to utilize techniques like root-cause analysis and process mapping to identify waste and defects in their local workflow process. This allows the production manager to improve efficiencies and increase profitability at their facilities.
The production management curriculum utilizes a blended learning model, featuring courses that are designed to build on previous ones. Courses feature interviews with industry experts and interactive exercises through a mix of live, online and new virtual formats.
“This industry has a strong, immediate need for production management training,” says Josh McFarlin, I-CAR Director of Curriculum & Product Development. “By working directly with shop owners and experts across the shop floor, we were able to build a unique curriculum that accurately reflects critical areas and challenges the industry faces.”
So far the course is being offered in the US. But according to Shepherd the program will eventually be offered in Canada as well.
“The first set of programs is being offered in the US. In Canada, we will be able to offer the live classes this Fall, and the balance after Jan 1, 2016,” he says. “We will be adapting individual web-based records, progress charts, transcripts, etc., to include the new role early in the new year as well.”
Each course in the Production Management role must be taken sequentially. The courses are as follows:
Learning Culture Overview (PM101E01)
Before the Repair Starts (PM105E01)
Matching the Repair to the Team (PM110V01)
Workflow Essentials (PM115E01)
Synchronizing Workflow through Team Communication (PM120L01)
Problem Solving for Workflow Changes (PM125V01)
Quality Is Your Business (PM130E01)
Optimizing Processes, Equipment and Compliance (PM135E01)
Developing the Team and the Business (PM140V01)
Refining the Team and the Businesses (PM145L01)
Students can review detailed information, register for classes and track their training progress for the Production Management curriculum online at i-car.com.
You watch a short video about I-CAR’s Production Management Role in the player below.
