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Looking toward the future: Employers and employees turn to education.(Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sep. 28--With changes in the economy, more opportunities for growth and a need to stay competitive, local employers and employees have turned to education. In recent years, most companies have changed their attitudes about training and additional education for their workers, and feel those aspects are vitally linked to their success for the future. Jan Bailey, executive director of workforce and economic development for the Kokomo Region of Ivy Tech, said there are many aspects to education in the workplace. Students can attend Ivy Tech to earn degrees and certifications in one of eight areas. "All of our classes are set up so that a student could be a full-time student, devoting everything they do to education endeavors, or it could be a student who is going to school part-time while working full-time," Bailey said. Bailey said another aspect of education in the workplace includes adults transitioning from one field to another. Most of the people looking to make that type of switch have no prior skills in the field. Others interested in education will choose something short term, Bailey said. They can attend a non-credit class just to update a certain skill in one particular area, such as computer software -- an industry where significant advancements have made it necessary for individuals to constantly update their skills. Also falling into this category are employers whose companies are changing to new technology and need training for their employees to help them better perform the jobs. "We can go into their establishment and train them right there in the facility," Bailey said. The current state With so many more opportunities now than in previous years for education and training, the attitudes during the past several years toward education in the workplace have improved. Myers Spring President Todd Miller said employers and employees seem to realize the importance of those aspects more now than in the past. "I think there are generational differences," he said. "I think things are changing. Our generations are continuous learning types." Charlie Barger, human resource manager at Small Parts Inc., said his company had been reluctant to take workers off the floor for training because it was expensive and disrupted the flow of work. However, that attitude has changed over the years, as the company realized training was a key element to its success, Barger said. In 1999, training began to become a key element at Small Parts Inc. "Today, we don't have a choice," he said. "We'll bite the bullet now so we can be in business later." Skip Kuker, president of the Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, said local companies had told him better trained employees became more productive workers. Both employers and employees are seeing the benefits of supporting education in the workplace. "If both didn't see an end value, the employee is not going to invest the time and the employer is not going to invest the money," Kuker said. For Audrey Watterson, quality manager at Myers Spring, training is a key part of the job. She trains others with the use of a computer as well as hands-on training in the factory. In addition, Watterson takes classes through Ivy Tech to advance her own skills and knowledge. She said she values the education her company offers. "It is important for me to advance in my career," she said. "If you want to get ahead, you want to continue your education." The quality manager said most of her classes at Ivy Tech were small. Some classes she has signed up for have been canceled for lack of students. Watterson said she had not seen a lot of people she worked with in any of the classes she had attended. "I'm not sure if the attitude has changed, but I would like to see that change," she said. Barger said his company had learned over the years it was important to train new employees as early as possible. "When they are first hired in, they stand the greatest chance to cause expense through ignorance," he said. "Training only prevents these drastic mistakes that are so costly." Barger said a lot of the training is internal, so he would have to come up with the training himself when the company first started. Nine years later, he said, a quick search on the Internet generally helps him come up with a training plan. Bailey said she believed there had been an increase in opportunities over the five years with more students and workers taking advantage of the opportunities. "I know we are serving more students," she said. One area that has grown significantly is the number of employees seeking certifications, she said. "Some people in professions can show their knowledge by passing a national certification," she said. "They can come to our facility in Kokomo and make arrangements to take a test. That shows the employers the person has the skills they are looking for." During the past three years, Bailey said, the number of certification tests available has doubled to 1,200. Certification tests can be taken for a variety of career fields, including insurance agents, workers who check luggage in airports, emergency medical technicians and cable installers. "Ivy Tech is engaged to help those in the workforce to gain the credentials they need to take to employers to verify their skills," said Bailey. In some cases, Ivy Tech can provide the training for certifications, she said, and other times, outside vendors to provide the training while Ivy Tech provides the test. "This is a short-term option that can help increase pay, gain better positions in the company and make you more viable for other job opportunities," said Bailey. "It's a quick way to enhance your skills." While Ivy Tech has been known for its degree programs, Bailey feels that more awareness needs to be drawn to other available opportunities. "Awareness for updating current skill levels, certifications and computer training has not been marketed much, but I think they are doing better with that," she said. Local companies have done a better job embracing short-term training programs to enhance the skills of workers, she added. Available funding Something that has helped companies embrace training are grants available strictly for training. Bailey said some are made possible through the state of Indiana. Kuker said there were two funding options available though the economic development foundation. The training assistance grant, which has been available for the past four years, is offered through the state workforce development office. He said it pays employers full reimbursement. The skills enhancement fund, which is through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, pays for 50 percent of training costs that employers make available. This option became available in July 2005. As with any other grant, Kuker said, the employer must apply and be approved. What employers say For some companies, training costs can add up quickly. Miller said Myers Spring spent a lot of money on training. The company is known for producing precision springs, which are used in a variety of products. "I once heard this quote, 'If you think training people and having them leave is expensive, try not training them and seeing them stay,'" said Miller. "We focus heavily on training." Miller is a strong believer in training the workforce. He said the company began accelerated training as an investment back in 2000 and plans to continue that process. At Myers Spring, training takes place any time the company gets new equipment, when someone is hired through a temporary service and even with three managers who are attending Purdue University for associate's and bachelor's degrees. Miller said the company had hired four workers who did not have a high school diploma. He said the company had encouraged each one to obtain a general education development certificate. Miller said the most positive part of training others was knowing he was involved in helping someone change their life. Overall, the company sees the positives that come out of all types of education in the workplace, Miller said. "It pays off," he said. "The employees are much more productive. Those who take advantage of training make much more money, and they excel." According to Barger, workers in the tool and die field must be trained. He said a person can't just look at a machine and know what to do. Last year, he said, a total of 300 stamping companies in the United States were put out of business by pricing pressures and a declining market. "What you have to do is deal with it," he said. "You have to play the hand you are dealt. You have to train the people and get them to work more efficiently. The saying 'We always did it that way before' doesn't fly." A look at the future With the economy struggling, some might question whether companies will cut funding for training and education, but Kuker says they'll likely look elsewhere before they make cuts in training. "To be competitive, they need to train and keep up their workforce," he said. "Training is not the No. 1 thing to cut. I would think it would be further down the list." He said companies couldn't afford to employ untrained workers. "The way we did it yesterday, we aren't going to do it tomorrow," he said. Since sales are up this year at Myers Spring, Miller said, the company does not need to make cuts. Even if it did, he said, training would not be a likely target. "I think it would be one of the last things I would cut back on," he said. "When things are slow, that is the most opportune time to train because you aren't interrupting the work process." Bailey also feels continuing to offer education in the workplace will play an important role, even if the number of workers needs to be cut. "If you have a reduced workforce, you still want to train as much as you can," she said. "When under those circumstances, training is the best thing to do. A limited staff needs to be as trained as possible." For Barger, training is a way of survival. "We are competing with countries that pay pennies on the hour to employees," he said. "We here in the States can't compete with that. We compete with technology and with that you have to train. Either train or get left in the dust." In addition to the work he does at Small Parts Inc., Barger is working with others to prepare for the future. He said he had been working with a group from the Precision Metalforming Association and Vincennes University to put together a training curriculum. He said the curriculum would be used by the university to train machine operators, set-up technicians and toolmakers. Kuker said a trained workforce is a key to the local economy. "Training is how we are going to grow our economy and keep jobs," he said. Denise Massie can be reached at (574) 732-5151 or via e-mail at [email protected] To see more of Pharos-Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.pharostribune.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Ind. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. 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