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| Patrick Industries: Workforce Grant Helps Plant Be More Efficient |
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| Written by WorkSource Oregon |
| Thursday, 07 September 2006 07:38 |
 Patrick Industries employees 175 people at its manufacturing plant in Woodburn. The company makes cabinets, doors, and other products for the manufactured home and recreational vehicle industry.Wes White, manager at the Woodburn plant, faces two challenges: he needs to improve the efficiency of the manufacturing process and improve the communication between his supervisors and line staff - seventy percent of which are Spanish speaking. The Enterprise for Employment and Education, a WorkSource Oregon partner stepped up to help Wes solve both challenges through a $47,000 grant from Governor Ted Kulongoski's Employer Workforce Training Fund. The grant will provide training in a process called "lean manufacturing." This process speeds up the manufacturing of a product by reducing the steps necessary as the product moves along the production line. The Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership is providing the expertise and training in lean manufacturing to Patrick Industries. Chemeketa and Portland Community Colleges will also help train supervisors how to communicate to Spanish speaking workers, plus they will help teach Hispanic employees concepts around lean manufacturing. Plant Manager Wes White says: "As a business person I´ve always felt that training and education for the workforce is important." Wes reacts to the grant: "It makes you feel like the community, the local community, the state, and the federal government, cares about the retention of jobs. Because what this is about is the retention of jobs. We have a plant that currently has not made money in a while and we need to make money in order to stay in business. So with education and some of these trainings that are going on we can get there." The grant came from the region's Workforce Response Team, made up of Enterprise Board representatives of economic development, workforce development, labor, private business and providers of workforce education and training. These teams work with businesses statewide as a single point of contact. Wes will be able to train sixty to eighty of his supervisors and staff. The end product will be increased job retention, increased productivity, and savings in operating costs. Find out how WorkSource Oregon can help your business by contacting the Workforce Response Team in your area or by visiting one of our WorkSource Oregon Centers. |
| Last Updated on Monday, 05 April 2010 09:54 |