Training Records - AS9100 Requirements

Ok, I'm working towards gaining AS9100 Certification. We're a small company with about 13 employees. One of the many difficulties I've encountered is dealing with training records. The primary issue is that we really haven't kept any. Each employee has been with the company for 3 or more years (extremely low turnover rate) and has been trained first hand by a highly skilled senior employee. However, no records or checklists exist to demonstrate that training. How important is it to have these kinds of records? I do have plans for future training. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Training Records

CompositeGeekQC said:

Ok, I'm working towards gaining AS9100 Certification. We're a small company with about 13 employees. One of the many difficulties I've encountered is dealing with training records. The primary issue is that we really haven't kept any. Each employee has been with the company for 3 or more years (extremely low turnover rate) and has been trained first hand by a highly skilled senior employee. However, no records or checklists exist to demonstrate that training. How important is it to have these kinds of records? I do have plans for future training. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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In my experience, training is key to just about every standard.

I would begin by looking at what you current people know and do (perhaps by developing job descriptions) and then consider what someone new would have to learn to get started... that will point to what training is required for the job. Then look at regulatory requirements. The company policies like quality policy and objectives.

Start the training from DAY 0 and document that all employees employed prior to DAY 0 are grandfathered into the training system you develop.
Then as you write key work instructions start documenting the training required by those work instructions.

There is no reason you can't kick it off with an overview training session on AS9100 beginning the day you publish the training procedure.

Re: Training Records

CompositeGeekQC said:

Ok, I'm working towards gaining AS9100 Certification. We're a small company with about 13 employees. One of the many difficulties I've encountered is dealing with training records. The primary issue is that we really haven't kept any. Each employee has been with the company for 3 or more years (extremely low turnover rate) and has been trained first hand by a highly skilled senior employee. However, no records or checklists exist to demonstrate that training. How important is it to have these kinds of records? I do have plans for future training. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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We have a two fold view on the training. One is about the skill sets necessary to perform the job and the other is formal training imparted to bridge the gaps and build competency similar to what Scott said about regulatory and stuff.
Regarding the first, a Skill matrix is what we maintain and update periodically. It has the names of persons mapped against Skill sets necessary for performing tasks. Each person is mapped against each skill as either Not trained / Under Training and supervision / Trained / or Trained and can also Train. This way it helps demonstrate effectiveness of job training. You could do this immediately and for the second make a kickstart (Scott's way) right this day >>>

Re: Training Records

somashekar said:

We have a two fold view on the training. One is about the skill sets necessary to perform the job and the other is formal training imparted to bridge the gaps and build competency similar to what Skott said about regulatory and stuff.
Regarding the first, a Skill matrix is what we maintain and update periodically. It has the names of persons mapped against Skill sets necessary for performing tasks. Each person is mapped against each skill as either Not trained / Trained / or Trained and can also Train. This way it helps demonstrate effectiveness of job training. You could do this immediately and for the second make a kickstart (Scott's way) right this day >>>

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That sounds pretty brilliant. I definitely took notes on Scott's advice. But to clarify, when you refer to a skill set matrix, it's almost like a T Chart with the different employees cross referenced to each particular skill, right?

Re: Training Records

CompositeGeekQC said:

That sounds pretty brilliant. I definitely took notes on Scott's advice. But to clarify, when you refer to a skill set matrix, it's almost like a T Chart with the different employees cross referenced to each particular skill, right?

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You get it right >>>

CompositeGeekQC said:

Ok, I'm working towards gaining AS9100 Certification. We're a small company with about 13 employees. One of the many difficulties I've encountered is dealing with training records. The primary issue is that we really haven't kept any. Each employee has been with the company for 3 or more years (extremely low turnover rate) and has been trained first hand by a highly skilled senior employee. However, no records or checklists exist to demonstrate that training. How important is it to have these kinds of records? I do have plans for future training. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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The bigger question is how you determine competency of the personnel you train!

I have no doubts whatsoever as far as determining competency. However, I agree that I do need a functional way of demonstrating and documenting employee competency.

Boscoeee said:

The bigger question is how you determine competency of the personnel you train!

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I would say that you determine competency of the personnel you select, then assess the GAPS then TRAIN and then find out how EFFECTIVE it has been to the purpose.
Just as one selects the women to be his wife, Competency >> Compatibility ..... Training >> Mutual understanding and adjustment .... Effective >> Happy couple...

CompositeGeekQC said:

I have no doubts whatsoever as far as determining competency. However, I agree that I do need a functional way of demonstrating and documenting employee competency.

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Its basically a combination of education and experience in the related field broadly as I view it. Just as an example ... If I wish to select a machine operator for my 500 T moulding machine with robo for sprew pick, I may find many with engineering diploma and experience of few years in working with say, 100 and 300 T moulding machines. He is COMPETENT for me and then I select one, or as many, with general good attitude and communication skills and team work abilities as I assess, and then TRAIN him on my 500 T machine and about the robo operations. I see further how EFFECTIVE he is and if necessary RE-TRAIN him further and develop him (The HR) into an effective person.

Re: Training Records

somashekar said:

We have a two fold view on the training. One is about the skill sets necessary to perform the job and the other is formal training imparted to bridge the gaps and build competency similar to what Scott said about regulatory and stuff.
Regarding the first, a Skill matrix is what we maintain and update periodically. It has the names of persons mapped against Skill sets necessary for performing tasks. Each person is mapped against each skill as either Not trained / Under Training and supervision / Trained / or Trained and can also Train. This way it helps demonstrate effectiveness of job training. You could do this immediately and for the second make a kickstart (Scott's way) right this day >>>

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We had been conducting training through filling out a training record. When training for all revisions of procedures, it is becoming too cumbersome. We are also planning to have a skill matirx with procedures and persons trained. We are puttting the dates when trained at the cross section of the matrix. There will be no formal signatures. Would this matrix be acceptable to the auditors as record?

Thanks

Amjad Rana