UAW WORKERS ACROSS THE U.S. HIT THE BOOKS TO FURTHER IMPROVE FORD’S VEHICLE QUALITY

• Intensive college program aimed at hourly employees provides Ford plants with more tools to continually improve quality results.
    
• UAW quality reps complete course in one third of the time required of previous quality programs.

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 3, 2008 – As students gear up for the start of a new school year, hourly employees at Ford Motor Company plants throughout the U.S. are hitting the books themselves in an effort to further improve Ford's vehicle quality.

The joint UAW-Ford intensive one-year Certified Quality Specialist Program delivered through  Wayne State University in Detroit helps UAW quality representatives master key manufacturing problem-solving skills in about one-third the time required through previous training programs.

"Ford leadership recognizes the value in helping our manufacturing operators obtain the skills they need as quickly as possible," says Philip Calhoun, Ford's director, Manufacturing Quality, The Americas. "This program used to take three years to complete. Now our people will be certified in one year. Everyone recognizes we don't have time to wait three years."

The Wayne State program is open to UAW plant quality representatives who are charged with monitoring and implementing standardized quality processes in Ford plants. It also complements other quality training programs for hourly employees including Six Sigma, which is the same course offered to salaried employees and is expected to produce two Black Belt-certified hourly employees at each U.S. plant.

"The Certified Quality Specialist Program is the right training for the right people at the right time," said Brock Roy, UAW Co-Chair UAW-Ford National Quality Committee. "We accelerated the learning and made changes to reflect the disciplined, standardized quality process being used in all the plants."

The Wayne State program kicked off in late June with nearly 70 hourly employees attending the orientation in Detroit. Their next task was a two-month, self-led immersion class to become familiar with the required computer tools and programs.

The preparatory course work is paying off for John Mechanco, UAW quality representative at Dearborn (Mich.) Tool and Die.  "Taking courses in Excel and PowerPoint has given me increased confidence when I sit down at the computer," he said. "The tips I've picked up are already making my life easier on a daily basis."

The remainder of the course is conducted through a combination of instructor-led, face-to-face workshops at WSU, as well as self-guided online sessions. Quality reps will complete the online portion in their plants at their own pace. They will view live and taped lectures, participate in discussion boards and complete online exercises.

"It's a very interactive program with less emphasis on ‘talking heads' and more emphasis on small-group activities and hands-on projects," says Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for Educational Outreach at WSU. "In addition to providing a broad look at quality and quality processes, whenever possible we'll customize the content to specific issues that quality reps may face in their jobs at the plants."

Course work focuses on the impact of quality on customer satisfaction using such analytical tools as statistical process control, Six Sigma problem-solving and interpersonal communications.

WSU's Ezzeddine said he believes Ford's approach to training is unique in the current economy. "I know of only one other automaker that started a program like this, but they quickly terminated it due to budget constraints," he said.  "A better approach is what Ford is doing: Equipping their employees with the tools they need to perform at the highest level possible. It's a worthwhile investment."

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