On-the-job training (OJT) is often hailed as a best practice to ensure safety in formulating and manufacturing environments, as workers best retain information when they are learning exactly where they’ll be applying the training, using the actual equipment. Particularly as EPA and industry requirements continue to evolve, it’s more important now than ever that workers thoroughly understand and adhere to operational practices. And since OJT means learning by doing, the frequent one-on-one dialogue between workers and supervisors provides numerous opportunities to strengthen their relationship.

Despite all the benefits, on-the-job training also has its well-documented faults that pose challenges for every manufacturing company, with consistency at the top of that list. Maintaining a system that ensures any OJT being provided is accurate and has been vetted and approved by operational leaders has historically been difficult, to say the least. It can also spread bad practices if below average or less experienced team members are the ones providing OJT on the fly.

After hearing about these types of industry challenges from our long-standing clients, we set to address these issues and recently debuted “Alchemy Playbook.” This new mobile app ensures consistent on-the-job training and keeps operations moving by instantly finding a qualified worker to fill any gap on the line.

Alchemy Playbook helps companies create, deliver, and validate job-specific training right on the production floor by allowing supervisors to record videos of their best workers completing specific tasks and turning them into courses with instructions and quizzes. That new digital content can then be delivered on the production floor, right where the work will be performed, even if no WiFi is available. Based on courses completed, the app can validate an employee’s ability to perform a specific task or run a particular piece of machinery.

The mobile app also helps manufacturers avoid production loss in the event of employee absence by ensuring any gap in the production line is filled quickly by giving an instant review of every worker qualified to perform a task and then reallocating them as needed. Its comprehensive view shows the training progress of each employee for any specific job or equipment, enabling manufacturers to build a deep reserve of skilled workers to mitigate losses from employee absences.

Mobile apps and other training tools are critical to ensuring on-the-job training programs are successful, empowering your frontline workers who have the biggest impact on your company’s output and bottom line.

For more information, visit Alchemy Systems.