Distance learning offers several advantages for reliability program training.

As seen on PlantServices.com

Today’s global economy and complex processes make continued education more important than ever. Personnel with the right training in technology and practices can make an organization more efficient and successful. However, the cost, learning retention rate and overall effectiveness of classroom-style training have led many organizations to reduce or eliminate training from their budgets. Employee education has not been lowered on their list of priorities, but traditional training styles have led them to look for alternatives - including online training.

Reliability program training can cover a wide range of subjects. Predictive Maintenance (PdM) technologies and the instruments/software used to implement them are a main component to achieving reliable plant operations. Technologies range from vibration monitoring, infrared, oil analysis, ultrasound and motor circuit testing, to name a few. Training attendees typically work toward multi-level certification in each discipline, following published standards to ensure meaningful certification has been achieved. Some of the standards are the ISO 18436-2 and ASTM.

Traditional PdM training

Traditional PdM training has largely been conducted in two ways. First, the in-house dedicated training where an organization hires a vendor to provide exclusive training for their personnel. This classroom-style training has advantages as it can be tailored to specific needs, using examples of issues found in their facility. It also minimizes travel costs. The disadvantages can range from not enough students to fill a class for a particular subject to the cost of implementing the appropriate classroom setting complete with demonstration equipment.

The second way, and more prominent means to deliver this type of training, has been regionalized training using individual training vendors conducting training in local hotels or corporate centers. The advantages of this training are the interaction and sharing between students from a potentially broad range of industries and applications. The disadvantages are travel costs, prolonged schedule interruptions (training and travel time), and getting multiple people trained.

These traditional training styles put students in a classroom for many hours at a time, which for many is a unique experience for a single subject. This traditional type of classroom training has been shown to lead to a decline in the retention rate of the material being presented.

Online training with disruptive learning

Online training with disruptive learning incorporated is a good alternative for progressive companies that have cut training budgets but understand its importance to their future. This semester-style approach combines a live instructor via web cam with electronic presentation tools to cover the material in 90- to 120-minute sessions. A typical 40-hour class is be scheduled over 15 weeks and includes two live sessions per week, one interactive lab per week and a mid-semester break. All session are recorded for review or if a student misses a class. The instructor can monitor the participation level of each student with tools to track the active window on their individual computers.

Features of this style of training include:

• Both instructor and students can be seen via web cam as desired
• Students can ask public or private (chat) questions and take control of the electronic blackboard and pointing tools as required
• Students can share applications on their computers with the instructor and other class members to show a particular issue or question
• Disruptive learning where frequent quizzes and poll questions can be sent out by the instructor with real-time scoring to ensure the material being presented is fully understood
• Proctored certification testing with random test generation out of a library of test questions
• Self-scheduled labs remotely control lab equipment to facilitate hands-on activity

Courses descriptions, session information, schedules and registration are completely electronic. Students can view the subject material and register online without interaction with the training vendor. Classes can be private and customized for an individual corporation’s needs, potentially teaching many students from many sites worldwide at the same time. Short courses and subject matter “featurettes” can also be provided through this media.

Studies from the Department of Education have shown: “Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.” This higher retention rate, together with a reduced impact on cost/budgets and sharing with other students through online technology, provides organizations with an effective alternative to achieve training goals.

John Pucillo has 23 years of experience in the design, implementation, organization and operation of conditioned-based maintenance (CbM) programs, condition monitoring products and service management. He serves as the Director of Product Development and Online Training for Predictive Service in Cleveland, Ohio. Contact him at jpucillo@predictiveservice.com.