While standard operating and safety procedures are important for manufacturing in all industries, nowhere are clear policies and meticulous documentation more vital than in food manufacturing environments. Maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety in the production of food is essential for the protection of consumers as well as employees.

Contract Education has been engaged in a two-year ongoing consulting project with a San Francisco Bay Area manufacturer of specialty food items to establish and maintain best practices in plant operations and safety. The project has focused on developing standard operating procedures along with safety policies and procedures both for management use and reference as well as to provide a framework for employee training.

Working closely with the plant safety and security manager, Contract Education consultant Doug Bedinger kicked off the first phase of the project by creating training documentation for machinery that controls rates of production. Incorporating his unique combination of education and experience in mechanical engineering and organization development, Mr. Bedinger developed both the technical processes of production and the people processes involved in performance improvement through training. Learn more

Many organizations recognize the importance of providing ongoing educational opportunities for their employees but often must overcome two key challenges: the need for training curriculum that is relevant to their industry and the reality of accommodating workplace schedules. Contract Education at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District is continually focused on partnering with organizations to help meet these challenges and support employee skill building.

In a recent collaboration with Child, Family, and Community Services, the southern Alameda County Head Start program, Contract Education has provided a customized, onsite course for their infant and toddler care providers. The 3 unit course, Environments for Infants and Toddlers, fulfills both a Head Start requirement for child care providers and a state of California Master Teacher child development certification requirement.  Learn more 

In the current economic environment succession planning may not be on most organizations' radar, but as the recovery progresses, there will be an increasing need to refocus on the management and leadership pipeline. Companies will have to contend with issues such as retiring baby boomers and management talent leaving for greener pastures. And if frontline employees don't perceive opportunities for promotion from within, low morale and lack of advancement will cause those workers to move on as well.

Clearly it falls to human resources departments to focus not only on talent acquisition initiatives but also on strategies for identifying and encouraging promotion from within. Careful planning can help avoid costly vacancies in key positions, ensure business stability, provide developmental opportunities for employees and managers, and help develop a diverse workforce to match today's global economy.

One strategy for energizing employees and jumpstarting a succession planning initiative is to develop and publish a list of criteria that employees need to meet to move into higher level roles. The criteria should be specific, not simply general statements; should be performance-based; and should include both attributes and behaviors that will generate consideration for promotion. Examples of performance-based criteria include effective time management, good communication skills, demonstrated teamwork and cooperativeness, effective problem-solving and decision-making skills, steadiness under pressure, and adaptability to changing priorities and work demands. Learn more

Electricity poses serious risks in manufacturing, especially when service and maintenance is performed on machinery and equipment that has not been properly de-energized. A key component of workplace electrical safety is the lockout/tagout (LOTO) process, but often manufacturers underestimate the importance of LOTO.

Last year the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued 3,321 lockout/tagout citations, making it one of OSHA's ten most cited violations.
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Contract Education has been working with organizations like yours, from small businesses to large corporations, for more than a decade to provide innovative, practical, and cost-effective learning solutions. Learn more