How do you train new and current employees or onboard incoming personnel? Your answer today may not be the same as it was in early 2020. With the lasting impact of the pandemic on all areas of industry, as well as natural advancements in technology and equipment, training is vital to build and improve core competencies and increase productivity and capabilities across all sectors.

For both specialty chemicals and adhesives and sealants, quality training is paramount. Ensuring the safety of employees and their ability to successfully operate equipment is the number-one priority. In these unprecedented times, workforce development issues seem to compound each other, making onboarding new operators and training long-term employees a necessary and integral part of a chemical plant’s success—in safety and in business.

Supporting Performance and Empowerment

Providing “Solutions for Specialties” is engrained in SOCMA’s mission to promote the highest levels of safety and strengthen the business operations of its membership. The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) maintains similar core objectives, promising to “support in the development of existing educational programs” for the industry. With values so closely aligned, our two organizations are excited to partner together to provide ChemOps Training, a program to engage higher performance and empower industry workers.

What if you don’t have the number of workers you need to keep up with the high demand specialty chemicals and adhesives and sealants are experiencing? Throughout our respective sectors, labor shortages and recruitment and retention are significant hurdles for almost every company.

Companies are seeking solutions to train and onboard a workforce that is reduced in some cases, making efficiency in training more important than ever. A decrease in operators can also lead to trimming back on capacity and production, potentially leading to a vicious cycle and ultimately affecting company morale and the bottom line.

ChemOps Training includes 3D animations, self-assessments, and learner progress tracking to provide comprehensive operator training in systems, practices, and processes for the chemical industry at large. Units and modules cover material from basic science concepts and risk management practices to plant equipment and are accompanied with interactive exercises to ensure operators retain the information. The tool’s newest features were implemented through an instructional design strategy, underpinning clear learning objectives within each unit to ensure that any worker, whether new to the industry or in need of a refresher, can meet expectations.

As capabilities and processes evolve and customer demand increases, optimized training for workers is essential to perform safely and effectively and deliver high-quality products. ChemOps Training enables companies to maintain strong safety cultures and provides efficient training options for the specialty chemicals and adhesive and sealant industries. The program is adaptable and customizable to your facility, providing a personalized experience for your operators.

For more information, contact the authors at jabril@socma.org and bill.allmond@ascouncil.org.

Note: Opening image courtesy of Edwin Tan via www.gettyimages.com.