Manufacturing Training Instructor | ACA

AFL manufactures industry-leading fiber optic cable, connectivity and accessories and provides engineering and installation services for some of the largest telecom customers in the world. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and today, we manufacture thousands of products, generate an excess of $4B in revenue, and employ approximately 12,000 associates worldwide. At AFL, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset. We hire and train each individual, investing in them to ensure success in their careers. With a commitment to professional development and growth, let us connect you to your next career opportunity.

What We Offer

• 401K Company match (up to 4% - dollar for dollar)
• Professional development, training, and tuition reimbursement programs
• Excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policy options
• Opportunities for career advance with an industry leading company!

The Manufacturing Training Instructor will be part of AFL’s manufacturing operations. The incumbent will design, develop, coordinate, conduct and manage various training programs that support operational and Lean knowledge growth and initiatives. To be successful in this role, the incumbent will be required to learn a detailed understanding of the plant’s manufacturing processes. In addition to process knowledge, he or she must possess strong interpersonal, computer, administrative/organization, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, teach and coach lean principles to include SMED, 5S and Practical Problem Solving
• Coordinate with the engineering team to review and update Certifications and Job Instructions (JI)
• Responsible for JI and JM training for JI and JM lead teams
• Conduct a needs assessment to identify educational gaps and map out training plans; design, develop and deliver training programs using the appropriate method considering the subject and audience
• Assess and report on instructional effectiveness in regards to business impact
• Partner with internal stakeholders and liaise with subject matter experts regarding instructional design
• Maintain the JI trainer certification network within the plant by partnering with the Leaders to define the criteria and designate process trainers within each process.
• Work with plant management on Lean Development and Lean oriented processes to improve efficiency and standardize work
• Work directly with each trainee to develop their individual certification timeline. Follow each trainee closely and determine if adequate time and effort is being given by the trainer. Eliminate obstacles preventing on time completion of certifications
• Personally conduct training in areas qualified to do so; facilitate training sessions and coaching sessions as needed
• Routinely meet with each process trainer and leader to review the progress of their trainees and develop appropriate follow-up action plans as needed. Assess instructional effectiveness and summarize evaluation reports determining the impact of training on employee skills and how it affects KPIs.
• Maintain the certification documentation system.
• Continuously improve the certification and training process by identifying inefficiencies, eliminating redundancies, and streamline paperwork among processes and production lines.
• Partner with operational leaders to generate lean ideas and solutions
• Develop and display visual indicators of metrics and KPI
• Initiate compensation increase when certification criteria is met (Both full time and temporary associates)
• Partner with EHS, shipping, and receiving to maintain personnel licensing and safety requirements for forklifts and lifting and handling equipment
• Use video equipment and video editing software to create training material for internal customers
• Coordinate with the HR team to complete pre and post hiring onboarding activities
• Facilitate train the trainer sessions and mentor certified trainers to enable effective OJT
• Other tasks as assigned by the Training Manager

Personal Qualities

• Emotional intelligence (understanding the reactions and emotions of others) and ability to work with all personality types
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Initiative - self-starter and self-managing
• Integrity - honest and ethical with both employees and the company
• Advanced organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple assignments
• Coaching and facilitation skills

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required. Associate's or technical degree preferred.
• 3+ years of technical writing or documentation experience.
• Previous background in manufacturing training
• Demonstrated Lean and/or 6 Sigma background related to Continuous Operational Improvement
• Proficient user of MS Office applications.
• Proven work experience in coordinating multiple training events in a corporate/manufacturing setting
• Extensive knowledge of instructional design theory and implementation
• Adequate knowledge of learning management systems and web delivery tools
• Proven ability to complete full training cycle (assess needs, plan, develop, coordinate, monitor and evaluate)
• Familiarity with traditional and modern training methods and techniques
• MS Office proficiency
• Experience in multiple training delivery methods preferred. Including in-person, web based and a hybrid of both
• Cable manufacturing experience is preferred, but not required

Working Conditions

• Varied environment, some time spent on the shop floor and some office work.
• Off shift support of training initiatives will be required at times.
• Occasional overnight travel may be required.