MORE PRODUCTION THROUGH TRAINING The TRAINING WITHIN INDUSTRY PROGRAM {January, 1942} ' ■ E must build fleets of ships where we built one ship before; thousands of planes where we made a few dozen . . . myriads of tanks, guns, and all other weapons to defend democracy and back up our men in uniform. They will be produced in time Only if all wheels of American in¬ dustry are properly turned by huge num¬ bers of people, including millions now engaged in non war efforts. “Old and new workers will do the right kind of job- on time -when given the right kind of training in the shortest possible time.’’ WAR PRODUCTION BOARD 8 m The PROGRAM The Office of Production Management established the Training With¬ in Industry Program—staffed by training and personnel experts borrowed from industry—to assist defense contractors and subcontractors in meet¬ ing increased needs for skilled workers and supervisors. Underlying PURPOSE of the “TWI” activity is: To assist defense industries to meet their manpower needs by training within industry each worker to make the fullest use of his best skill up to the maxi¬ mum of his individual ability, thereby enabling production to keep pace with defense demands. Training Within Industry deals particularly with industry’s own personnel responsi¬ bilities. Special attention is devoted to: 1 . UPGRADING of all classes of personnel as their experience and abilities warrant, through planned job progression, job rotation, and intensive supplementary instruc¬ tion both on and off the job. Each plant should take stock of the talent and ex¬ perience of its own personnel before employing new men. 2 . Development of PRODUCTION SPECIALISTS through intensive instruction on the job according to basic operations. © 3 . Development of all-around SKILLED MECHANICS through trades apprenticeship, in accordance with Federal standards, separate from production worker training, for the purpose of developing a predetermined, limited number of all-around journey¬ men mechanics. 4 . Development of SUPERVISORS through careful selection, assignment of supervisory duties of increasing responsibility, and provision for related organized help through discussions and conferences under both plant and outside auspices; also the develop¬ ment of technical and other management assistants. 9 3 Training Within Industry renders specific ADVISORY ASSISTANCE to defense industries in inaugurating programs which they carry on within their own plants, at their own expense. There is no authority to enter a plant on any basis other than with management’s cooperation. HOW "TWI” ASSISTS DEFENSE INDUSTRY Four general types of assistance apply in most cases and are being adapted to fit conditions in each specific plant: A. Help in the analysis of training needs. B. Aid in setting up a program within the plant to meet its needs. C. Transmit experience of other employers who have met their training problems. This is cleared through “TWI” headquarters and its field organization. D. Aid in the most effective use of tax-supported Government agency services, such as State and Federal employment services, vocational and trade schools, engineering colleges, NYA, WPA, CCC. Only through interpreting job requirements and the needs of industry to those agencies and gaining their closest coordination can maximum preemployment education and experience be furnished, as well as related supple¬ mentary instructions for employed workers. RELATED SOURCES OF TRAINING Training outside of industry includes preemployment and supplementary instruction. This part of the program is being provided for by Vocational Education for National Defense through public and private schools and by Engineering, Science, and Management Defense Training courses in colleges. National Youth Administration, Work Projects Administration, and Civilian Conserva¬ tion Corps also offer opportunities for preemployment work experience insuring better prepara¬ tion for productive work in defense industries. All these are of vital interest to industry and the closest kind of cooperation must be continuously maintained with them. Of utmost importance is that the industries served participate actively with the schools in setting up entrance standards, so that all who com¬ plete the school training will be acceptable for employment. It is also important that the numbers of persons so specially trained be not greatly in excess of the needs of the indus¬ tries served. 4 The POLICY approved by both Management and Labor “LEARN BY DOING — PRODUCE WHILE LEARNING” In this emergency, as well as in more normal times, it is good American practice and efficient business to have each worker make the fullest use of his best skill up to the maximum of his individual ability. Only through such use of the intelligence and skill of the Nation’s manpower will produc¬ tion keep pace with defense needs. 1. Additional workers will not be trained unless the available unemployed of equal skill have been absorbed or none are available locally. 2. There are normal losses from among skilled workers due to advancement into supervisory positions, changes to other occu¬ pations, sickness, death, and retirement. These losses go on continuously, and it is necessary to bring along well-trained workers to replace them. In addition, there is need to make up for the lack of apprentice train¬ ing during the past 10 years. These are the reasons why organized apprenticeship pro¬ grams are so important now. There are two important phases of apprentice training: Definitely planned program of experi¬ ence, scheduled and assigned step by step to enable the apprentice over a predeter¬ mined time to acquire skill in increas¬ ingly difficult kinds of work in a trade. For every skilled job there is related technical matter, much of which can best be taught off the job. To be effec¬ tive, this related instruction must be very closely tied into the current job experience. . Practice, related theory, and technical knowledge must go hand in hand. Workers, employers, and tech¬ nical educators should collaborate in determining what shall be included in this instruction and how it can best be related to the work experience. The proportion of apprentices to be trained can best be determined in local areas in num¬ bers and programs agreed upon in joint con¬ ferences between management and interested groups of employees or by agreements arrived at by collective bargaining units. 3. In a less formal way, many workers ac¬ quire a breadth of experience by learning one job at a time and becoming skilled in that, and advancing to a higher grade of work when opportunity permits. In an up¬ grading program the time cannot be definite; it is controlled by available opportunities, depending upon production programs and specific vacancies as they occur. This differs from an apprenticeship program where the opportunity is controlled by advance agree¬ ment. Therefore, while craftsman experi¬ ence may be gained by an apprentice in from 3 to 4 years, it may take the production spe¬ cialist two or three times as long, or longer, to acquire corresponding skill and versatility through an upgrading program. In times of rapid expansion when there is a shortage of skilled workers, there is no choice but that of using inexperienced workers from other kinds of work or young people without any work experience but with good orientation background gained in public vocational schools during pre¬ employment training. Through intensive instruction they must then be brought to their highest skill on a limited operation in the shortest possible time. Advancement 5 into more skilled work should always be made from among employees of longer experi¬ ence on jobs which are good foundations for the higher skills. Attempts should not be made to replace skilled workers by narrowly skilled specialists. This puts upon management a two-fold re¬ sponsibility: Foremen, instructors, and experienced workers must assist less experienced workers in acquiring new skills; and they should see that employees who have the desire and capacity for advancement be not kept indefinitely on jobs requiring skill in single operations. 4. Apprenticeship, upgrading, and super¬ visory training programs within indus¬ try are greatly implemented by making avail¬ able opportunities for individuals to get instruction and related knowledge which enable them to fit themselves for advance¬ ment. Whether these facilities are made available by public educational institutions, employers or organized labor groups, it is essential that there be continuous consulta¬ tion between students, management, and educators. Only through such cooperation can the instruction be of immediate practical value. Such philosophy, such practices, and such consultation should result in well-balanced training programs, and bring about an orderly and an effective approach to creating and maintaining a supply of competent workers avail¬ able to meet the rapidly increasing needs of defense industry. United Aircraft Corporation. United States Rubber Co. International Association of Machinists. Steel Workers Organizing Committee.