The effectiveness of assembly training in an engine manufacturing environment
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the assembly training process (ATP) at a Midwestern manufacturing plant prepared assembly technicians to perform the assembly assignments to the satisfaction of their supervisors. Quantitative methods were employed. Participants were assembly technicians who successfully completed the ATP. Completion scores from the ATP final test were compared with supervisor factor ratings of quality, job knowledge, and safety on the first two performance evaluations. The management perception at Allen Manufacturing was that higher ATP test scores by assembly technicians corresponded to higher performance evaluations. A questionnaire was developed using both open and closed form type responses. The responses for closed form questions were demographic and Likert scale responses to specific questions. Open form questions allowed the respondents to express their thoughts concerning the most and least effective parts of the ATP and to make suggestions to improve the training process. Graduates of diesel engine vocational school, who have prior experience, and score highly on the ATP summative test might be expected to receive higher performance evaluations than their peers. However, high scores on the ATP summative test were related to receiving higher performance evaluation ratings on job knowledge to a greater extent than the factors of prior experience or completion of diesel engine vocational school. Therefore, the perception by Allen Manufacturing Management that higher ATP test scores corresponded to higher performance evaluations appeared to be supported by the results of this study.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Lehman, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Vocational education|Inservice training|Educational evaluation
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