Abstract:

One of the largest bridges in Europe was recently produced at multiple fabrication sites through an outsourced production process. The surface treatment was clearly specified by the contractor according to given standards. However, the Quality Assurance (QA) humidity requirements were not understood in one of the sites, whereby the expected maintenance and renewal cycle of 30 years, actually was reduced to 5 years. Additional costs: 1.5 mill euro every 5 year.

The MECCA pilot project (05-07) developed the new Activity Based Training (ABT) learning environment. The learning methods that mix and merge the following components into one competence transfer model:
• A pedagogical tool that utilizes ABT to produce a product by following the industrial production flow of an object in such a way that theoretical training is directly connected to practice.
• Onsite training.
• Self paced on-line education, and high quality instructional video of learning material to institutes, SME and VET schools. The training method promotes the use of modern learning tools in quality assurance and quality management training.

At the end of a course, the students have produced a product based up on specifications provided through an order. During the course they will need to learn more theory based up on the specifications in the order, and the practical problem solving process where they must decide in which sequence they are going to produce the components and afterwards assemble them. Quality assurance is integrated into the education model, since the students must check the ingoing and outgoing quality of their products during the production process. Video is used as a facilitator for initiating discussions based up on cases that are illustrated by use of cases that illustrate HOW to DO, as well as HOW NOT to DO.

This paper aims at disseminating and raising the awareness of a brand new product oriented ABT learning and training environment. It offers flexible and sound pedagogical delivery of level specific manufacturing industry Quality Assurance (QA) production process training to VET schools and SME organizations. It disseminates new methods for delivering in-company skills upgrading processes that enhances production competence and know-how transfer to VET schools.

The consortium that is developing these new pedagogical methods, has a strong industrial presence with strong ties to QA companies, distance learning methods, blended learning, video technologies, and manufacturing industry leading to identification of inadequacies in current training systems and standards for effective instructor training delivery.

The new mobile learning environment and the product oriented training model close the traditional gap between VET training and the industrial production process workflow. The methods are generic, whereby they are applicable to European wide manufacturing industry sectors (fabrication industries, VET schools and SME’s). They facilitate an innovative solution for cost- and time effective transfer of industrial production process know-how and technology knowledge to SME at a just-in-time basis.

The article will outline how the deployment of product oriented training, like the ABT learning environment to VET schools and companies that certify personnel in Romania, Hungary, Sweden and Norway, have been done. This includes rising awareness and delivery of instructor training to trainers, and delivery of training courses to specialists.

Keywords:

Activity based training, student response systems, workplace training.