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A Powerful Training and Funding One-Two Punch for TuscoMfg

June 12, 2024
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Celebrating its 75th year, TuscoMfg, Gnadenhutten, OH, counts 58 employees across two shifts. The team performs press brake bending, laser cutting, welding, wireforming and tube bending, as well as assembly, powder coating, and custom manufacturing and fabrication to serve specialty-vending and custom-retail-display customers.

To fund personnel training during the pandemic, TuscoMfg reached out to Ohio TechCred, which gives Ohio businesses the opportunities to upskill current and future employees. Businesses submitting successful applications are reimbursed as much as $2000 per credential when current or prospective employees complete technology-focused courses.

Training Aids in Retention

Tusco-Training-PMA-Workforce-Development“During the Great Resignation, we saw many companies losing a lot of employees, and we didn’t want that to happen to us with the talented group that we have,” explains Teresa Parrish, TuscoMfg’s director of human resources. “We looked at ways to help retain employees, and training was one. Training is an investment—not just for the employees, but also for the company.”

The company used Ohio TechCred funding for training operators on new production-floor equipment, which it had been consistently adding. And, Parrish reports a significant uptick in the company’s production teams taking advantage of Ohio TechCred funding for training as they realized the benefits of such training.

Funding Available for METALFORM EDU

Ohio TechCred funding has been used by Parrish and TuscoMfg for training provided by the Precision Metalforming Association’s (PMA’s) METALFORM EDU online training system. METAFORM EDU features more than 50 PMA-exclusive courses and nearly 850 total courses, covering topics such as precision measurement, blueprint reading, SPC, CNC, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing and safety. Also available: a recently created 12-course Press Brake Operation module, and a five-course Die Protection Training module. Courses on advanced stamping press operations are in development and will be introduced by year’s end.

“Our quality technician wanted some upskilling, and quality training is covered under Ohio TechCred funding,” Parrish says. “She is obtaining that training through METALFORM EDU. We also have another employee undergoing advanced blueprint training through METALFORM EDU. We offer a basic blueprint-reading course inhouse, but she wanted advanced training, which also is funded through Ohio TechCred.”

TuscoMfg offers inhouse training and is at work developing a formal training program for all employees, with METALFORM EDU as a key training component.

New PMA Webpage Aids Funding Search

To ease the funding search, PMA offers its members a newly redesigned funding-sources portal at www.pma.org/training/funding, enabling them to find the funds available to offset training costs needed to develop and retain employees. The updated training-funding webpage makes it easier to navigate and find state, regional and federal funding opportunities, and includes deadlines for funding applications. It also houses funding opportunities available from the PMA Educational Foundation. As Connie King, PMA workforce development director, likes to say, “It’s your money—use it or lose it!”

“We are quite impressed with what METALFORM EDU offers, including safety training, which we weren’t aware of until recently,” Parrish says. “And, all of the training is metal-manufacturing-based, which is hard to find.”

METALFORM EDU, teamed with PMA’s redesigned funding sources portal, offers a powerful resource for TuscoMfg.

“I recently reviewed PMA’s funding-sources webpage with PMA staff and we found additional funding sources for us beyond the types of training covered through Ohio TechCred,” Parrish says. “Also, TuscoMfg has developed an inhouse developing-leaders program, and we have applied through PMA’s funding-sources offerings to reimburse us for some of those training costs.”

Industry-Related Terms: Bending, CNC (Computer Numerical Control), Die, LASER, Powder Coating
View Glossary of Metalforming Terms

 

See also: Precision Metalforming Association

Technologies: Training

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