Technical Training Professionals is a firm advocate of On-the-Job Training (OJT) use. We feel that professional and organized OJT’s can be one of the most cost-effective and useful training tools that can be implemented and used at an industrial facility. We have gone to great lengths to develop an OJT process that we feel provides the system familiarization, operating skills and troubleshooting skills that our clients are seeking for their employees.
OJT Features and Benefits
Our OJT’s have a unique 3-level design which includes:
Level 1 – Flowpath and component familiarization.
When P&ID’s are available, we basically build the Level 1 OJT’s by listing the equipment, in order of process flow, through flow or equipment circuits for a given P&ID. We stress having the trainee’s associate the P&ID’s with what is found in the field, thus providing a familiarization with the process and the actual field layout. If piping and instrument diagrams are not available, we build the Level 1 OJT in an intuitive manner that allows the trainee to trace and familiarize themselves with one flowpath or group of equipment at a time.
Level 2 – System Operation
This OJT details: preoperational checks, startup, normal operation and shutdown. It not only familiarizes the trainee with the operating steps, but it also allows them to demonstrate their understanding of the data provided on a set of MMI (Man Machine Interface) Controller. If the client has opted to have TTP produce Simulations for the process control screens, these simulations are integrated into the OJT.
Level 3 – Troubleshooting
It is our contention that all the training in the world accomplishes very little if the trainees cannot troubleshoot a system. That is why our Level 3 OJT is specifically targeted to provide and verify troubleshooting knowledge. Although, we have also found that many facilities expect employees to operate and troubleshoot systems when they have not been given the benefit of the information that is provided in our level 1 and level 2 OJT’s.
OJT Verification and Documentation:
Each OJT , including Level 1-3, is presented in a two part format.
Part A is performed by the content expert and signed off by the trainee. The trainee is required to initial each item, stating that the subject has been explained to them to the level stated in the OJT.
Part B of each OJT is performed by the trainee, where the trainee is required to explain, illustrate or show whatever is described in the OJT to the level stated in the OJT. The content expert or trainer who is working with the trainee, is required to sign off on each item, thus documenting that the trainee performed the task described.
This process allows a stepwise increase in system knowledge, while also requiring the trainer and trainee/content expert to sign off that the tasks have been performed.