AVIATION FABRICATORS PROVIDES CUSTOM TRAINING TO ENHANCE TECHNICAL SKILLS OF EMPLOYEES Aviation Fabricators has been manufacturing and repairing aircraft interior parts and components in Clinton for over 40 years. The company’s work covers various parts and components for different types of aircraft, including seats, divans, tables, sidewall panels, cabinets, and ambulatory stretchers for commuter, special mission, corporate, and military aircraft. As part of their focus on continuous improvement, Aviation Fabricators is committed to enhancing the technical skills of their maintenance team. The company partnered with The LearningForce at State Fair Community College (SFCC) to deliver custom training tailored specifically to the equipment and processes used by its maintenance workers. This partnership also includes assistance from Missouri One Start, which helps the company offset the cost of training. The program is designed to upskill all facets of Aviation Fabricators’ workforce, from seasoned maintenance technicians with over 20 years of experience to team members new to production roles altogether. Since November 2024, a dedicated SFCC | Learning Force trainer has been providing the program’s targeted training, encompassing a range of CNC (computer numerical control) machining practices including tooling techniques, more efficient machining methods, and strategies for process improvement. So far, three Aviation Fabricator technicians have received CNC machine training. This training yielded outstanding results, with employees commending the instructor’s thorough and highly beneficial guidance. Both SFCC | The Learning Force and Aviation Fabricators have had positive experiences with the training thus far. Justin Willis of Aviation Fabricators says, “Dealing with aviation parts and development, we are always striving for precision and excellence. With the partnership from SFCC, we have been able to conduct on-site training for our employees to help develop the areas in which we can and need to improve. The training we have received has helped us stay current with the latest technology, which puts us at an advantage in today’s competitive market.” Amy Jackson of SFCC says, “Aviation Fabricators is a valued, long-standing employer in the Clinton region. Their specialized, top-notch operation is admired for precision in their processes and production. SFCC The LearningForce appreciates the opportunity to work with the company’s leaders to develop and deliver a quality, targeted CNC training program.” About Missouri One Start: Missouri One Start is a Division within the Department of Economic Development. Training programs are administered regionally by local education agencies (LEAs). In addition to meeting certain eligibility criteria, companies must be making a capital investment five times greater than the amount of training funds they receive. « Conagra Success StoryKawasaki Success Story »
by Lucas King 
CONAGRA EXPANDS MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES’ SKILLSETS WITH CUSTOMIZED TRAINING PROGRAM ConAgra, known for their grocery products (especially frozen foods), has been in business for over 50 years and is one of the largest companies in the Frozen Foods Division in the United States. The company’s Marshall required customized training for their maintenance technicians, who needed to develop the necessary skills to operate CNC mill machines and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding applications. ConAgra partnered with The LearningForce at State Fair Community College (SFCC) to facilitate this specialized training. Funding from Missouri One Start was used to offset the costs. training covered the following: Shop safety Machine tool math Drill press Turning techniques Milling techniques Better awareness of safe/correct setup procedures when welding Stainless steel fillet and groove GTAW welds in flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions Improved heat control and education Since April 2024, workers with little experience using CNC mill machines or performing TIG welding have received customized training from two SFCC trainers. Both trainers developed a curriculum specifically for ConAgra’s processes, combining classroom instruction with hands-on application to effectively educate and train the employees. The LearningForce has provided custom machining and welding training to 16 ConAgra maintenance employees. The customized approach was a huge success, as 100% of employees found it informative and helpful in learning more about their machines and processes. One trainee highlighted that they learned a lot because their trainer was patient and explained processes thoroughly to help each individual. Justin Moore, Maintenance Team Leader at ConAgra, has the following to say regarding his employees’ thoughts on the trainings: “They appreciated me letting them attend these trainings. They stated that they learned so much from them and felt comfortable using our new milling machine now to make parts for the lines as we need them. We are looking forward to scheduling more classes in the fall to get more Maintenance Technicians trained up so we can build more depth in our department.” About Missouri One Start: Missouri One Start is a Division within the Department of Economic Development. Training programs are administered regionally by local education agencies (LEAs). In addition to meeting certain eligibility criteria, companies must be making a capital investment five times greater than the amount of training funds they receive. « SRC Success StoryAviation Fabricators Success Story »
by Lucas King 
TRAINING AT SRC CREATES EFFICIENCIES AND RETAINS EMPLOYEES Springfield Remanufacturing Corp. in Springfield was established in 1983. It’s known for creating a highly engaged employee-owner workforce with its open-book management. The secret sauce of knowledge incentivizes employee-owners to become dedicated to high performance. Because of this, training plays a big role at SRC. When the company’s Heavy Duty East location needed to upskill workers on wiring electrical panels, they turned to Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) to develop a training program. OTC is a partner of Missouri One Start, which provides training funds to eligible companies. Associates tasked with ensuring electrical panel wiring was properly connected and tested lacked the proper skills and were involving engineers to help complete their tasks. To get new employee-owners up to speed, SRC contracted Bob Sherman from OTC to conduct classes on basic, intermediate, and advanced industrial electrical generators. The training courses took place over four weeks and upskilled production testers, engineering technicians, quality technicians, and whole goods assemblers. So far, feedback has been outstanding. “The basic electrical training was so excellent that all the associates wanted a chance to do the intermediate/advanced training,” said Maggie Anderson, HR at SRC. “The biggest takeaway from these trainings has been the skill of troubleshooting. When associates can work through a problem and find the issue without calling one of the engineers, it’s game-changing. It creates efficiency on the floor and allows the engineers to focus on their projects.” SRC’s strong relationship with OTC allows it to leverage specialized training when employee-owners need to increase their skills, knowledge, or abilities. “We can use their expertise and guidance to get our employee-owners the tools and knowledge to succeed in their careers,” said Anderson. “Retention has been a struggle, but with the support of specialized training, trends are moving in the right direction. We are seeing more and more associates stay.” About Missouri One Start: Missouri One Start is a Division within the Department of Economic Development. Training programs are administered regionally by local education agencies (LEAs). In addition to meeting certain eligibility criteria, companies must be making a capital investment five times greater than the amount of training funds they receive. « Everlast Success StoryConagra Success Story »
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