"With what we are teaching, not only can they fix it, but they can make corrections before it even goes down in the first place. It helps [businesses] save money and make money at the same time.”
Oklahoma manufacturers create important products every day, from oilfield equipment, to paper, and even household goods.
The Department of Commerce reports more than 4,200 manufacturing firms across the state, and those companies support hundreds of thousands of jobs. Those jobs require training, and a shortage is predicted down the line.
The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte estimate that as many as 3.8 million manufacturing workers nationwide will be needed by 2033 to fill positions left open by a wave of retirements in the sector, and 1.9 million of those positions could go unfilled if workforce gaps are not addressed.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center seeks to fill this skills gap with several training programs that provide the knowledge needed in manufacturing. Trained workers will need to understand electrical systems, troubleshoot issues that arise in manufacturing processes, and maintain machines and processes.
“I instruct various electrical topics, as well as fluid power or mechanical power,” Marshall Chipman, a Trainer forFrancis Tuttle Workforce and Economic Development, said. “I teach a lot of different topics, but they are all based on industrial maintenance or automation. It’s a process you are trying to control.”
Chipman’s classes cover several topics that all relate back to the manufacturing process. The skills gained during his classes can either secure an entry-level job or help someone move up in their industry.
The vast majority who take the classes – many of which include hands-on components – are already employed, particularly when it comes to manufacturing. They come away with knowledge of how to improve processes or keep them going.
“Their employers send them to us because they either need a refresher or they want to upskill to a department,” Chipman said. “They want to see if that employee will be able to move into that department. They might learn about how to better troubleshoot a system or process, maintenance in that system or process.”
If a manufacturing plant has to shut down or cut back on its process, that can have major impacts on both the company’s bottom line and the supply chain. Chipman said his classes focus on how to fix these issues or avoid them completely when possible.
“Downtime is costly to an industry,” he said. “So with the training we provide, this will help whoever is working there to troubleshoot and fix a down system faster. We go over preventative maintenance. With what we are teaching, not only can they fix it, but they can make corrections before it even goes down in the first place. It helps them save money and make money at the same time.”
Chipman brings industry knowledge and certified experience to his classrooms. He completed the Francis Tuttle Advanced Manufacturing program and has several SACA certifications, including Electrical Systems 1, Electrical Motor Control Systems 1, Programmable Control Systems 1, Pneumatic Systems 1, Hydraulic Systems 1, and Mechanical Power Systems 1.
He also has an NC3 Multi-meter certification and a Hands-on Precision Maintenance Skills 2 certification. His professional experience includes building PLC control system panels that take in information and produce a matching output.
The skills learned in his classes are applicable across the industry. Chipman said they are priced reasonably enough that businesses with a smaller budget can have their employees gain that same valuable knowledge.
“The price-point is a lot lower than maybe what a smaller business would expect,” he said. “That helps to serve those clients, as well.”