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On The Web:
Tooling University
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Arguably the most serious problem facing our industry is the
lack of qualified machining professionals.
Well sir, there is a new, Web-based system that not
only looks to improve things in this regard but also to turn online training on
its ear.
We're talking here about Tooling University (www.toolingu.com),
and whether you're the lead in an eight-person shop or a plant of 800, you're
going to want to keep your eye on this.
"Tooling U" currently offers (or will soon offer)
courses in workholding; metal cutting; CNC; materials and material handling;
and metal forming. Each course is chaired by at least one instructor who
establishes the content of the lessons that make up his or her course.
But here's where the Web-part kicks in.
Course "credits" may be purchased by individuals or by
corporations for their employees. Once these credits are acquired, an owner or
manager can administrate all matters related to students' progress and
assignments. Tools are available to streamline administration and collaboration
between the student(s), the administrator and the curriculum.
Best of all, training can be engaged at the
convenience of the student and the corporation. Travel and other related
expenses are no longer issues. And loss of the shop's production time due to
off-site training is minimized or eliminated. Privacy issues have been
considered and well-represented at Tooling U. The individual student enjoys
status protections, and managers control access to courses and results.
This site is new and requires a period of maturation.
But you'll be hard-pressed to find a more thorough and focused site dedicated
to machining professionals anywhere on the Web.