For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Contact Info:
Chad Schron
Vice President
Phone: 216-706-6145
Fax: 216-706-6601
Cleveland, OH – Tooling U, a Cleveland-based online training company specializing in manufacturing, has been included in a $2.3 million U.S. Department of Labor grant that is expected to train 300 to 350 employees in the region's metalworking companies. The target companies include a range of different-sized manufacturers, including the Ford Motor Co. in Brookpark, as well as Bula Forge & Machine Inc., Anchor Die Technologies Inc., and the Highway Metal Service Inc. in Cleveland. Currently, 62 workers are being trained or are scheduled for training under the project, which was approved in January 2007 and began operations in April last year.
In addition to Tooling U, five other local organizations are involved in the training initiative, including Cuyahoga Community College, the Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Workforce Investment Board, the Cleveland Municipal School District, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET), and the Westside Industrial Retention & Expansion Network. The program has been named "Manufacturing Access to Growth & Innovation in Cuyahoga County and NE Ohio," or MAGICC-NEO.
The metalworking sector was selected as the beneficiary of the program because of its size and importance to Northeast Ohio. According to Bryan Knaack, Director of Business Development for Tooling U, "Northeast Ohio has a rich history in manufacturing, and we're very proud to be a part of this initiative. Training is a huge component, and the fact that this grant emphasizes training is really key in keeping that tradition in the area."
One example of a local recipient is Bula Forge. According to Wayne Phelps, president of Bula Forge, "Work force talent is critical [to company success]." By improving the skills of his workers, Mr. Phelps said they will be better able to pass on information to new hires, thereby helping the company with job retention.
Tooling U provides a wide range of online training programs for people in the manufacturing industry. These courses are delivered through a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) that allows companies to assess training needs and track performance. Tooling U offers training packages for mill/lathe operators, press operators, and assemblers, and maintenance professionals, as well as custom-created training material for Fortune 500 manufacturers.
For more information about Tooling U and the new multi-language interface, visit www.toolingu.com or contact a Tooling U sales representative at 1-866-706-8665. |