Teams training was a week long event. It started at Manufacturing Technology Academy (MTA), we worked on the Plan Do study Act (PDSA) problem solving technique. The first part of the solving technique is plan. This is the process of understanding the system and the problem presented. The Do, select and develop a theory. This is where you can determine if the current process can be modified or completely changed depending on the circumstances. Study: studying the results of the proposed changes and seeing if the outcome has a long term affect. Act, making the proper accommodations required.
After the initial two days at MTA a group of students and myself went to Federal Screw Works a local manufacturing facility. The people at the company gave us a tour of the whole plant and the different products and methods they perform to make nuts and washers. After the initial tours the team go situated in a conference room. The process started, we were told to focus on efficiency of the pallet racks and box dumper. those are where washers that came from shipping would be put into containers that could be used to dump the washers into a hopper to have a washer pressed to it. After analyzing the current situation and floor layout and making our own adjustments we were confident the results found were for the best of the company.
Overall at the company was a great experience. Using the PDSA technique in a real world situation is a great experience especially so early in my life. It has allowed me to view and understand situations easier and not jumping to conclusions. This allows non bias opinions to solutions and best of all high quality in my opinion. Teams training was a lot of work and time consuming however I can see myself using it in the future.
Skills
The English skills I used:
The Employability skills I used:
After the initial two days at MTA a group of students and myself went to Federal Screw Works a local manufacturing facility. The people at the company gave us a tour of the whole plant and the different products and methods they perform to make nuts and washers. After the initial tours the team go situated in a conference room. The process started, we were told to focus on efficiency of the pallet racks and box dumper. those are where washers that came from shipping would be put into containers that could be used to dump the washers into a hopper to have a washer pressed to it. After analyzing the current situation and floor layout and making our own adjustments we were confident the results found were for the best of the company.
Overall at the company was a great experience. Using the PDSA technique in a real world situation is a great experience especially so early in my life. It has allowed me to view and understand situations easier and not jumping to conclusions. This allows non bias opinions to solutions and best of all high quality in my opinion. Teams training was a lot of work and time consuming however I can see myself using it in the future.
Skills
The English skills I used:
- Know and use a variety of prewriting strategies to generate, focus, and organize ideas (e.g., free writing, clustering/mapping, talking with others, brainstorming, outlining, developing graphic organizers, taking notes, summarizing, paraphrasing).
- Compose drafts that convey an impression, express an opinion, raise a question, argue a position, explore a topic, tell a story, or serve another purpose, while simultaneously considering the constraints and possibilities (e.g., structure, language, use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics) of the selected form or genre.
- Write, speak, and use images and graphs to understand and discover complex ideas.
- Use speaking, writing, and visual presentations to appeal to audiences of different social, economic, and cultural backgrounds and experiences (e.g., include explanations and definitions according to the audience’s background, age, or knowledge of the topic; adjust formality of style; consider interests of potential readers).
- Participate collaboratively and productively in groups (e.g., response groups, work teams, discussion groups, and committees)—fulfilling roles and responsibilities, posing relevant questions, giving and following instructions, acknowledging and building on ideas and contributions of others to answer questions or to solve problems, and offering dissent courteously.
- Evaluate own and others’ effectiveness in group discussions and formal presentations (e.g., considering accuracy, relevance, clarity, and delivery; types of arguments used; and relationships among purpose, audience, and content).
- Interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information/findings in various print sources and media (e.g., fact and opinion, comprehensiveness of the evidence, bias, varied perspectives, motives and credibility of the author, date of publication) to draw conclusions and implications.
- Use writing, speaking, and visual expression to develop powerful, creative and critical messages.
- Respond to and use feedback to strengthen written and multimedia presentations (e.g., clarify and defend ideas, expand on a topic, use logical arguments, modify organization, evaluate effectiveness of images, set goals for future presentations).
- Make supported inferences and draw conclusions based on informational print and multimedia features (e.g., prefaces, appendices, marginal notes, illustrations, bibliographies, author’s pages, footnotes, diagrams, tables, charts, maps, timelines, graphs, and other visual and special effects) and explain how authors and speakers use them to infer the organization of text and enhance understanding, convey meaning, and inspire or mislead audiences.
- Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, specialized vocabulary, figurative language, idiomatic expressions, and technical meanings of terms through context clues, word roots and affixes, and the use of appropriate resource materials such as print and electronic dictionaries.
- Identify and evaluate the primary focus, logical argument, structure, and style of a text or speech and the ways in which these elements support or confound meaning or purpose.
- Analyze and evaluate the components of multiple organizational patterns (e.g., compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, fact/opinion, theory/evidence).
- Demonstrate understanding of written, spoken, or visual information by restating, paraphrasing, summarizing, critiquing, or composing a personal response; distinguish between a summary and a critique.
- Examine the intersections and distinctions between visual (media images, painting, film, and graphic arts) and verbal communication.
- Demonstrate appropriate social skills of audience, group discussion, or work team behavior by listening attentively and with civility to the ideas of others, gaining the floor in respectful ways, posing appropriate questions, and tolerating ambiguity and lack of consensus.
- Use a variety of strategies to enhance listening comprehension (e.g., monitor message for clarity and understanding, ask relevant questions, provide verbal and nonverbal feedback, notice cues such as change of pace or emphasis that indicate a new point is about to be made; and take notes to organize essential information).
- Interpret the meaning of written, spoken, and visual texts by drawing on different cultural, theoretical, and critical perspectives.
- Read, listen to, and view diverse texts for multiple purposes such as learning complex procedures, making work-place decisions, or pursuing in-depth studies.
- Engage in self-assessment as a reader, listener, and viewer, while monitoring comprehension and using a variety of strategies to overcome difficulties when constructing and conveying meaning.
- Develop and apply personal, shared, and academic criteria to evaluate own and others’ oral, written, and visual texts.
- Use sentence structures and vocabulary effectively within different modes (oral and written, formal and informal) and for various rhetorical purposes.
- Control standard English structures in a variety of contexts (e.g., formal speaking, academic prose, business, and public writing) using language carefully and precisely.
- Demonstrate use of conventions of grammar, usage, and mechanics in written texts, including parts of speech, sentence structure and variety, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
The Employability skills I used:
- Schedule time to meet task/project deadlines
- Coordinate several tasks simultaneously
- Identify and define problems/issues
- Consider the consequences of actions
- Make informed decisions
- Display punctuality and regular attendance
- Complete tasks on time and meet deadlines
- Take care of materials & equipment
- Respect the property of others
- Demonstrate initiative
- Exhibit self control
- Work without close supervision
- Be willing to put out extra effort, as required
- Exhibit good work ethic
- Exhibit trustworthy behavior
- Business cover letter
- Recommendation letters/references
- Determine personal strengths and weaknesses