New Class: Introduction to Ergon Quality Management System
Written by: Kathryn Steen
That’s right! We’ve updated our introductory quality classes, “Introduction to ISO 9000 Quality Standards” and “Building Continuous Improvement in the Workplace” by combining them both into a single class, “Introduction to Ergon’s Quality Management System.” This new course includes new and updated material taught in a shorter length of time.
Many of you know that the SPID team worked diligently to streamline and rebuild our introductory quality courses last year. After receiving participant feedback with improvement recommendations, we retired the previous courses and produced our newest training class which can be delivered in eight hours versus twelve hours. Instead of relying primarily on lecture and discussion like the former courses, our new course uses several additional learning tools, such as videos, structured exercises, small group teach-backs, and games. The new course was beta-tested in April 2006 with an experienced group of employees from Ergon Refining, Inc., providing feedback to the SPID team. Their critiques, along with additional feedback from subsequent classes, have helped us finalize the course in ways that our customers say are improving both the message and the facilitation methods.
Another improvement going forward is the capability of all five department staff members to facilitate this course, versus the two who had delivered classes for Ergon companies in 2004 and 2005.
We attribute our increased enrollment and improved feedback in 2006 to be a direct result of these efforts toward streamlined content and more diverse methodologies.
For example, our classroom attendance numbers are shown in the table below:
We have scheduled thirteen classes during the first quarter of 2007. Twelve classes are off-site, at host facilities, and one is at the Mirror Lake Corporate Office.
Examples of the common themes in our participant feedback regarding the new format and delivery are:
• “The instructor explained Ergon’s commitment and our QMS very well.”
• “Well-organized and informative class; nothing but excellent!”
• “Exercises were fun and got everyone involved; helped put subject in perspective.”
• “Teacher was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable”
• “Presentation of session was excellent.”
• “Good class. Great instructor.”
We have three classes scheduled at the Mirror Lake Corporate Offices this year, in Jackson, Mississippi. Upcoming training dates are July 19 and October 11.
Our department can also deliver this class at your site if you commit to a minimum number of attendees – 10 attendees or more. Since the begining of the year, we have provided such “pack and go” classes for Lion Oil Company and Lion Oil Trading & Transportation in El Dorado, Arkansas, two Ergon Trucking, Inc., facilities in Saraland, Alabama, and Sulphur, Louisiana; and two Ergon Asphalt Products, Inc., operations in Chandler, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
To register for the Introduction to Ergon’s Quality Management System course, please contact your manager, the Systems & Performance Improvement Department, or your Local Site Management Representative (LSMR) for authorization. The registration form and instructions are posted on Ergon’s employee intranet website, http://ergonweb/. Scroll the alpha-menu at left to select “SPID” and open the folder entitled, “Training.”
Please note that your manager’s signature and/or LSMR signature are required to authorize your attendance.
To discuss on-site scheduling at your facility, please contact Kathryn Steen at Ergon’s corporate office in Jackson, Mississippi: 601-933-3203.
