Workplace Education & Employee Development Award

Recognizes initiatives and programs in which an organization demonstrates success in raising the skill level of its employees through job-related training and lifelong learning.

Finalist: Standard Aero

Founded in 1911, Standard Aero is one of the largest independent maintenance, repair and overhaul and aviation service businesses in the world, providing comprehensive services to commercial, military, business aviation, helicopters and industrial operators. Over 300 years of collective experience brings customers unique knowledge and expertise in solving maintenance challenges. 

Standard Aero Assembled a project team to address technical training concerns within two of their business units in 2011. The team was comprised of Learning & Development Specialists and Human Resources generalists with varying degrees of experience in project management, training & development and operations. Followed by a detailed design phase, the project team implemented significantly modified training & development plans that were focused on skill sets shop floor technicians were approved to perform. In the heavily regulated aerospace industry, being able to show that their technicians have been successfully trained is imperative.

Standard Aero collaborated with the Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace to formally reference their Occupational Standards. These documents are industry specific and identify the tasks, knowledge and skills required to perform competently within specific occupations.

The goal was to reduce the training timelines for the technical workforce while maintaining quality of objectives. Success impacted two operational metrics; the ability to deliver to customers and increase productivity rates within the shop floor.

To determine the success of the new process, sustainability audits were performed weekly to ensure that proper procedures were being followed. Post implementation involved a monthly audit that identified any areas of weakness. The audit results were then communicated to the stakeholders to ensure ongoing awareness and commitment. Learning & Development Specialists observed and questions the training tracking process to determine whether the managers and employees were using the new tools and spoke to shop floor employees to determine if the training and evaluation process was easy to use.

 2013 Sponsor: University of Manitoba Extended Education