James Hardie Graduation

By Author: Elspeth Mowatt
Total Articles: 17
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Twenty four employees across a range of teams graduated from their 12 month workplace skills program on 4th August. The training, which included workplace numeracy and literacy skills, has been implemented by James Hardie to help its employees understand company processes and procedures and comply with health and safety legislation.

The company decided to implement the training with Workbase, a not for profit organisation that specialises in improving workplace literacy. Most of the employees involved have English as a second language and needed to improve communication so supervisors could be certain that their team understood what they needed to do to keep themselves and their workmates safe.

James Hardie had a number of objectives in running the programme. They wanted employees to be able to calculate measurements such as quantities and to fill in documents such as log sheets, incident reports and hazard reports.

It was also important that employees not only understood the documents relating to quality, production and health and safety but also knew ...
... how to communicate accurate and relevant information about these.

This is the first literacy programs that have been carried out at James Hardie. Employees worked one on one with tutor Stewart Dickson from Workbase. The one on one approach meant training could be tailored to individual learners’ needs and also that the company could accommodate employees being off the production line for an hour each week.

Before the training started Workbase carried out a workplace assessment which showed that many employees did not understand all the terminology relating to health and safety procedures, or how to identify hazards or describe what to do in emergency situations. Some also needed to improve measurement accuracy and completing key processes and procedures.

The training has been a success

Since the employee training, Peter Holt, Training Manager says supervisors see employees thinking more positively and having a much greater awareness of potential hazards that may affect them and their work mates. They are contributing more at toolbox/safety meetings and have a better understanding of what contributes to quality improvement.

The trainees have enjoyed the training too. Employees have grown in confidence, communicating better with management and contributing more positively. They have a much greater understanding of business practices, growing confidence and renewed enthusiasm toward their jobs;

There has also been a positive flow on, into the participant’s personal lives. Completing forms and conducting day to day transactions with various people has become much easier and less stressful. Their families are benefiting from what they have learned.

Feedback from course participants

“This programme is doing me good because I can use it in my work. By saying this there is no way I can get it from somewhere else because of my shift hours.”

“I just want to say that this programme teaches me a lot about things I never learnt before once again our Tutor is awesome. Hope to see this course continue.”

About The Author:

Workbase is New Zealand's most experienced service provider of adult literacy, numeracy and communication support. Find out more at www.workbase.org.nz