Skills Training Tables Are BUILT for Ivy Tech College Students To Prepare For Manufacturing Careers

July 6, 2021

BUILT Systems partnered with Ivy Tech Community College to create training tables for students to learn invaluable manufacturing skills. Since the customer already had an exact design in mind, BUILT created an entirely custom product for this project. Students now have the ability to practice safety, dexterity, and problem solving ergonomically.

Introduction

When Ivy Tech Community College requested unique training tables, the BUILT Systems team embraced this as an opportunity to impact the next generation of manufacturing employees. These requested tables would be custom products, implementing BUILT’s standard product strength and quality, but vary from the typical offering.

A Custom Product

Instead of outfitting a manufacturing or fulfillment center, these tables would be used in a lab setting within the college to train students in manufacturing activities.

“We call them FST tables, which stands for Function Skills Trainers. Our whole purpose for them is to ergonomically teach students to properly handle and insert bolts, nuts, and fasteners in an assembly environment. The more practice that students have before the manufacturing line, the less sore their muscles will be,” said Bob McQuern, workforce development at Ivy Tech College.

“The design was modeled after training tables that Subaru uses in-house. We just simplified them from a manufacturing point-of-view.”

Product That Makes A Difference

After conversations and design meetings with BUILT sales engineers, Ivy Tech signed off on a final design, which is being implemented in the facilities today. Students will have an opportunity to practice on these tables in classes such as advanced manufacturing and industrial logistics.

“These courses were created to prepare people with some real skill sets that can move them into an entry level position in a manufacturing environment,” said Kelly Brooks, Ivy Tech program manager.

“Our goal is to teach them overall safety, dexterity, how to problem solve, and critical thinking so they can achieve the important pieces of manufacturing, like how to eliminate waste, increase productivity, and assume quality is going to be the first in their minds.”

Built Showing Up

After the initial products arrived, BUILT team members traveled from their offices in Holland, MI to visit Ivy Tech to ensure and assist with a smooth process during installation.

“BUILT Systems was very responsive and quick to think about any solution that we might need on our side. The sales team was also very personable, and I like that,” said Brooks.

Ivy Tech Community College is already purchasing more skills training tables for additional locations, working alongside BUILT to impact the lives of those enrolling in the classes.

For information about working with BUILT Systems, visit the website or contact the team today. It’s our mission to create the next generation of manufacturing spaces.