Two apprentices from Callender Aeropart Ltd, in Accrington, UK, have got off to a flying start in their careers by attending the Manufacturing Institute's new Start Lean program, which aims to convert apprentices to a lean way of thinking early in their careers. The two-day course promotes awareness of the lean fundamentals, including the seven wastes, process mapping, 5S, total performance management and changeover reduction. Apprentices then implement an improvement project in their own company before reporting back to their peers and mentors, which also helps to develop communication, project-management and presentation skills. Sco.tt Appleby and Robert Harris, both aged 19, took their intensive lean learning back to Callender and set out on their improvement project to introduce 6S (sort, straighten, sweep, standardize, sustain and safety) to a key cell where components are produced for Rolls-Royce aero-engines. They arranged team briefings to research the key issues for improvement within the cell, identifying the need to reorganize and tidy the area and to create a step-by-step guide to help colleagues to sustain a standardized lean operation. Photographs were taken to highlight problem areas.
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