Posts for October 21, 2010

UMA PROMOTES LEAN/SIX SIGMA FOR UTAH STATE GOVERNMENT

Appearing before the Natural Resources and Environment Interim Committee of the Utah Legislature on Wednesday, October 20, UMA President testified that the time-tested principles of lean and six sigma are at work in some parts of Utah State Government and that they can transform how we do business in Utah government. Outlining a project nearing completion within the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Radiation Control, UMA President Tom Bingham told lawmakers Wednesday that this process needs to go to completion before additional efforts are considered to revamp the five citizen policy boards in DEQ.

Sponsor of the effort, Senator Margaret Dayton, R, Utah County, told her colleagues, “I am withdrawing the bill I ran last year to revamp the DEQ boards until we can get the results of this exciting process that we believe will establish what the boards should look like, what they should be doing and what expertise should be on them, and I expect others to do the same.”

Bingham explained briefly the lean/six sigma process to members of the legislative committee and told them these processes have worked with exceptional results in the private sector for many years and that they have more recently been applied to government operations with similar results. He introduced Steve Avery, a lean/six sigma expert with more than 30 years experience in the private sector and three years working for Utah Workforce Services who gave legislators a quick tutorial on the principles. He reported that the project undertaken by the Division of Radiation Control has taken the permitting process from as long as 4-5 years to just months by removing roadblocks and death spirals in the historic process. He noted that this same effort will transfer not only to other areas within DEQ but throughout state government.

Bingham concluded that the principles described work wherever there is a flow and that this is critical to Utah’s manufacturers who have to rely on state agencies for permits, because time is money and delays in getting new permits or renewals are too costly to continue as they have been.

The legislative committee listened with interest and agreed to watch this project continue and to move now to the Division of Air Quality where it will address their issues and focus on structure, function and expertise of the air quality board. Several UMA environment committee members will serve on the project team for this new venture, including Kerry Ruebelman, who is co-chair of the UMA Environment Committee. UMA President Tom Bingham has been asked to continue as a member of the steering committee for this new project.

JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL TO 452K

Today in Manufacturing.net
Applications for jobless benefits fell by 23,000, but the drop wasn't enough to reverse a big increase the previous week ... continue

FEDERAL RESERVE REPORTS MODEST GROWTH FOR ECONOMY

According to a Federal Reserve Report yesterday, "The US economy is expanding at a 'modest' pace but consumer spending remains sluggish and job prospects dim, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday amid widespread anticipation new stimulus is on the way." The Beige Book "painted, if not an upbeat picture of the economy, one better than the previous assessment that had warned the recovery was slowing."

MOLYCORP DOWNPLAYS RARE EARTH ELEMENT MONOPOLY

According to the Wall Street Journal, Molycorp Inc. CEO Mark A. Smith downplayed concerns that China is exploiting its near-monopoly position in the rare-earth market. He noted however that Beijing's move to limit rare-metal exports illustrates the need for alternative sources.

SUPERVISORY SKILLS 5-DAY CERTIFICATE PROGRAM STARTS NOVEMBER 2

The Employers Council
This program is designed to provide participants with thorough knowledge of contemporary skills to be effective in the workplace. Our instructor, Dr. Brent Soffe, is an entertaining presenter who strongly encourages students to participate actively in individual and team assignments and demonstrate critical skills in the classroom. This sequential approach incorporating principles, skill practice, and on-the-job application is the most effective means for realizing a maximum return on training investment.

Overview of Topics Covered:
Core supervisory functions - planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling
Time management techniques
Elements of effective objectives and action plans
Essential communication and listening skills
Keys to organize and delegate work
Employee motivation principles
Methods to deal with employee performance problems and workplace conflicts
Operational basics - performance measurement, retention, controlling for quality, and team building

When: Tuesdays, November 2 - November 30, 2010 -- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: SLCC, Miler Campus, 9750 S 300 W, Sandy, Utah
Cost: $649 per Council member student; $799 per Non-Council member student

Certification: Participants who successfully complete the required course objectives will receive a certificate issued by The Employers Council. This program has gained recognition by business enterprises throughout Utah for providing managers and supervisors with the skills and information they need to excel in the workplace.

To register, reply to this email or download and return the registration form at http://ecutah.org/ssp.pdf. Enrollment is limited to 30. Contact the Council office or reply to this email with any questions.