Proactive Technologies, Inc. – Staff
On August 31, 2021, Custom Glass Solutions, LLC. held its first ceremony to convey Certificates of Job Mastery and Task Mastery to its employees completing their job-based structured on-the-job training program today. Collectively, 156 employees received the portfolio at its Upper Sandusky and Fostoria, OH facilities.
In attendance were dignitaries from The Greater Ohio Workforce Board, Inc., OhioMeansJobs of Seneca and Wyandot Counties, and other workforce development agencies and educational institutions that have supported Custom Glass Solution’s program since it began in 2020: LuAnne Cooke, Lt. Governor’s Regional Representative for Northwest; Carol Kern; OhioMeansJobs Seneca County, Kathy Oliver, Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services Director, Greg Moon, Wyandot County Economic Development; Diana Jacoby: OhioMeansJobs Wyandot County, John Trott: Greater Ohio Workforce Board Executive Director; Rocky Rockhold, Greater Ohio Workforce Board Program Director; Kyle McColly, Mayor of Upper Sandusky, Jeff Long, Ohio Dept of Job and Family Services, Project Manager, Tonia Saunders, Assistant Director of Employment Services for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services; Richard George, Tri-Rivers Career Center Adult Education Director– RAMTEC; Dean Prigelmeier, President of Proactive Technologies, Inc., Frank Gibson, Independent Workforce Development Consultant.
From left to rIght: John Trott, Kathy Oliver, Carol Kern, Laura Grier, Diana Jacoby and Rocky Rockhold
Custom Glass Solutions has been on a rapid growth path. While the more familiar, informal one-on-one training of its workers served its purpose, Custom Glass decided it needed to formalize it by building an infrastructure around what was in place. This standardization makes it possible for the company to accelerate the transfer of worker expertise, document the training progress more accurately, provide metrics to measure and improve outcomes, and provide credentialing opportunities to its employees.
“We frequently do not see this type of concrete progress with projects we support. I attribute that to the strong leadership at Custom Glass Solutions, and to the hard work and commitment of their employees,” stated Tonia Saunders, Assistant Director of Employment Services for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. “I expect we are just seeing the beginning of greater things to come from this project and all involved.”
Once certified lead trainers document that an employee has mastery of 50% of the job classification’s tasks, they are recognized for their achievement, and again when they master all of the tasks the job classification requires. A certificate and portfolio detailing the skills demonstrated is prepared and signed jointly by Proactive Technologies, Inc. – the technical support for the project; Tri-Rivers Career Center, Adult Education – RAMTEC; and the Human Resource Director and Operations Manager of Custom Glass Solutions.
Deana Powelke, Director of Human Resources for Custom Glass Solutions, expressed her enthusiasm with the “world-class“ worker training program that she pitched to management and supported from its inception, “I have worked in manufacturing most of my life. That Custom Class Solutions is willing to invest in this program and in the development of its employees is significant. The fact that employees are able to receive a credential documenting their cumulative skills is unlike any project I know.“ She also praised the support the project has received. “We could not have done this without the help of many people and support from the local and state workforce development agencies.”
Carol Kern, Business Resources Consultant for OhioMeansJobs Seneca County, was singled out by Ms. Powelke for her assistance in navigating the often complex network of local, regional and state agency workforce programs. She commented, “I am pleased with the project outcomes to date. I and the staff of OhioMeansJobs Wyandot county and the Greater Ohio Workforce Board are excited to support this project and wish Custom Glass Solutions and its employees continued success.”
For most employers, knowing what to train workers to do for them has been an informal, ad hoc, and unstructured process. Custom Glass recognized the need for a more robust approach. Incorporating standard work procedures, quality standards and best practices into the training helps Custom Glass Solutions growth strategy in becoming certified to ISO 9001:2015 and
Chase McKee, Quality Technician receiving Certificate of Job Mastery from CGS Director of Operations Jon Inkrott(left) and Quality Manager Mark Schrader(right)
TS 16949 quality requirements for process-based training and recordkeeping.
Neale Yeomans, CEO of Custom Glass Solutions since its beginning as Guardian Glass, praised the first group of certificate recipients for their hard work and commitment to self-improvement. “When I heard of this initiative to enhance the company’s worker training program, I was immediately on board. Having participated in apprenticeship programs myself, I see this as an excellent way to build the workforce we need while providing credentialing opportunities to our employees.”
Nearly 320 of its 470 employees at two of Custom Glass Solutions’ facilities are enrolled in the training and cross training. Custom Glass Solutions, in looking to the future, plans to broaden the programs to register them as apprenticeships (since the infrastructure is an apprenticeship already) and structured internships – providing even more credentialing opportunities to its employees.
Custom Glass Solutions, LLC., based in Worthington, OH is a major manufacturer of advanced technology glass systems for commercial, agricultural, marine, recreational, public transportation and military vehicles. The Upper Sandusky manufacturing plant is 360,000 square feet, the Fostoria plant is 163,000 square feet, and its Trumbauersville, PA facility is 100,000 square feet and employs 100 people. For more information on Custom Glass Solutions and hiring opportunities, visit their website at https://www.customglasssolutions.com/
For more information, contact: Deana Powelke, Director of Human Resources deana@cgsllc.com
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