Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 2 The Skills to Compete 41 Practicing good safety habits is essential for preventing accidents and injuries on the job. Keep in mind that a healthy worker is more alert and less likely to make accident-prone mistakes. Knowing how to use machines and tools properly is the responsibility of both the employer and employ- ees. Wearing protective clothing and correctly using safety equipment help keep workers safe. Your employer will emphasize the safety practices that employees must follow in your workplace. The government agency that promotes safety in the workplace is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). You will be required to follow the specific OSHA regulations that apply to your workplace. 2.6 Technical Training Once you have the soft skills you need and a career plan, how are you going to acquire technical skills? This will be an important decision based on how much time you can invest and the depth of the skills you want to obtain. While all of the following options are a good start, recognize that your education and skills will constantly need to improve as the industry changes. Take a look at some of the ways you can gain the technical skills and certifications you will need to succeed. 2.6.1 Apprenticeships This may be one of the oldest forms of training. An apprenticeship refers to an instructional program of on-the-job training under the supervision of a journeyperson. The term journeyperson refers to a skilled laborer who has completed an apprenticeship. In practical terms, this means that an apprentice works directly with a skilled laborer and learns a trade under supervision. This process can take 2–5 years to complete and usually con- sists of some textbook or research-type curriculum. Most apprentices are paid for their work. They are often assigned tasks machining parts or doing secondary operations. Companies invest in apprentices as potential long-term employees. Apprentices gain expe- rience working side-by-side with a skilled machinist. Learning a trade from an established journeyperson with years of practical experience is a major benefit to the apprentice system. Unfortunately, apprenticeships are becoming much harder to find. Companies want to hire skilled workers or beginning operators, but many companies do not want to make the long- term commitment to building their own workforce. 2.6.2 On-the-Job Training On-the-job training (OJT) has been the accepted method of training in manufacturing over the past few decades. Companies typically hire employees that have the soft skills they are looking for and rely on more advanced employees to train them on their products and machines. OJT is not a formalized training environment and most often has no curriculum or guidelines. OJT can be cost-efficient for a company in the short term because little to no time is invested initially in a new employee. Often, the employee will be assigned to a machine that is already running smoothly and given only basic instructions. But, because there are no benchmarks Safety Note Staying safe is not just about you. Often, the person injured in an accident is a coworker. Unsafe conditions in a machine shop can cause mate- rials or tools to be projected into someone else’s work space. Make sure that you and your neighbor stay safe. Don’t hesitate to speak up to a coworker and communicate any unsafe condition(s) you observe.