ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996             TAG: 9609270026
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: 1    EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CAMILLE WRIGHT MILLER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES

TRAINING BECOMES A VALUABLE TOOL

While the downsizing at Ingersoll-Rand's Roanoke plant is winding down, those who continue working there are looking hard at one of the company's values - ensuring that there's "training and education for everyone."

Kay Adams, supervisor for training and communication, is largely responsible. "A key piece of her job is to get the very best use of the newly created learning center," said Don Carlson, the plant's manager of human resources. "Manufacturing skills assessment, training, helping people realize their employability on an on-going basis is an issue."

Adams said she's taking considerable effort to "make sure there's complete understanding that the assessment is not related to short-term job placement or promotions, but rather to help us assess areas where we are weak. This will enable us to ensure that we provide adequate training for employees to maintain and upgrade their skill sets."

While there may be some concern after the recent downsizing that scores will be used in decisions about future employment, Adams is firm that "we are keeping those scores confidential. Only four people have access to the scores. Because the training is directly related to our quality figures, our quality manager and quality engineer are involved, as well as the instructor and myself. They will not be reported back to the supervisor."

The assessment of manufacturing skills, said Adams, has "just started. We've looked at basic math, precision measurement and trigonometry as a starting point.

In addition to manufacturing skills training, other training will include exposure to financial planning, because the human resources team heard "appreciation from those who worked with financial advisers" during the downsizing.

Carlson also said computer skills will be included in the on-going training since "we're getting more and more reliant on them."

ROCK DRILL DIVISION VALUES

* Respect for individuals

* Mutual trust and honesty

* Exercise teamwork across business, functions, departments

* Encourage individual responsibility

* Communicate openly and frequently

* Embrace and encourage change

* Win-win customer relationships

* Training and education for everyone

* Commitment to the organization

LENGTH: Medium:   58 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  NHAT MEYER Staff John Traylor (right), a managing 
          engineer at Ingersoll-Rand, gets help from Tony Willis, systems 
          administrator, in learnig a new computer program in the company's 
          learning center. color.