Industrial Leadership Series students tour the Rexnord Corporation plant in Auburn.

More than a dozen industrial business leaders from throughout the region continued to learn lessons in sustainability, next-generation practices and innovation Tuesday through Thursday, June 11-13, at the Auburn Technical Assistance Center’s Industrial Leadership Series.

The Series, taught at the Auburn Center for Developing Industries Building at 1500 Pumphrey Avenue, was the fifth of six sessions in 2013 instructed by the Auburn Technical Assistance Center (ATAC), an affiliate of the Alabama Technical Network (ATN). The final session will be offered July 16-18, also in Auburn. 

What do the mid-level managers and others in leadership roles learn in the six sessions?

In six three-day sessions (144 hours), content covered includes Leadership for Sustainable Business, Leading for Environmental Sustainability, Leading Through a Foundation of Standards, Quality Systems Leadership, Leading with “Value Flow” Process, and Developing a Culture of Innovation. There also are programs in safety, and the leaders’ role in fostering safe work environments.

Participants are given a better understanding of Coaching and Team-building; Planning, Policy Deployment & Management; “Green” Manufacturing & Sustaining Practices; Standards & Workplace Organization; Visual Management & Value Streams; Continuous Improvement (Lean and Six Sigma principles); Quality and Problem solving; and Innovation. ATAC is committed to helping Alabama businesses, industry and not-for-profit entities learn how to improve and enhance their competitiveness and efficiency through a variety of educational and outreach services. This includes a number of educational opportunities for men and women in the workforce, such as the Industrial Leadership Series.

ATAC also offers a slate of open enrollment training opportunities throughout the year. Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt training for business leaders begins the week of July 8.  A class in ISO Advanced Auditing & Evaluation is offered Sept. 23–25, while a two-day, 10-hour OSHA training series is offered Oct. 9–10.

For more information about ATAC, its open enrollment training offerings and other details, visit the center’s web page.