Chemical Processing - June 2008 - (Page 40)

PROTECT PUMPS • • • • Dry Running Cavitation Bearing Failure Overload • Best Sensitivity COMPACT EASY MOUNTING • Starter Door • Panel • Relay Outputs MODEL PMP-25 • Adjustable Delay Timers 4-20 MILLIAMP ANALOG OUTPUT UNIQUE RANGE FINDER SENSOR • Works on Wide Range of Motors • Simplifies Installation • Raceway • Wall TRUE POWER LOAD DISPLAY TWO ADJUSTABLE SET POINTS to justify pursuing professional development. Look at the problems before you; look at your plan for professional development. If you can tie the two together you’ve got a win-win for you and your employer. On-the-job experience always is a major component of developing expertise. However, to become truly proficient, you need to acquire ideas and talents from all available sources. So, pursue every opportunity for additional education. Note that I say “education” not “training.” There truly is a distinction. You can train someone to disassemble a control valve and then replace the trims — you go through a fixed sequence of steps to accomplish the task, usually with little or no thought. But you can’t train someone to develop a Process and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) — that requires an understanding of the process. You attend engineering college to learn the basic principles and theory necessary for a life-time career. Most of the practical aspects you’ll pick up on-the-job. Some will come from fellow employees, suppliers, consultants, etc., some via independent study, and some from your successes and failures. Unfortunately, much of this is ad hoc — you make it up as you go. To climb the learning curve more rapidly, consider taking a professional development course, either in-person or online. (For the pros and cons of each approach, see the sidebar.) Look for a course that focuses on practice. It’s not always easy to gauge whether an offering really has a practical orientation. Does the course outline cover not just what to do (training), but why do that way (education)? Does the organization sponsoring the course have a reputation for balancing basic concepts and practice? What are the course materials, and are they of any real utility after the course? Who is the lecturer and what is that person’s background? Avoid programs that have a stable of lecturers, one of whom will teach a given offering. The pressures in today’s workplace favor a two-day course over a five-day one. Yes, time is money — but in the end you get what you pay for. You won’t learn in two days what realistically requires five. Although the outlines may be similar, a longer course will provide a deeper understanding and more likely some practice sessions. Take an educaTed approach Devoting the appropriate time to pursue professional development usually proves as difficult as finding the money. Value your time highly — never seek such education on the cheap. Know what you are buying and make quality the primary component of the decision process. cecil SmiTh is president of Cecil L. Smith, Inc., Baton Rouge, La. E-mail him at cecilsmith@cox.net. CALL NOW FOR YOUR FREE 30-DAY TRIAL 888-600-3247 WWW.LOADCONTROLS.COM http://www.westernstates.com http://WWW.LOADCONTROLS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing - June 2008

Chemical Processing - June 2008 Contents From the Editor ChemicalProcessing.com Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Achieve Model Operations Bolster Your Condition Monitoring Toolbox Particle Analysis Makes Solid Progress Improve Batch Reactor Temperature Control Improve Your Job Security Plant InSites Process Puzzler Equipment & Services Product Spotlight/Classifieds Ad Index End Point

Chemical Processing - June 2008

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