Impressions - February 2014 - 61

Tech Tips

talking SHOP

Basics for Training Embroidery
Operators

oes your embroidery
You don't want to frighten
shop have a training
new employees, but they should
program? Even if you
have a healthy respect for the
run a one-person shop, there
machine and understand that
likely will come a day when you
they could be hurt if safety prowill need to train a helper, salescedures are not followed. Estabperson or machine operator. Start
lish a signal that lets others know
keeping notes now about what
the machine is about to start.
your employees need to know
Many operators say "Ready" or
and how you want to teach them.
"Clear" loudly before the maMany shop owners simply
chine is engaged. This is essential
hire a new worker and let that
on multihead machines to help
person learn on the job. This "onassure no other worker has ﬁnthe-job osmosis" method usually
gers near moving parts.
results in uneven job skills and
When an error occurs - like
does not give your employee the
hitting a hoop, misplacing embest opportunity to excel.
broidery, cutting a shirt or any
A deﬁned training program
other common trainee calamity
has thresholds that are linked to
- remain calm. Don't undera schedule, assuring that trainees
mine the trainee's conﬁdence.
are presented with relevant inforRather, try to make the negative
mation within a ﬁnite time frame.
experience a positive learning
This gives you the ability to judge
experience.
whether trainees have or will
The trainer should observe
likely achieve the necessary comthe trainee for a time and then
petency level to become permareverse the roles. For the ﬁrst few
nent employees. While training,
days, the trainer should be availyou also should foster the mindable at all times and never leave
set that employees are learning
the trainee alone at the machine.
valuable skills and have a future
Have the trainee repeat instrucin your business.
tions or explain procedures in
Embroidery machine operatheir own words. Many trainees
tor candidates should be bright,
want to succeed and say they
Embroidery operator trainees should not be intimidated
reasonably ﬁt, and have good
understand a concept even when
by a machine or computer. They should be curious and enthusiastic, and
hand-to-eye coordination and
they may not.
a proper training program ensures their interest level is maintained.
dexterity. While sewing experiFinally, train operators acence certainly can be helpful,
cording to how they absorb new
keep in mind that commercial sewing ma- is that the machine generally does only information. Some
operators
may
chine operators are accustomed to sitting what you tell it to do. Machines rarely do well running a job that has been set up
while doing their work. Conversely, em- malfunction and stitch improperly. Such for them, but cannot master the machine's
broiderers must be able to stand on their a malfunction is a possible result of an electronics as easily as others. That doesn't
feet all day.
electrical or electronic problem, but such mean they will never learn how to set up a
An embroidery machine doesn't have occurrences are few and far between. So job on their own. In fact, continued attena mind of its own. One of the most im- when operator error occurs, instill ac- tion should be given to this area.
portant things that I stress to trainees countability early.
- Deborah Jones

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February 2014 | Impressions

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Impressions - February 2014

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