WAI has made significant headway with its innovative training and development initiative that is designed to enhance industry knowledge and skills through a structured and comprehensive approach.

Industry experts and staff have completed most of the first of five training modules. Each one consists of short videos, none lasting more than five minutes. Each module includes knowledge checks throughout the videos. Upon completing a module, learners receive a certificate of completion.

WAI is collaborating with a motion designer who specializes in manufacturing “explainer” videos. Each one will feature a blend of shop floor footage and animated segments that clarify complex concepts. Narration is done by a professional voiceover artist to ensure that the material is engaging and easy to follow. Each module is developed under the guidance of primary and secondary subject matter experts to ensure
the content is both accurate and relevant. The first four videos of the inaugural module, Ferrous Metallurgy, were showcased last month at Wire Expo 2024.

In parallel with content creation, WAI staff evaluated various learning management systems (LMS) to host the online training. WAI’s Education Committee has provided their input, and now it is advancing to the Executive Committee. The aim is to finalize the LMS selection by the end of July 2024. Key features being considered for the LMS include group enrollment and progress tracking, white-label access for large companies, the ability to host custom content, a user-friendly interface with Single Sign-On (SSO), and scalability to support future growth.

The Ferrous Metallurgy module is slated for completion by late summer/early fall 2024, along with the soft launch of the LMS. The second module, Single Layer Extrusion Overview, is expected to be ready by the end of 2024. n