BETHESDA, Md.—The Adhesive and Sealant Council has assembled a training academy certification task force to steer the development of the group's Training Academy Certificate Program.
The task force, which includes leaders from member companies with technical, marketing and human resource expertise, will determine technical and business oriented curriculum, as well as training recognition levels.
The certificate program is a key strategy that is part of the ASC's Long Range Plan. The ACS said it will combine business-oriented adhesives and sealants training with technical training, based on members input.
Once launched, the ACS said the program will provide training for new employees or those new to the industry.
“We want ASC to be a primary resource for the industry to rely on for training their team on the fundamentals of adhesives and sealants, with programs touching the entire spectrum of learning needed within the formulating community,” said Matthew E. Croson, president of ASC.
Those that have volunteered to serve on the task force include:
• Gerhard Haas, ASC board member, vice president, Jowat Corp.;
• Chuck Williams,ASC board member, principal scientist, Avery Dennison;
• William Arendt, ASC technical committee chair, research rellow, Emerald Kalama;
• Chassidy Rellinger, senior human resource manager, Avery Dennison;
• Jon Stuart, research and development director, Henry Company;
• Mark Plante, ASC board member, business manager, Kraton Performance Polymers
Volunteers will collaborate with ASC staff to review surveys, discuss educational needs and give input on curriculum objectives and certificate levels.
“We will rely on the volunteers to really consider what members need from the council and guide the decision-making in order to launch a solid program in early 2016,” said Connie Howe, senior manager of technical services.
The training academy, established in 2012, is a series of webinar programs that cover topics such as technology types, additives, testing methodologies and trends. ACS officials then made the decision to make education strategy part of the Long Range Plan.
“Our job now is to roll up our sleeves, review the data from the past two years' worth of programming, and ask how we can add more value with deeper training and stronger technical focus,” Croson said.
The ASC is a North American trade association comprised of 131 adhesive and sealant manufacturers, raw material and equipment suppliers, distributors and industry consultants, representing more than 75 percent of the U.S. industry with operations around the world.