TCIE announces spring courses for business professionals

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Are you seeking to pass the American Society of Quality (ASQ) Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) exam in April 2018 or later? The University at Buffalo Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE) is launching a 30-hour course to help you get ready, as part of its spring lineup of business improvement courses for professionals.

Through CQA Preparation, learners will examine the CQA body of knowledge and internal audits required for an Internal Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001-based quality management system. Topics include foundational auditing concepts, principles and practices of effective internal audits in accordance with ISO 19011, and skills needed for conducting all internal audit phases and preparing effective reports.

The course is slated for 6-9 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 17, 24 and 31; Feb. 7, 14 and 28; and March 7, 14, 21 and 28. Classes will be held at Baird Research Park, 1576 Sweet Home Road, Amherst.

Other TCIE professional development courses are listed below. Registration is on a first-serve basis, with the deadline being one week before the respective start date.  

• Certified Production Technician (CPT) – 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Jan. 11 and 25; Feb. 1 and 8; March 1, 8, and 15; April 12, 19 and 26; and May 17, 24, and 31 at Baird Research Park. CPT training provides the core knowledge and skills required for frontline manufacturing jobs through four modules: safety, quality practices and measurement, manufacturing processes and production, and maintenance awareness. This training is a blend of online learning supported by classroom-based mentoring
• Certified Lean Professional — 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays, Jan. 25 to May 3 (except Feb. 22, March 1 and 29, and April 5) at Baird Research Park. Each candidate will attend a 30-minute, one-on-one project review session with the instructor on either July 12 or 19. The course educates participants in the Lean method of saving money and reducing waste by identifying unnecessary processes.
• Certified Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Green Belt Transactional – This course enhances candidates’ problem-solving abilities and engages them in the data-driven, LSS industry-tested system for process variation reduction. While applicable across all disciplines, it was developed with service industry businesses in mind and incorporates finance, government and health care examples. The course is a blend of online education with classroom-based instruction at Baird Research Park, delivered by a Master Black Belt. The schedule is as follows: Classroom dates: 8 a.m.-noon on Jan. 29, March 12 and April 16. Two-hour project review sessions: 8-10 a.m. on Feb. 15 and March 26. Three-hour project review sessions: 8-11 a.m. on May 14, June 4 and 25, and July 16. An early bird discount of $200 is valid until Dec. 22.    
  
• Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the Hyatt Place, 5020 Main St., Amherst. This course is designed to improve problem-solving skills by providing an understanding of the processes and techniques for determining the root cause of a nonconformance and the corrective action needed to prevent the problem from occurring again.
• Manufacturing Safety – This course provides participants with an understanding of safety hazards and safety-enhancing workplace practices by combining online learning materials from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) with a classroom-based Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Outreach Training Program. Class dates are 8:30-10 a.m. on Feb. 14 at Baird Research Park and 8 a.m.-noon on March 12-14 at the Hyatt Place. A free informational session about the course is set for 8:30-10 a.m. on Dec. 6 at Baird Research Park. Register here to attend.
• Intro to FMEA — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Baird Research Park. This course is recommended for design and manufacturing engineers who are involved in the product development process and want to learn how to avoid potential failures in design.
• Kaizen and VSM — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 28 at Baird Research Park. This course explores two Lean tools: Kaizen, an activity aimed at streamlining a select process, and value stream mapping, an analysis tool used to improve the flow of information or materials.
• 3-Day ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor Training — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on March 5-7 at the Hyatt Place. This training prepares participants with the skills necessary to perform internal process audits in manufacturing, service and public service sectors.
• Finance for Non-Financial Managers — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on March 14 at Baird Research Park. This course is for the manager or engineer who does not possess a significant financial background, but would benefit from a working knowledge of financial statements and related concepts, including commonly used financial terminology and performance measures.
• 5S and Standardized Work — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on April 10 at the Hyatt Place. This course explores two Lean tools: 5S, a technique for organizing one’s physical environment, and standardized work, a technique for organizing process steps.
• Intro to Document Control — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on April 25 at Baird Research Park. This course explores characteristics of effective instructional documentation (such as procedures, work instructions and standard operating procedures) and the process of document control.
• Strategic Supply Chain Management — 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on May 8 and 9 at the Hyatt Place. This workshop focuses on global best practices in supply chain integration, as well as how to organize and implement improvement efforts.

Course details and registration are available at http://tcie.buffalo.edu/what-we-do/professional-development/. For more information, contact Mariah Glass, UB TCIE training program coordinator, at 716-645-8840 or mariahgl@buffalo.edu.

UB TCIE is Western New York's bridge to excellence; it provides a dynamic link between UB’s expert resources and the region’s business community. Its core focus on engineering solutions and operational excellence drives continual improvements, and ignites innovation and technological advantages. For more information on how TCIE can assist Western New York businesses, visit www.tcie.buffalo.edu or call 716-645-8800.