Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI), located in Champaign, IL, manufactures liquid filters for heavy-duty diesel engines. With 165 employees, AFSI is currently a level 12 member of the Business Skills Lending Library. They originally joined the Library as a level four member and have since renewed and upgraded their membership to its current status.

Challenge:
Prior to joining the Library, employee training at AFSI was limited to monthly safety discussions and employees occasionally attending off-site seminars or going to the local community college. Because they run a three-shift facility, they felt that video training was the best possible approach for the bulk of their training but quickly became frustrated with the cost of purchasing programs and the speed with which the programs became outdated. Based on their budget, they could only purchase two or three video programs annually but really needed more than what just three videos could provide for a staff of over 100 employees.

Solution:
AFSI joined the Business Skills Lending Library in hopes of increasing their employee development opportunities and lowering their total training costs. Since Tim Walls took on the position of Training Administrator, he's continued to use the video and CD lending library and has expanded upon its use. AFSI now uses the Library resources in staff meetings, for self-study, and as part of their performance appraisal process.

Monthly Group Training
Tim uses Library programs to conduct his monthly plant-wide safety training. He uses the Library's safety programs and has recently begun to use programs to train employees in others areas, such as communication, teamwork, sexual harassment, diversity, and stress management. "The programs have been very effective and a welcome addition to our staff meetings!" states Tim. "I find (the Library) to be a goldmine when it comes to finding new and upbeat training programs that I can use as resources for my monthly training."

Self-Study
Several employees have also ordered video and CD-ROM programs on a regular basis to aid in their professional development, particularly computer programs. Every AFSI employee has access to a listing of Library programs. They have created an internal request form, a program completion form, and a library ledger that helps them manage the self-study program as well as document all of the other training.

Incorporating Training into Performance Reviews
Managers review their employee's performance twice a year and Tim recently suggested that they use Library resources for ongoing training and development. They now have several programs identified for specific employees to complete within the next six months and their plan is to continue to build upon this momentum. In addition to their review process, Tim spent time researching the library for just the right programs to use in his Employment Pool Training Program. For this program he identified several programs that are mandatory training for anyone who wants to be promoted to other jobs within the company. Some examples are maintenance technician, floater (team leader), coordinator (frontline supervisor), etc. Tim feels, "Business Training Library has been instrumental in helping me have the resources to develop this kind of employee development program and so far I've had a great response from all areas of the organization."

Benefits:
AFSI feels strongly that the three biggest benefits of membership in the Business Skills Lending Library have been the cost of the service itself, the large selection of up-to-date training programs, and the high degree of service delivered. "If I had used other means to complete the training I have done over the last few years the cost would have been many times greater. In fact, I probably wouldn't have done most of the training due to budget constraints, time constraints, etc. The library just makes it so easy!" says Tim Walls. "Another great benefit is always having new and up-to-date material as the library is always expanding so you never have to worry about having to use the same thing over and over. In the past, we felt obligated to use the same programs over and over because we had bought them and you had to get some use out of it! Not anymore!!!" Tim also expressed how pleased he was with the level of service provided by the account management team at Business Training Library. "I really feel that the best thing about Business Training Library is the service! My account manager treats me like I am her #1 customer. Truly excellent service!"

Conclusion:
Tim and AFSI really feel that Business Training Library has improved their training structure and view the service as a valuable investment instead of a cost. "I plan to continue adding membership levels and continuing to use the library as my main source for company training."