Introduction
At Oil Analysis Laboratories, we recognise that the key to maintaining our position as an industry leader lies in the continuous development of our team. This Continuous Learning Policy outlines the framework for ongoing education and skill enhancement, ensuring that our staff remain at the forefront of fluid analysis techniques, including our proprietary LubeWear method.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees at Oil Analysis Laboratories.
Objectives
- To foster a culture of lifelong learning and improvement.
- To keep our team updated with the latest industry advancements and technologies.
- To ensure consistent and high-quality performance across all roles.
Policy Guidelines
Mandatory Training
Whilst some training for specific lab tasks is mandatory and covered in other policies, this policy focuses on fostering a culture of Learning Oil Analysis as something that the team should want rather than being forced to learn.
Some training courses that will be offered and strongly encouraged every member of staff undertake include formal training courses such as:
- Fire marshal training
- First Aid Training
Skill Enhancement
- Specialisation Courses: Employees are encouraged to undertake courses that add depth to their existing skill set. These can be oil analysis-specific or wider courses including management, HR, programming, engineering, quality or safety. Employees are encouraged to bring up with their line manager any additional courses they are interested in.
- Cross-Training: Opportunities for learning skills outside one’s primary role will be provided to encourage a versatile workforce. Indeed, the best skill for learning is to train others as it reinforces your own knowledge and encourages problem-based learning approach to research and discover the answer to questions before you are asked during the training session.
Online Professional Development
Oil Analysis laboratories invest heavily in online training access for all employees with thousands of courses on a variety of general business topics, including:
- IT: web development, database querying, mobile app development, IT infrastructure, data security
- Business skills: Project management, leadership, marketing, finance, appraisals, lean
- Soft skills: Handling conflict, appraisals, stress management, collaborative processes, personality types, time management, interpersonal communication
OAL also provide engineering courses to put themselves in the shoes of their customers on introductory topics such as:
- Engine component fundamentals: including 3d models of each component, its structure and metallurgy.
- Transformer components: component designs, electrical engineering basics.
- Machinery repair and fault finding e.g. diagnosing faults in engine coolant systems course
These are designed as introduction courses to the types of courses our customers perhaps spend years focusing on. However, this gives excellent context to diagnosticians and customer service personnel when speaking to customers about topics surrounding oil analysis reports. It also emphasises the ease of certain corrective actions and practicalities of checks, so team members can understand the recommendations they make and the implications to their customers.
Finally, OAL provides through its LearnOilAnalysis.com portal over 100+ hours of training materials on lubrication and oil analysis topics:
- Articles
- Videos
- Books
- Lubrication Essentials course – covering the ISO18436 syllabus
- Classroom training courses
There is usually 10 to 30 minutes of new material added each week to the LearnOilAnalysis portals, which lab staff are suggested to build into their weekly routine and can be used in performance review meetings as evidence of continuous professional development.
Performance Reviews
- Bi-Annual Skill Assessment: A comprehensive review of each employee’s skill set will be conducted twice a year to identify areas for improvement. This will form part of your performance review process.
- Annual Career Development Review: A yearly meeting to discuss individual career paths and future learning opportunities.
Documentation
- Learning Records: All completed training sessions, courses, and certifications will be automatically documented in your training account history.
Compliance
Non-compliance with this policy may result in disciplinary action and will be considered during performance reviews.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with industry best practices.
