EDC Hosts 2012 Six Sigma Black Belt Graduation
By Space Coast Daily // June 28, 2012
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) hosted the 2012 Six Sigma Black Belt graduation last month at the Melbourne Realtors Association Conference Center.
At the event, each graduate team offered a presentation on how this training has been applied within their companies.
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high tech companies.
Improvement of Company Facilities
Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership administered the Six Sigma Black Belt training, supported by an Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant that the EDC secured in March. The initial training for the four month program began in January.
The Florida MEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The national MEP system is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2,000 manufacturing and business “coaches” whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits and enhanced global competitiveness.
“Six Sigma Black Belt training plays an integral role in both the improvement of company facilities as well as personal self improvement for the employees, benefiting quality of work and their commitment to growth within the organization,” said Julie Song, Project Manager for Florida Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
“Through Workforce Florida IWT Consortium grants, businesses are able to reduce out-of-pocket expense while receiving valuable training for the company and its staff. Florida MEP is pleased to continue its partnership with the EDC of Florida’s Space Coast to provide this valuable, yet sometimes cost-prohibitive, training for future classes of Florida companies.”
Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects in any process – from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. In turn, the elimination of defects increases productivity and profit.
“Graduates of the Six Sigma Black Belt training are ensuring the competitiveness of our county remains intact,” said Lynda Weatherman, president & CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. “This certification will give Space Coast companies a distinct advantage through increasing efficiency and profitability.”
Important To Continued Success
Several companies, including Craig Technologies, DRS-RSTA, Gambro Renal Products, Flomet, Teledyne ODI and Microflex, graduated from the program. Craig Technologies is one of the Space Coast companies benefiting from this program and today’s graduation.
“Craig Technologies believes the Six Sigma training is important to our continued success and we are pleased that our Chief Operating Officer has completed the training,” said Carol Craig, Founder/CEO of Craig Technologies.
“We feel that this proven business management approach will enable everyone in the organization to focus on the attainment of strategic business objectives by systematically improving and controlling our processes. The EDC is providing a valuable service to local businesses with these training funds that will eventually result in greater productivity and economic strength on the Space Coast.”
A second Six Sigma Black Belt Training class will take place in August.
For more information on this training program, or grant application, please contact Colleen Johnson, Manufacturing and Industry Liaison, at (321) 638-2000 or CJohnson@SpaceCoastEDC.org
