On-Site Manufacturing Training
Hands-on training at your facility, using your machines and parts — not a generic classroom curriculum. Your operators build real skills in the context where they will apply them every day.
Training That Happens Where the Work Happens
On-site manufacturing training delivers hands-on skill development directly on your shop floor, using your actual equipment, tooling, and parts. This approach produces faster skill transfer and higher retention than classroom or online programs because operators learn in the context where they'll apply the knowledge daily.
The Streamline Group designs every training program around your specific production environment. We assess your current skill gaps, build curriculum around your actual parts and processes, and deliver instruction on your machines during planned downtime. The result is a workforce that can troubleshoot independently, follow documented standard work, and maintain the gains long after the training ends.
According to the Association for Manufacturing Technology, manufacturers with structured training programs see 30-40% fewer quality defects compared to shops relying on informal on-the-job training (OJT). Meanwhile, the Manufacturing Institute reports that 83% of manufacturers face moderate to serious workforce shortages — making it more critical than ever to develop the people you already have.
Most shops still rely on tribal knowledge passed from experienced machinists to newer operators. That approach worked when turnover was low and lead times were long. In today's environment of tight labor markets and compressed delivery windows, a structured training program is the difference between a shop that scales and one that stays stuck.
Manufacturing training session on a CNC machine shop floor with instructor and operators
Training Programs We Deliver
Each program is built around your equipment, your parts, and the specific skill gaps holding your team back. No generic slide decks.
CNC Machine Operation & Programming Fundamentals
Foundational training covering machine controls, coordinate systems, tool offsets, work offsets, and basic G-code programming. Operators learn on your specific CNC controls — Fanuc, Siemens, Haas, or others — using your production parts as practice material.
Setup Optimization & Changeover Procedures
Structured changeover training using SMED principles adapted to your machines and fixturing. Operators learn to separate internal and external setup tasks, pre-stage tooling, and execute repeatable changeovers that cut transition time by 40-70%.
Process Documentation & Standard Work
Training on how to create, follow, and maintain standard work documents. Captures the best-known method for every operation so critical knowledge lives in the system — not just in one machinist's head. Eliminates the risk of tribal knowledge walking out the door.
Quality Control & Inspection Techniques
Practical quality training covering measurement tools (micrometers, calipers, CMM basics), GD&T interpretation, SPC charting, and first-article inspection procedures. Operators learn to catch defects at the source rather than after the fact.
Lean Manufacturing Principles for Operators
Shop-floor-level lean training focused on 5S workplace organization, waste identification (the 8 wastes), visual management, and continuous improvement habits. Designed for operators and leads — not executives — so the concepts translate directly to daily work.
Supervisor & Lead Development
Targeted development for team leads and supervisors covering production scheduling basics, effective shift handoffs, performance coaching, conflict resolution, and how to sustain improvements after the consulting engagement ends. Builds the leadership layer your shop needs to run without constant management intervention.
How Our Training Works
A structured six-step process that turns skill gaps into documented competencies your team retains.
Skill Gap Assessment
We start by evaluating current competency levels across your team using a structured competency matrix. This identifies exactly where skill gaps exist — by person, by machine, and by process — so training targets the areas with the highest impact.
Custom Curriculum Development
We build the training program around your actual parts, processes, and equipment. If your shop runs Haas VF-2s making aerospace brackets, that is what operators practice on — not hypothetical exercises on machines they will never touch.
On-Machine Delivery
Training happens on your machines during planned downtime or dedicated training windows. We combine classroom instruction for concepts with hands-on demonstration and supervised practice at the machine. Every operator gets stick time.
Supervised Practice
Operators practice new skills under direct supervision, running your actual production parts. We coach in real time, correcting technique and reinforcing best practices before bad habits form. This is where contextual learning produces its highest retention rates.
Standard Work Documentation
Every trained procedure gets documented as written standard work — step-by-step instructions with photos, tool lists, and quality checkpoints. These reference documents ensure consistency across shifts and provide a foundation for cross-training future hires.
Follow-Up Evaluation
We return after 30-60 days for a follow-up skill gap analysis to verify retention, address any regression, and reinforce key concepts. This step is what separates training that sticks from training that fades within weeks.
Why On-Site Training Works Better
Research on contextual learning consistently shows that people retain skills faster and longer when they learn in the same environment where they will apply those skills.
| Factor | Generic Classroom Training | TSG On-Site Training |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment used | Training machines | Your actual machines |
| Parts practiced on | Sample parts | Your production parts |
| Relevance | General concepts | Your specific processes |
| Travel disruption | Team leaves facility | Zero — we come to you |
| Implementation time | Weeks to apply | Immediate |
| Retention rate | 20-30% after 30 days | 70-80% (contextual learning) |
The retention difference is significant. Cognitive science research on situated learning — learning in context — shows that skills practiced in the environment where they will be used are retained at 2-4x the rate of skills learned in an abstract setting. When an operator learns a setup procedure on the same Fanuc controller they use every day, the knowledge sticks.
There is also a cost advantage. Sending four operators to an off-site training program means paying for travel, lodging, meals, and lost production time. On-site training eliminates those expenses entirely while delivering a more relevant learning experience.
CNC operator receiving hands-on instruction at a machining center
Manufacturing Training FAQ
For hands-on machine training, we work with groups of 4-8 operators to ensure everyone gets adequate stick time and individual coaching. Classroom portions covering theory, standard work review, or lean principles can accommodate larger groups of 15-20. For shops with bigger teams, we run multiple cohorts on a rotating schedule so production continues uninterrupted.
Yes. We work with all major CNC controls including Fanuc, Siemens, Haas, Mazak, Okuma, and Mitsubishi. Training is always delivered on your specific control platform — we do not teach generic G-code and leave your operators to figure out the differences. Our instructors have production experience across multiple control types and can address control-specific features, macros, and conversational programming where applicable.
We design every training program to minimize production impact. Options include training during planned maintenance windows, between shifts, on weekends, or by rotating operators through training while the rest of the team maintains production. During our initial assessment, we work with your production scheduler to find the approach that fits your delivery commitments. Some shops dedicate one machine to training while others continue producing — we adapt to your constraints.
We provide documented competency records for every operator who completes training. These records detail which skills were assessed, the proficiency level achieved, and any areas requiring additional development. While these are not third-party certifications, they serve as verifiable training documentation for ISO, AS9100, and IATF 16949 audit requirements. Many of our clients use these records as part of their quality management system to demonstrate workforce competency to auditors and customers.