Simulated Work Environment (SWE)

Course Description

The Simulated Work Environment or SWE is a closed loop manufacturing line that Caterpillar donated to Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC). Spanning 3000 sq. ft. the SWE is housed in Central Carolina Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Training Center and is currently being used to teach Six Sigma Yellow Belt principles.

During the 8-hour interactive class, attendees experience three different rounds of the manufacturing process. After each round the teams reassemble and discuss Safety, Quality, Production, and Delivery goals. The instructors then work with their teams and use Six Sigma Yellow Belt principles to develop a strategy to improve the next round. A team can become significantly more productive at improving quality and production while decreasing safety issues.

Six-Sigma Yellow Belt Principles can be transferred to all work and education environments including: manufacturing, engineering, administration, schools, service and others. This learning experience is also directed at all levels of a company or organization and does not require any prior knowledge or experience of Six Sigma tools or techniques. Other than Six Sigma, the principles & practices learned during this hands-on, interactive session covers:

• Team building
• Effective communication
• Cross functional collaboration
• Leading effective teams
• Continuous improvement initiatives
• Identify and reduce waste
• Development of people and teams
• Active listening and idea generation (Brainstorming)
• Identifying and setting performance targets
• Visual Management

CCTC looks forward to using the SWE as a tool to help develop skills of current and next generation workers in our area. For information on the SWE contact CCTC Workforce Development Division at 803-778-6656.