Ongoing changes in technology, weather patterns and customer requirements demand new and updated processes from food manufacturers. SunRice is no exception and is well aware of the follow-on challenge: training employees in emerging methods without compromising quality or safety standards.
TAFE NSW – Riverina Institute, with partial funding from the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Program, recently worked with SunRice to create hundreds of in-house training materials based on the Food Processing Training Package.
Some 400 Picture Process Maps (PPMs) were created. PPMs are user-friendly, one-page resource sheets offering step-by-step instructions and pictures about how to operate machines and carry out processes on the factory floor. The project involved around 50 employees and took 12 months to complete. The PPMs are now being used across the entire organisation by more than 400 staff members.
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The project has yielded high results in recent food safety and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) audits. SunRice is also moving into other value-added processes which require specialised training and even tighter controls on processing, consistency and traceability.
All PPMs, assessment manuals and flow charts are stored on a central database and reports are collated each week. They can be updated and changed by managers and operators, saving time and ensuring training materials are up-to-date. Operators have been trained to take employees through PPMs and also conduct assessments.
Sharyn Brown, SunRice People and Culture Manager, said feedback from the development of the PPMs was very positive.
‘To have developed such an easy to use training tool has really improved the way we do things,’ she said. ‘The PPMs were very visually focused and the learners have commented on how much easier is it to work from pictures, rather than reading instructions.’
Trevor Fraser, Production Coordinator at SunRice, was happy with the result. ‘You can print off a PPM for the area you are working in and follow it step-by-step,’ he said. ‘It’s easy to read and the pictures help understand what needs to be done.’
Manufacturing Manager Mike McLeod was positive about the effects the PPMs were having on the business. ‘It’s all about consistent processes across all people and all shifts,’ he said. ‘If you're not sure of something you can refer to the PPM for clarification.’
