A survey of training sources for selected craftsmen at Union Carbide

The research study was designed to determine sources of training, shifts in training sources, and the predominant source of train-ing of certain selected craftsmen in East Tennessee.

Survey questionnaires were developed and administered to electricians, millwrights, pipefitters, welders, ironworkers, and carpenters at Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (operated by Union Carbide Corporation for the U. S. Department of Energy under Contract W-7405-eng-26) at Oak Ridge. Respondents were asked to indicate their specialty, source of training, and the years training was obtained. Responses were obtained from 164 craftsmen, representing 20.6 percent of the total available population in the plant.

Results of the study indicated there were four major sources of training for all crafts represented. While some sources of training were unique to a particular craft, the military, apprenticeships, vocational schools, and on-the-job training were the primary sources utilized by all crafts. Other training sources were represented, but their contribution to the total training received by the craftsmen was small.

Vocational schools emerged as the leading sources of training for the welder craft, while apprenticeships training served as the predominant training source for the millwrights. On-the-job training served as the most used training source for both the pipefitter and carpenter crafts. The military trained more electricians than any other source.

Training sources selected by some craft groups varied considerably for the periods surveyed. There was an apparent shift in sources of training noted for three craft groups (welders, mill-wrights, and carpenters), while training sources remained relatively constant for the electrical and pipefitter groups.

Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are given: it is recommended that additional studies are necessary to further substantiate the results of this study. This information should be shared with Y-12 officials, educational institutions, and other interested parties. The study could be expanded to define such elements as: (1) primary source of training, (2) secondary source of training, and (3) training source that pro-duces the most competent craftsmen.