Aug. 9, 2012—Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes has converted all of its training classes from the use of printed manuals to digital textbooks through the iPad.
Rod Habel, director of training operations for Sherwin-Williams, said using digital training materials has made the training process more interactive, engaging and effective.
“Converting all of our training manuals from paper to digital has provided our employees and customers with an enhanced learning experience,” Habel said. “It has established Sherwin-Williams Automotive as a category leader in training practices and demonstrated our environmental consciousness by eliminating the use of thousands of pages of paper each year.”
Sherwin-Williams launched a pilot program to test the use iPads for training purposes at its five U.S. training centers in 2011. Sherwin-Williams said instructor and student feedback has been positive.
“Over 95 percent of students were in favor of using an iPad versus a typical, printed training manual,” said Michael Pellett, training center manager at Sherwin-Williams’ Dallas facility. “The electronic format provides so many more benefits. For example, in color adjustment and blending instruction, the new tablets allow us to show actual spray-outs, highlighting their special effects. We can do this all with up to the minute, quality photos.”
Sherwin-Williams said the digital training format also allows the company to more efficiently provide students with new and updated training materials.
“We previously had to draft, print and provide quarterly updates and it would be difficult to send the latest versions to people,” Habel said. “Now, we produce a running change whenever needed and then electronically forward to recipients.”
Visit Sherwin-Williams’ website for more information.
