Index Develops Training Program for Junior Technicians

The inaugural class in the Index Technician Development Program participates in a learning session on the shop floor. Photo Credit: Index

Index has created the Index Technician Development Program (ITDP), which is an eight-month formal training program for junior technicians. Developed in response to the ongoing skilled labor shortage, the ITDP incorporates both classroom and hands-on instruction, including two months spent at the company’s global headquarters in Germany.

“The manufacturing industry as a whole is facing a skilled labor shortage,” says Jose Zamora, Index training and development manager. “That issue is even more pronounced when you look for people with the breadth of knowledge required to service and install advanced machine tools. We have very consciously developed the ITDP curriculum to grow the pool of labor in our industry.”

The company says that, ideally, individuals selected to join the program possess some level of experience in a field related to mechanical or electrical engineering, but the only prerequisite is a demonstrated aptitude for technical subject matter. The ITDP launched in January 2023 with an inaugural class of six students coming from varied backgrounds, including warehouse logistics and law enforcement.

Over the course of six months, students complete 15 courses that incorporate a mix of classroom, online and shopfloor instruction. Each course ends with an exam that must be completed to progress. At the end of six months, the ITDP culminates in a week-long exam that includes written components, as well as practical demonstration of knowledge through troubleshooting and solving issues on actual machines in Index’s showroom. Upon completion of this exam, students travel to Germany for two months to participate in building an Index machine from the ground up.

While the current class is made up of individuals pursuing a career change, Index plans to expand the ITDP later this year to include internships and apprenticeships for current high school students and recent graduates.

“I started my career in a German apprenticeship program,” says Cris Taylor, Index president and CEO. “We have incorporated elements of that type of program to provide people with access to the incredible career opportunities offered by manufacturing. The program is currently focused on expanding our own team, but we are purposefully building something that can eventually be expanded to train operators and programmers for our customers as well.”