GLOBAL WARMING IS A "DISEASE." Here is a "CURE!" The Continuing Update and Refresher Education (CURE). For a More Educated and Fine-Tuned Workforce to Face the Triple Crises of Energy, Economics, and Climate Change!

GLOBAL WARMING IS A "DISEASE." Here is a "CURE!"

The CONTINUING UPDATE AND REFRESHER EDUCATION (CURE). For a More Educated and Fine-Tuned Workforce to Face the ENERGY-CLIMATE Challenge.

The EDUCATION CRISIS: A ROOT-CAUSE OF THE ENERGY-CLIMATE CRISES

We are in Situation Critical, and TIME is a very precious factor. It is NOW time for the direct and immediate actions; innovative and creative actions that target the Root-Cause/s, not just the Effects, of Climate Change, particularly Global Warming. Get involved NOW!

1. We invite foreign investors. We build power plants, factories, Economic Zones, and Industrial Parks. Everything is set up. The ship is about to go. But wait a minute. We forgot something! We don't have a qualified crew;  a well-educated personnel to efficiently man the ship. 
2. You have a multi-million dollar factory, producing multi-million dollar worth of products. Then suddenly your entire production process stops. An electric motor burned out, stopping a critical process pump. Every day of downtime costs millions to your company. Technicians install a new motor with new bearings, and the production starts again. After a few weeks, the plant shutdown again with the same reason. And the cycle repeats itself. 
3. A very confident and industrious electrician in a large power plant tried to troubleshoot a "simple" malfunction. In the Control Room, an annunciator light was busted. Without knowing that the busted alarm light is a neon bulb, he replaced it with an ordinary incandescent light bulb. It works, but it also triggered a tripping relay shutting down a 300 MW power plant. A classic example of simple ignorance resulting to a 3-hour power blackout causing a chain reaction of economic disasters. And of course, this also triggered more release of carbon greenhouse gas, as Gensets from many establishments started to operate, adding to the problem of Global Warming!

EDUCATION, an easily forgotten or downgraded component of industrialization in the country, and in the world. We put so much budget in our infrastructures, machinery and technologies, but we fail to invest more on the continuous education and training of people who will operate and maintain those machinery. A losing kind of thinking. And a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. This is typical of the majority of industries, and we have done this for decades. Now, we are reaping the deadly fruits of our negligence and unwise business management that resulted to the abuse of the Earth's resources. 

The Education crisis generates the Energy crisis; and the Energy Crisis generates the Climate Change crisis. So, now, CLIMATE CHANGE is here, generating all kinds of disasters for all of us.

TECHNICAL TRAINING IS A MUST TO FACE CLIMATE CHANGE!

All companies, big and small, need a continuing technical training for their personnel. High technology hardware should be matched with high technology training of personnel to have the best return on investment (ROI). 

Technology is advancing so fast that our previous knowledge and skills can suddenly become obsolete. And because of the feared CLIMATE CHANGE effects, the present technology and management trend is ENERGY EFFICIENCY. Even present technologies and equipment (including its associated skills) can also become obsolete as they are found destructive to environment (air-conditioning CFC refrigerants, for example). 

New efficient technologies and equipment are now available to replace our old, energy-guzzler and pollutant machinery. These are the HARDWARE part.

But installing these energy-efficient technologies and machinery is not enough. This must be accompanied by the same level and quality of training that will produce energy-efficient employees and manpower. This is the SOFTWARE part.

Similar to the computer technology, you cannot use a computer without a software, or you cannot maximize the use of your computer without the corresponding latest software.

WE MUST NOT SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE EVILS. WE MUST ELIMINATE THEM!

The right way to deal with a problem is not to solve it, but rather to eliminate it. Solving a problem is only a part of the process of problem elimination. 'Solving a problem' only let you deal with the effects or symptoms of the problem, NOT the root-cause/s. But people's minds are formatted to "solving problems"; that's why we never run out of problems, and they are getting worse.

There must be a paradigm shift in our thinking, for us to really eliminate, not solve, the Climate Change problems. This paradigm shift will let us see and deal with the ROOT-CAUSE/S of the problem. Then we eliminate the problem.

The BETTERMENT OR WORSENING OF CLIMATE CHANGE LARGELY DEPENDS ON THE HANDS OF BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS!

World leaders and scientists are certain that the major cause of Climate Change, particularly Global Warming, is the increasing and continuous release of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Where do these gases come from? 

They mostly came from combustion engines (internal and external engines). These include car/truck engines, power plants, ocean liners, airplane's jet engines, steam-boilers, furnaces, and the like. These are the prime movers and power generators of the present civilization. On the other side of the circuit, is the power utilization or demand (factories, buildings, condominiums, hotels, shopping malls, residentials, etc.). 

Now, we must realize that the productivity, longevity, and efficiency of these multi-million or multi-billion dollar establishments, are directly and ultimately decided by the operators, mechanics, and technicians handling them. The CEO's and top executives are the decision-makers at the top (the head-brain), but the blue-collar workers are the direct decision-makers (the hands and feet) of the corporate body. Any human error or lapse of judgment on their part is a sure devastation to the company and the environment!

The attitude, knowledge and skills of the blue-collar workers will directly determine the direction where your business goes to; either toward profit or toward bankruptcy of your company, and to the betterment or worsening of Climate Change.

WE MUST PREVENT THE SMALL MISTAKES AND ERRORS THAT BREED CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS

A wrong button pressed, or an error in the opening and closing of a valve, or just a misinterpretation of a control parameter (pressure, temperature, level, etc.) is sufficient to bring your business in shambles, or to have a tragic accident and environmental disaster. We should never forget the lessons learned from the Three-Mile Island nuclear incident in the USA, the Bhopal disaster in India, the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, and the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, just to name a few. An error of a blue-collar worker is truly very costly and deadly, which justifies training, even a costly training.

A MASSIVE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THE INDUSTRIAL WORKFORCE ARE NEEDED NOW!

Mr. COLUMNA have been through these environments with actual experience in the operation and maintenance of various power plants and industrial facilities, as an operator, mechanic, technician, and engineer. Combined with his decades of conducting technical training to Philippine businesses and industries, Engr. LOPE COLUMNA came to know firsthand the internal status and problems of most industries, both the technical and human factors. He arrived at the conclusion that there must be a massive education and training crusade for the industrial and commercial workforce, particularly in the field of Facilities Efficient Operation and Maintenance, and also in the Transportation and Power Generation sectors. And this goal must be started  immediately if we want to curb the perils of Climate Change.

Most of the training needs and necessary know-how of the workforce are not provided by the existing universities and vocational schools. Take for example, the subject of Steam and Boiler Technologies. Steam is a major medium for heating and power generation. Boiler is the heat or steam generator needed by almost all major manufacturing plants. And the boiler is a major consumer of fossil fuels and therefore a major emitter of greenhouse gases and air pollution responsible for the dreaded Climate Change.

Yet, there is no engineering or vocational schools in the country that produce graduates that can properly operate and maintain steam boilers. This means that the thousands of boilers in the country are run by unschooled personnel, which means the dangerous and inefficient operation of Boilers, which means tremendous release of carbon dioxide and air pollution to the atmosphere. Now, we are reaping the wrath and revenge of Climate Change to punish us all!

MISTAKES AND HUMAN ERRORS MUST BE RELEASED
IN THE TRAINING ROOM, NOT IN THE WORKPLACE!

It is a sad fact that the subjects of machine operation, maintenance and troubleshooting are not taught in-depth in our schools. Graduates usually learn the practicalities of machinery operation and maintenance when they are already in the job. This is a major deficiency of technical education, as neophyte graduates make mistakes as they learn their jobs. As a result, our industry suffers from gross inefficiencies, low quality products, accidents (causing death, destruction, and release of toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases), high operations costs, and poor maintenance. Mistakes are normal for a novice, and they must release their mistakes in the classroom, laboratory, or simulator, not in the multi-million dollar machinery in the actual facility or production line!

As a factory owner or manager, you cannot afford to allow your personnel to make serious technical and human errors that could result to a downtime costing millions, or lead to loss of life and properties. You can only have peace of mind if you invest more on their effective technical training.

But very few companies have their own training department, particularly, technical training aspects. There are several reasons for this:

1.  Companies just depend on graduates of engineering and technical vocational schools. But it is a well known fact that the academe is teaching outdated curriculum, producing graduates unsuitable to industry needs.

2.  The quality of technical training depends on the expertise  and research based education of instructors. But most companies are not able to maintain full-time instructors. Most, if not all, of their qualified engineers are too busy with their main plant responsibilities, not on teaching or research.

3.  Companies with small number of employees don't justify an in-house training department. Human Resource Departments are not able to provide the real and in-depth technical training for their personnel.

4.  Maintaining a full-time training department is quite expensive and requires additional administrative responsibilities, manpower, facilities, etc.

But Technical Training is a necessity, but it is not just easy. A really effective training that is attunes to the times takes much thought and preparations, continuous research, and of course, budget. It is hard work, but it is a must. Industries now see their need of relevant technical and human factor training and education. But where will they go to for help?

The EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING-SEMINARS TO "CURE" THE TRIPLE CRISES OF THE ENERGY, ECONOMICS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

The CONTINUING UPDATE AND REFRESHER EDUCATION (CURE). For a More Educated and Fine-Tuned Workforce to Face the ENERGY-CLIMATE Challenge. 

The following list of Research-based Technology Management Training and Seminars is continually updated with new courses added as clients' need arises. They are all designed and conducted in the perspective of ENERGY EFFICIENCY to mitigate the ENERGY-CLIMATE and ECONOMIC crises. 

ALL THE FOLLOWING COURSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR IN-HOUSE TRAINING.

CLIMATE CHANGE, EFFICIENT ENERGY SYSTEMS AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT

1. CLIMATE CHANGE 101: ENERGY PRODUCTION, TRANSMISSION, USE, AND GLOBAL WARMING

2. ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT

3. WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

4. REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

5. AIR-CONDITIONING (HVAC) EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

6. HVAC SYSTEMS EFFICIENT DESIGN WORKSHOP

7. COMPRESSED-AIR SYSTEMS EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

8. PUMPS AND PUMPING SYSTEMS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

9. PRINCIPLES OF METROLOGY AND INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION

10. FLUID FLOW METERING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS

11. AC MOTORS EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

12. ADVANCED AC MOTOR COMPUTERIZED MAINTENANCE management

BUSINESS AND EFFICIENCY  IMPROVEMENT COURSES

1. THE ECONOMIC CRISIS: MAKING YOUR COMPANY SUCCESSFUL

2. ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT COURSE

3. BUILDINGS ENERGY SIMULATIONS

4. Business Improvement through PMO (PM Optimization)

5. PURSUING RELIABILITY EXCELLENCE IN A RECESSION

6. IMPROVING MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY through CULTURAL CHANGE

7. Analyzing Business Practices via Business Process Mapping

8. Selecting the Right Manufacturing Improvement Tools

9. Identifying energy efficiency opportunities & improving asset reliability

10. EFFICIENCY TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS

11. ADVANCED  PROBLEM-SOLVING COURSE

12. BASIC QUALITY TOOLS SEMINAR WORKSHOP

13. ADVANCED (New) QUALITY TOOLS  Seminar-Workshop

MAINTENANCE, LUBRICATION, AND RELIABILITY MANAGEMENT

1. PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

2. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

3. ELECTRICAL PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE COURSE

4. BEST PRACTICES MACHINERY LUBRICATION MANAGEMENT IN

5. BEARINGS, SHAFTS, AND SEALS TECHNOLOGY  APPLICATIONS

6. ROOT-CAUSE FAILURE ANALYSIS (RCFA) SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

7. HOUSEKEEPING AND 5S WORKPLACE ORGANIZATION WORKSHOP

8. PURSUING RELIABILITY EXCELLENCE IN A RECESSION

9. IMPROVING MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY through CULTURAL CHANGE

10. FUNDAMENTALS OF PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

11. COMPUTERIZED MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (CMMS)

12. Reliability Centered Lubrication Workshop

13. Intro to PM Optimization: Understanding Maintenance Related Losses

14. HOW TO PREVENT Human Error IN MAINTENANCE

15. ALARM MANAGEMENT COURSE

POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION COURSES

1. POWER PLANT EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

2. SUBSTATION/POWER TRANSFORMER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

3. EFFICIENCY TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS

4. POWER PIPING AUXILIARY SYSTEMS

5. PRINCIPLES AND USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

6. INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATION

VEHICLE AND TRANSPORT SYSTEMS COURSES

1. VEHICLE EFFICIENT MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING COURSE

2. ADVANCED VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING COURSE

3. VEHICLE FLEET MANAGEMENT COURSE

4. MEDIUM/HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS AND BUSES  PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

5. HEAVY EQUIPMENT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

BUILDINGS ENERGY SYSTEMS

1. AIR-CONDITIONING (HVAC) EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

2. HVAC SYSTEMS EFFICIENT DESIGN WORKSHOP

3. REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS EFFICIENT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

4. EFFICIENT MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT OF BUILDINGS

5. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL

6. BASIC PLUMBING TRAINING COURSE

7. ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT COURSE

8. BUILDINGS ENERGY SIMULATIONS

PRODUCTION, STORAGE, AND MATERIALS HANDLING

1. PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL

2. WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT AND MATERIALS HANDLING

3. FORKLIFT OPERATION AND SAFETY COMPETENCY COURSE

4. COST ANALYSIS AND REDUCTION For Competitive Advantage

5. WASTE MANAGEMENT COURSE

6. QUALITY CONTROL OF MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

7. BASIC QUALITY TOOLS SEMINAR WORKSHOP

8. MODERN PURCHASING AND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

9. HOUSEKEEPING AND 5S WORKPLACE ORGANIZATION WORKSHOP

10. STORAGE TANKS ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE

BOILER, COMBUSTION, AND STEAM SYSTEMS COURSES

1. STEAM-BOILER EFFICIENT OPERATION AND TROUBLESHOOTING

2. STEAM-BOILER EFFICIENT MAINTENANCE COURSE

3. FUELS MANAGEMENT AND COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY

4. BOILER FEEDWATER TREATMENT AND EQUIPMENT

5. OIL AND GAS FIRING FOR STEAM GENERATION

6. CONDENSING STEAM PLANTS Operation and Maintenance

7. COMBUSTION FLUE-GAS ANALYSIS

8. STEAM-PLANT ECONOMY AND PRACTICAL SAVINGS

9. LOW-TEMPERATURE BOILER and HOT WATER PIPING and TRIM

10. CASCADING AND EXHAUST STEAM SYSTEMS

11. STEAM TRAPS: SELECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND TROUBLESHOOTING

12. STEAM-BOILER ACCESSORIES OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

13. STEAM-BOILER PLANT AND COMBUSTION SAFETY

14. STEAM-TURBINE MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNING

15. POWER PIPING AUXILIARY SYSTEMS

ENGINEERING FOR NON-ENGINEERS COURSES

1. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FOR NON-MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

2. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FOR NON-ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS

3. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING FOR NON-CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

4. PRACTICAL ELECTRICITY For NON-ELECTRICIANS

5. BASIC PLUMBING TRAINING COURSE

SAFETY ENGINEERING COURSES

1. SAFETY SUPERVISION AND LEADERSHIP COURSE

2. Electrical Reliability and Safety Workshop

3. STEAM-BOILER PLANT AND COMBUSTION SAFETY

4. FORKLIFT OPERATION AND SAFETY COMPETENCY COURSE

5. WORKPLACE SAFETY SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

6. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDS) USAGE AND MANAGEMENT

7. CREATING A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT

8. INTEGRATED SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

LEADERSHIP, HUMAN FACTOR MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

1. EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION AND EMPOWERMENT COURSE

2. Human Error and What to Do About It

3. DEVELOPING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET COURSE

4. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TRAINER SEMINAR-WORKSHOP

5. BASIC SUPERVISORY COURSE (Developing The New Supervisor)

6. ILLUMINATED LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISORY COURSE

7. ADVANCED LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT for the NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY

8. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE 21st CENTURY

9. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION COURSE

10. HOW TO MAKE EMPLOYEES CONSTANTLY COST-CONSCIOUS

11. HOW TO MAKE EMPLOYEES CONSTANTLY EFFICIENCY-CONSCIOUS

12. TRANSFORMING WORK ATTITUDE AND VALUES TO PRODUCTIVITY

13. PREVENTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

14. EFFICIENT TIME MANAGEMENT

15. STRESS MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL COURSE

16. TECHNIQUES FOR ETHICAL GOVERNANCE AND PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION

17. TECHNICAL WRITING SEMINAR WORKSHOP

18. TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS (TNA) COURSE

19. EFFECTIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT COURSE

20. HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT AND WISE DECISIONS

21. KNOWING YOURSELF, AND KNOWING OTHERS

22. HOW TO CONVERT MISTAKES AND FAILURES TO SUCCESS AND FORTUNES

 -- LOPE COLUMNA --