FLEXIBLE REPEATER MANUFACTURE 113 



ing. Indoctrination of laboratory technicians could be considered as 

 "vestibule training" in that they were acclimated to the area and con- 

 ditions, given oral instruction in the work, then given practice materials 

 and demonstrations and, when qualified, were started on making project 

 material. To do this, extra supervisors were required at the beginning 

 of the job. A supervisor trained a few employees, qualified some of them, 

 and began work on the project. Another supervisor was then required 

 to train additional employees who, as they became cjualified, were trans- 

 ferred to the supervisor responsible for making project apparatus. Addi- 

 tional testing of the employees, instruction and reinstruction and, in 

 some cases, retraining were required. In practically all cases, we were 

 able to fit an employee selected for work at Hillside into some particular 

 group of operations. The extra emphasis on selection and training cre- 

 ated a well-balanced team that later resulted in considerable flexibility. 

 During all of this training our supervisors worked closely with engineers 

 and inspectors who understood the design intent and the degree of per- 

 fection required. 



At the beginning, each technician was trained for only one operation 

 of a particular job, such as (1) winding Type X capacitors or (2) im- 

 pregnating all paper capacitors or (3) winding Type Y transformers and 

 so became an expert on this one operation. Later, the tours of duty for 

 many technicians were broadened to cover several operations. 



Communications 



To keep employees informed, we occasionally assembled the entire 

 group, presenting informative talks on current production plans and 

 our future business prospects. Motion pictures were shown of the cable 

 laying ships and the operations of cable splicing and cable laying. A dis- 

 play board, showing all of the repeater components, was mounted on 

 the wall of the cafeteria. This informed the operators just where the 

 parts were used in apparatus; also, just where their products went into 

 the wired repeater unit, and how all electrical apparatus was enclosed 

 against sea pressure in the final repeater. In small groups, all of the em- 

 ploj^ees at Hillside were gi\'en a short guided tour of the plant to see the 

 facilities and hear a description of the operations being performed in 

 each area. These communications were extended to everyone at the 

 Hillside Plant, including those who did not work directly on the product. 

 It was our conviction that the maintenance men, boiler operators, oilers, 

 station wagon chauffeur, janitors, and clerical workers in the office were 

 all interested and could do a better job if kept informed of the needs and 

 progress of the project. 



