Increase Your Professional Value with Online Training

By Kristine Coblitz, Editor, Fluid Power Journal

The digital revolution is changing the way we do business. Time-management apps help us to productively and efficiently tackle our workload; social media adds a personal touch to client communication; and emerging technology advances the value of our equipment and machines. But what about us, the professionals who show up every day with a desire to not only achieve personal and professional satisfaction from our work, but also to share our expanding skills and awareness with our customers and employers? How can we use the technology in our hands or on our computer screens to make us more valuable contributors to the companies and industry which we serve?

Online training is an easy tool to sharpen our skills at a time when the demand to stay on top of a changing digital landscape is critical. In most cases, all you need is Internet access and a few hours of your time. An online search will bring up endless choices, but as a member of the IFPS and of the fluid power industry, you have access to specialized training from experienced, most often certified, instructors who are more than willing to share their knowledge.

Here are just a few of the options available at your fingertips:

IFPS Online Training – The International Fluid Power Society offers basic training courses that deliver a broad-based understanding of the most important fluid power subject matter concepts. Courses begin with the basics: the laws of physics, plus systems and design, analysis, and components, and then demonstrate how these systems apply to the industry, including how they work and interact with each other. Attendance at the IFPS web seminars also earns Professional Development Points, which can then be applied when re-certifying.

Online hydraulic safety training courses, held in conjunction with the International Hydraulics Safety Authority, provide an awareness of hydraulic hazards, in-depth reviews of potential exposures to injury from hydraulic systems, and ways to reduce risk for workers, equipment, companies, and the environment.

For more information, visit www.ifps.org.

NFPA Webinars – With NFPA webinars offered from the National Fluid Power Association, NFPA members can view live presentations and interact with experts in various fields, all without leaving the office. Economic updates help members gain critical insight into the financial risks and opportunities facing their organizations. For more information, visit www.nfpa.com.

CCEFP Fluid Power Research Webinar Series – This monthly webcast, hosted by the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power and sponsored by the NFPA, provides research, workforce, and special topic presentations. Listeners learn about fluid power research projects and how they benefit the industry. For more information, visit www.ccefp.org.

An ever-expanding offering of digital resources makes this a perfect time to explore professional training. Visit the above websites or www.fluidpowerjournal.com for a calendar listing of these and other industry-related training, including online courses and webinars.

• career
• ifps
• online training
• professional