Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/484021
22 | /INSIGHT ON MANUFACTURING • March 2015 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m THOUGH HE'S WORKED AS a machinist for 30 years, Chuck Duginski sometimes needs to look up information to refresh his memory. When that need arises, he just reaches into his back pocket, pulls out his smartphone, opens up a GAMMA+ app and looks up the necessary information. "It's great to have this information right at your fingertips," says Duginski, owner of Grassroots Machining LLC in Neenah. GAMMA+, which stands for Greater Advanced Manufacturing Mobile Apps, got its start two years ago aer Fox Valley Technical College received a $2.9 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to address strategic gaps in the manufacturing, educational and services infrastructure. Using the grant, FVTC launched the GAMMA+ project, which helps anyone access a high-tech tutor for all things manufacturing anytime, anywhere via a mobile application. FVTC staff members, with input from local manufacturers and partner organizations, including the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance, created 500 learning apps. e apps are short tutorials focusing on a wide variety of topics, from welding basics to math functions, directly related E D U C AT I O N & T R A I N I N G On-the-job tutor GAMMA+ apps help employees, students master key skills BY MARYBETH MATZEK to manufacturing. e GAMMA+ site also features interactive flashcards so users can test themselves on what they've learned. "e cards are another learning tool and reinforce information that was previously shared," says Joe Stulo, director of learning innovations at FVTC. He says the tutorials are open to anyone to view and some FVTC instructors also use them in the classroom to reinforce what's being taught. "We tried to hit as many platforms as possible — laptops, tablets and phones — so people can access this information quickly and as easily as possible," Stulo says. "All the tutorials are very short — just five or six minutes and are great for our students as well as people already working in manufacturing, but are looking for a refresher or trying to learn something new."