Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA –
Employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot are furthering their skill sets and increasing the organization’s capability to support different types of workload, all thanks to an enhanced industrial training program.
Tobyhanna recently announced a new series of trainings for employees in the Systems Integration and Support (SIS) directorate. The directorate’s mission largely focuses on industrial activities like sandblasting, painting, and welding. These industrial functions are a large component of Tobyhanna’s growing Navy portfolio, which includes the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow and the RIM-166 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher.
Representatives from the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) visited Tobyhanna last month to conduct multiple iterations of the Spray Application Certification course. The training teaches individuals proper surface preparation and protective coating application techniques. At the end of the course, participants underwent a rigorous exam and were awarded an industry-standard spray application certification. Attendees gave the course high praise.
“The training was really great. I definitely learned some new techniques and the instructors were very knowledgeable,” said Timothy Knecht, a Painting Worker in SIS’s System Prep Branch. SSPC instructor Frank Slezak returned the compliment.
“Tobyhanna’s employees were eager to learn and attentive during the courses. I was also very impressed with the modern facilities here. I have no doubt that the depot will be able to meet SSPC standards.”
SIS leadership says the expanded trainings are part of a much larger plan to invest in employee development as well as diversify depot workload.
“As a leader, I’m constantly pursuing opportunities to develop an agile, flexible workforce,” said Thomas Petroski, chief of SIS’s C4ISR finishing division. “We want to be able to support warfighter needs, no matter what they are.”
Additional training initiatives are also a priority for Nathaniel Isaac, the new Equipage branch chief in SIS. His team members recently completed enhanced blueprint reading classes, which outlined how to interpret and use design documents during the fabric manufacturing process. Isaac says the training was an important part of planning for Tobyhanna’s future.
“The recent blueprint training helped reinforce basics and expand upon the team’s existing knowledge. This will benefit our current workload and help us be best prepared for future missions, such as the new requirements for our Nett Warrior program. As a former quality inspector, I believe that training is an important way to prevent quality issues downstream,” he said.
SIS’s training initiatives are directly aligned with the depot’s long-range strategic plan, Toby 2028, particularly the Invest in Our People line of effort. Training officials say the depot spent $11.5M on employee training in FY20.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C5ISR systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.
About 4,000 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.