Invest in affordable education

By Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report October 2023

It’s how top companies attract and keep talented people.

Companies and organizations looking for ways to attract and keep skilled people will find that STLE education material is a practical way to enhance professional development programs.
Workforce issues are prominent among the list of top challenges identified in STLE’s most recent member needs study. Convincing younger workers to enter the field was the most pressing concern. Once people are in the industry, respondents also worry about workforce development, training and retention. 

What does draw people to an industry or a specific company—especially in a field like tribology and lubricants that may seem less attractive to younger professionals? 

The deciding factor, according to a study that questioned 6,600 professionals worldwide, is often professional development. This research, known as the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023, found that 74% of respondents would choose to work at an organization that invested in their education over one that didn’t.1 

Emeritus is a company that collaborates with universities to provide several types of online education programs. Its goal is to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable. According to the Emeritus website (https://emeritus.org), its programs have educated 250,000 individuals in 80 countries. 

STLE shares the goal of accessible and affordable education, albeit on a smaller scale. Companies and organizations looking for ways to attract and keep skilled people will find that STLE education material is a practical way to enhance professional development programs. Here are five options to consider. 

Online short courses are designed for those looking for essential information on technical topics. These self-directed course offerings include basic lubrication, fluid management and recycling, lubrication composition and metalworking fluids. Priced at $79 per course for STLE members and $99 for nonmembers, the courses are intended for individuals new to the industry or needing further understanding on specific content areas. 

Courses are hosted on the STLE Learning Management System (www.pathlms.com/stle), which also provides access to a variety of other educational resources. This includes more than 80 recorded webinars organized into nine topical categories: additives, base oils, electric vehicles, grease, lubricant applications, lubrication fundamentals, metalworking fluids, oil analysis/ condition monitoring and tribology applications. These are priced at $39 for members and $59 for nonmembers. 

STLE also offers two online programs that examine some of the most pressing technical issues or trends in tribology and lubricants. Webinars, facilitated by industry experts, offer practical solutions to problems or issues that participants can apply in their own organization. A recent webinar covered the American Petroleum Institute’s (API’s) work on a Lubricants Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting methodology. 

The STLE Industry Insights program is a one-hour live online discussion dealing with current technical topics. For example, a recent session covered regulatory efforts to control or ban the PFAS class of chemicals in Europe and the U.S. The format combines an opening presentation with dialog about the problems, challenges and opportunities related to a given topic. This program is open to STLE members only and is presented on a monthly basis. For more information, visit www.stle.org/IndustryInsights. 

The fifth item is equally valuable but presented in the form of an industry podcast. Perfecting Motion®: Tribology and the Quest for Sustainability, hosted by Dr. Neil Canter, STLE advisor – technical programs and services, features conversations with leading industry professionals. At the core of each program is the growing recognition that tribology has a critical role to play in efforts to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implement sustainability and achieve climate change mitigation goals. 

The podcast is free and can be accessed at www.stle.org/podcast or through any of the popular streaming services. 

To find upcoming STLE live events, visit www.pathlms.com/stle/events. 

STLE is widely recognized as the foremost provider of non-commercial technical education to the lubrication field. Going forward, the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan calls for expanding continuing professional educational content to assist more professionals at all career stages. Visit www.stle.org for the latest information and offers.

REFERENCE
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You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.