A Page from an Operator's Diary – First Day on the Production Line

The First Day at Work

I woke up an hour before my alarm was set to go off. It feels like I didn't sleep at all last night. I always react this way when starting a new job. Which one is this now? The fifth or sixth in a row? I can't remember. My family keeps saying there's something wrong with me. But what am I supposed to do when every time I start a new job, I feel like I want to run away as fast as possible? Besides, my family doesn't know what it's like to work in production...

4:30 AM

I can't touch breakfast today. Stress does that to me. I've brewed some coffee (really strong). The first rays of sunlight are peeking through the window. Dawn is breaking. I stir the sugar in my cup, clockwise, then counterclockwise. Memories of my "first days" at my previous jobs flood back, sending chills down my spine.

I remember at one factory, the foreman told me to work exactly like the other employees. He pointed them out and walked away. I was supposed to insert some wires into plugs. Honestly, I have no idea what that company was producing. I don't know why, but the other workers did the job with such ease—like kids playing with Lego bricks. For me, it was torture. It was as if the wires didn't fit into the plugs at all! After an hour, it turned out I had completed only 40% of the quota, even though I thought it was impossible to work any faster. I wanted to quit on the spot. And that's exactly what I did. I wasn't there the next day.

In another factory, they had me assembling some household appliances. Maybe they were washing machines? I think so. I remember being extremely irritated that they made me screw in parts while wearing protective gloves. Safety first, they said. So I took a larger pair to make it more comfortable. I love tinkering at home. I'm good at it. But I never do it wearing gloves! Screwing in bolts for washing machines felt like being an astronaut floating in space. Everything seemed so difficult and cumbersome. Grabbing a bolt was a challenge, let alone placing it into a hole! I remember cursing a lot. I wanted to take off those gloves and start screwing in the bolts like a normal person. Apparently, they fined people for not following safety rules. I didn't want to risk it. I didn't return to that job the next day. A few months later, I heard from a friend who survived there that many employees had the same problem. Apparently, all you had to do was take gloves one size smaller than your hand size. That way, the discomfort of grabbing bolts disappeared. I had taken a size larger... All the experienced workers knew this. Too bad no one told me.

In another factory, where I got in through a temp agency, my supervisor gave me some instructions to read before work. I flipped through them and swallowed hard. It looked terrifying. Lots of technical drawings, strange symbols. I sat in the room for an hour that felt like an eternity. I could only hear the ticking clock on the wall. I tried to read all those documents, but everything that went into my head through one ear immediately went out the other. I felt like I was back in biology class with that teacher who always gave me D's. I've never been good at studying. Sports were my life. I like to push myself physically. When my supervisor returned to the room, I apologized and told him that I wasn't suitable for this job. I got up and left. I always give up quickly. Maybe that's why I didn't make a career in sports...

That's how it always was. There was always something. I could never last in a new job longer than a few weeks, days, or sometimes even hours...

5:55 AM

I left home around 5:30. It's about a 15-minute walk to my new job. I'll get some fresh air. It'll do me good. I know that this factory produces hubs and bearings for cars. I read about it online. Cool. I've always been interested in cars. Standing in front of the entrance gate, I smoked two more cigarettes. I don't normally smoke, but I needed to relax. I see many people heading to work. All faces are unfamiliar, but oddly content and smiling. I wonder why? Until now, whenever I was going to work, I'd pass people with grim expressions, especially at 6:00 AM.

I approached the security office and said that I'm new here and supposed to meet Mr. Adam from HR. They asked me to sit and wait. Three minutes later, Mr. Adam appeared. He greeted me, introduced himself, and took me into the factory.

8:00 AM

I've just finished the safety training. It lasted an hour. It was really good. Until now, safety trainings would take almost the whole day. It was always torture. But here, it was very pleasant—short and to the point. After the training, Mr. Adam picked me up and introduced me to the team leader—my direct supervisor—Steve, who asked me to address him by his first name.

Steve showed me around the production area. He pointed out the machines and showed me where I would be working. He introduced me to every employee. Everyone was very nice. Steve also took me to a board with a chart on it. It looked like a game of Battleship. I'd seen such boards in previous factories, but I had no idea what they were for. Frankly, I wasn't very interested. Steve explained that this is a skills matrix. He will use it to track my development as an employee. Indeed, on the matrix, I saw my name and the operations I would be trained on over the next six months. There were three operations where I had a "quarter-circle" marked. I thought: they actually have a plan for me!

Then Steve said that he manages this area, and my instructor for the first milling operation would be Mike, who had a "full circle" on the skills matrix. Apparently, this meant he is a certified instructor.

10:00 AM

The job instruction training led by Mike has just ended. It was fantastic. Mike first asked me where I'm from and what I'm interested in. It turned out we both enjoy running. Like me, he's planning to participate in the upcoming half-marathon in our city. It'll be my debut. I've only been running seriously for two months. Mike has completed several marathons. I really came to respect him. I feel like I might have a running partner since he lives in the same neighborhood as me.

Mike told me that I would be working on a milling machine. He asked if I had ever done such work before. I said no but mentioned my previous experiences in production. Then he explained in detail why this operation is important and how it affects the final product. I had no idea that this job was so crucial and had such a significant impact on product quality!

Then Mike positioned me comfortably and told me to watch as he would demonstrate how to perform the task three times. He also told me to listen carefully to what he was saying because I would need to repeat it later. I got a bit nervous, but Mike calmed me down and assured me that I'd manage.

As Mike performed the work, he first talked about the steps, calling them the main steps. I easily remembered that there were six. Then he added pointers—key points, like how to hold the part to properly insert it into the machine. There were many tricks that weren't visible just by watching during his first demonstration. I thought to myself that maybe in my old job, where we assembled those wires into plugs, there were also such tricks? Maybe everything did fit together, and I just didn't know how to insert them...

In the last demonstration, Mike explained why I should work in this way and not another. This was something I experienced for the first time in my long professional life. He clearly presented the consequences. I learned, for example, why I should leave excess material on the edge. It was very interesting and important.

Then Mike asked me to perform the task myself, silently. Surprisingly, I did it right the first time. I made a mistake in one place, but Mike quickly corrected it, immediately explaining what was wrong. He was very calm. I think he knew what he was doing.

Then came the moment of truth. Mike asked me to perform the task three more times, discussing the main steps, pointers, and reasons. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. But I did! Of course, with a few hints. I felt really confident, and the work wasn't easy at all.

Then Mike said that now I should practice and make 50 pieces, focusing on quality, not speed. That surprised me because until now, in every company, I was primarily supposed to meet the quota. And here? Quality was the priority. Mike pointed out Andrew, who was working nearby. He's an experienced employee who apparently has a "three-quarter circle" on the skills matrix for this operation. That means he knows this job very well. Mike introduced me to Andrew, who assured me that if I had any problems, I should come to him. He also said he'd be back in 20 minutes to see how I was doing. He emphasized that I should ask questions. Actually, I've never liked asking questions. Here, I felt somehow safe. Safe enough that I wouldn't be afraid to ask for help.

Additionally, Mike left me with an instruction called a TWI Instruction (whatever that means). This instruction detailed the main steps, pointers, and reasons that Mike had presented to me. There were also photos illustrating all the key points. For the first time in my life, I felt that an instruction manual could actually help me because I simply understood it. I was intrigued by this acronym—TWI. I started working independently.

2:00 PM

The first day at work is over. It was amazing! I learned a lot and met some really great people. I told Andrew that Mike is an excellent instructor and must have a knack for teaching. I found out, however, that every instructor in our company trains like that. Andrew explained that to have a "full circle" on the skills matrix and the title of TWI Instructor, one must complete TWI training, where an internal trainer teaches how to conduct job instruction training.

Moreover, instructors and trainers use some IT system where they create TWI Instructions and have many videos reminding them how to instruct and train. The method our instructors use is called Training Within Industry—Job Instruction, and it apparently comes from the USA during World War II. It's dedicated to experienced employees and involves transferring knowledge in small portions—just enough for a person to remember. Indeed, that's how it was: Mike divided the work into small elements and presented them to me gradually. By the end of the day, I remembered how many main steps there are in this job, what the pointers are, and why they are so important.

I also learned that the motto of this method is: "If the worker hasn't learned, the instructor hasn't taught." Andrew told me that he is also soon going to attend TWI training. When he completes it and confirms that he can train according to this method, his "three-quarter circle" on the skills matrix will turn into a "full circle," just like Mike's. Andrew will then gain access to the IT system as a TWI Instructor. Steve—the team leader who introduced me to Mike—is apparently an internal TWI Trainer and trains experienced employees on how to conduct job instruction training according to TWI.

At the end of the day, Steve marked on the skills matrix next to my name, beside the milling operation, a "half circle." Mike confirmed this. It means that I can perform this job but only under the supervision of another employee. I'll be working on this operation for some time, and then I'll be trained on the other two operations where I have a "quarter circle" marked.

Mike also told me that after a few months, once I gain experience, I could also attend TWI training. There, I can prepare myself for the role of a TWI Instructor. But I know that first, I need to become an experienced employee. That takes time.

I realized that in this company, I will not only be working on production but will also be able to develop in other areas. The first thing I'll do when I get home is go online and find out exactly what the Training Within Industry program is. I can't wait for the next day at work. I only regret that this company wasn't the first one I joined...

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