Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Manufacturing Training Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Manufacturing Training Coordinator is responsible for developing, delivering and managing end-to-end training programs that ensure production personnel are competent, compliant and efficient. This role partners with operations, quality, engineering, safety and HR to translate business requirements into curriculum, instructor-led and e-learning content, competency assessments and measurement frameworks. The coordinator owns onboarding, recurring compliance training (OSHA/GMP/FDA/ISO), skills matrix maintenance, training records and continuous improvement of learning programs to reduce defects, downtime and safety incidents.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Training Specialist or Training Assistant (manufacturing or industrial)
Production or Line Supervisor with training responsibilities
Continuous Improvement/Lean Technician or Process Trainer

Advancement To:

Manufacturing Training Manager / Learning & Development Manager (Operations)
Organizational Development Lead, Manufacturing
Operations/Plant Supervisor or Continuous Improvement Manager

Lateral Moves:

Quality Assurance Coordinator (training and compliance focus)
Process Improvement Specialist / Lean Facilitator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement and maintain a structured manufacturing training curriculum (onboarding, process training, safety, quality systems and equipment operations) that aligns with plant goals, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and regulatory requirements (GMP, FDA, ISO).
Partner with production supervisors, engineers and quality leads to perform training needs analyses and translate gap assessments into prioritized training plans and competency matrices for each role and production line.
Design, author and update training materials including instructor-led training (ILT) guides, standard work documents, hands-on job aids, video demonstrations, e-learning modules (SCORM compliant) and assessments to ensure consistent, job-relevant instruction.
Manage the end-to-end administration of the Learning Management System (LMS): enroll learners, assign curricula, track completions, generate compliance reports, maintain user records and troubleshoot LMS issues.
Deliver classroom and shop-floor training sessions, facilitate hands-on skill sessions, and coach trainers and subject matter experts to transfer knowledge effectively and consistently across shifts.
Implement and maintain a skills matrix and competency assessment program, schedule periodic re-certifications, and document results to demonstrate workforce qualification and readiness for audits.
Lead onboarding training for new hires and internal transfers including safety orientation, basic process training, site policies and role-specific functional training to accelerate time-to-competency.
Coordinate and schedule training activities across multiple shifts and production lines to minimize production disruption while meeting training targets and compliance deadlines.
Track, analyze and report training metrics and KPIs (time-to-competency, training completion rates, error rates, rework trends, safety incident correlations) to plant leadership and continuously improve curriculum effectiveness.
Ensure all training materials and delivery methods comply with regulatory and audit requirements; prepare training records and documentation for internal audits and external regulatory inspections.
Create and maintain a library of multimedia training assets (process videos, quick reference cards, e-learning modules) and ensure content is version-controlled and accessible to frontline employees.
Facilitate train-the-trainer programs to certify supervisors and experienced operators as effective on-the-floor instructors and to maintain consistent instructional quality.
Partner with Safety and EHS to develop and deliver safety-critical training (lockout/tagout, hazard communication, PPE, OSHA) and verify that safety training completion is recorded and enforced.
Collaborate with Quality to build process-specific quality training (inspection criteria, SPC basics, deviation handling) and ensure training reduces non-conformances and supports CAPA activities.
Support continuous improvement initiatives by embedding Lean, Six Sigma awareness and problem-solving fundamentals into operator training and by documenting improvements driven by training interventions.
Manage training budgets for materials, external vendors, and certifications; evaluate and select third-party training vendors and e-learning providers when needed.
Conduct regular training effectiveness evaluations (pre/post assessments, on-the-job observations, competency validations) and use performance data and root cause analysis to refine curricula.
Maintain accurate training records, certificates and documentation in accordance with company policy and regulatory retention requirements; ensure secure and auditable recordkeeping.
Develop and deliver refresher and legacy skills training to prevent skill fade on infrequently used equipment or processes; coordinate cross-training to increase workforce flexibility.
Act as the point of contact for training-related incidents, investigations and corrective actions; partner with HR and Quality on disciplinary or remediation training plans when required.
Drive adoption of digital training solutions and technologies (mobile job aids, interactive e-learning, AR/VR pilots) to modernize learning delivery and improve retention on the shop floor.
Provide regular communication to plant leadership on training status, risks, and resource needs; prepare executive summaries and dashboards to inform decision-making.

Secondary Functions

Assist with development and maintenance of job descriptions and training-related onboarding checklists that tie directly to competency requirements.
Support cross-functional projects (new product launches, equipment installations, line changeovers) by coordinating and delivering role-based training prior to go-live.
Participate in root cause investigations of process incidents where human performance or training gaps are suspected; translate findings into corrective training actions.
Maintain relationships with external certification bodies, community colleges and trade schools to support apprenticeship programs and external training pathways.
Support HR with career pathway mapping by documenting skill ladders and recommended training for progression within manufacturing roles.
Collect and archive multimedia evidence of training (photos, video clips, assessment sheets) for continuous learning and audit readiness.
Pilot and recommend improvements to the LMS and training delivery tools; coordinate small-scale deployments and rollouts.
Provide ad-hoc training support to maintenance and engineering teams for hands-on equipment-specific instruction during installations and startups.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Learning Management System (LMS) administration and reporting (e.g., SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone, Moodle, Workday Learning).
Curriculum design and instructional design fundamentals (ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy) for ILT and e-learning.
Experience authoring e-learning and multimedia content (Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia) and producing SCORM-compliant modules.
Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, shop-floor equipment, standard work, and SOP development.
Regulatory and compliance training experience (GMP, FDA, ISO 9001, OSHA) with audit-ready recordkeeping.
Competency modeling, skills matrix creation and validation, and use of assessment tools.
Data-driven training metrics and analytics skills (Excel, Power BI, or Tableau) to measure time-to-competency, completion rates and training ROI.
Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma basics, root cause analysis tools (5 Whys, Fishbone) and process improvement methods.
Ability to develop safety-critical training (LOTO, hazard communication, confined space) and maintain OSHA-related documentation.
Practical experience delivering hands-on, on-the-job training, classroom facilitation and train-the-trainer programs.
Knowledge of onboarding workflows, HRIS integrations for training records and role-based assignment logic.
Basic multimedia capture and editing for process videos and job-aids (smartphone filming, basic editing).
Project management skills for training rollouts, including scheduling across shifts and stakeholder coordination.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication with the ability to explain technical procedures to non-technical learners.
Strong facilitation and presentation skills for classroom and shop-floor training environments.
Stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration with operations, quality, maintenance and HR.
Coaching and mentoring aptitude to develop supervisors and SMEs as effective trainers.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and training schedules concurrently.
Analytical mindset with attention to detail for measuring training effectiveness and driving continuous improvement.
Adaptability and proactive problem-solving when training needs shift due to production demands or regulatory updates.
Empathy and cultural awareness to design inclusive learning experiences across diverse workforces.
Time management and resilience to coordinate training across multiple shifts and tight production windows.
Initiative and ownership—ability to move from analysis to hands-on delivery and follow-through.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or equivalent technical training; relevant manufacturing experience in lieu of degree will be considered.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, Education & Training, Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Industrial Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering or Technology
Organizational Development / Adult Learning
Human Resources / Training & Development
Occupational Safety or Quality Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–5 years of progressive experience in manufacturing training, learning & development or operations training with hands-on delivery on the shop floor.

Preferred:

5+ years in a regulated manufacturing environment (pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, medical devices or high-volume discrete manufacturing), demonstrable LMS administration experience, proven track record delivering both compliance and technical training, and certifications such as Certified Professional in Training (CPT), ATD, Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt or OSHA 30.