Multi-Trade Demonstration Project to aid peak workload needs

According to Stephen Covey, a well-known teacher, organizational consultant and author, change is one of the three constants in life ... in the Air Force, we jokingly contend that change is the only constant in life. Although often thought of as bad, change can sometimes be good as it is with the Multi-Trade Demonstration Project happening right here at the Ogden Air Logistics Center.The Multi-Trade Demonstration Project offers a potential solution to critical manpower constraints we experience during depot-level maintenance on one of the Air Force's premiere weapon systems -- the F-22 Raptor. The specific constraint centers on the inability to level load manpower during depot maintenance operations, specifically with the F-22, as specialized skill sets create peaks and valleys in manpower usage.In a nutshell, F-22 heavy maintenance and modification actions are performed primarily by general, structural, fuels and electrical aircraft technicians. At each end of their overall effort are surface applicators who remove and then restore low observable surface coatings to the aircraft. One option for fully using these two groups of technicians (modifications and surface applicators) is to move them from aircraft to aircraft, which assumes the program schedule and number of aircraft in-work are managed for optimization of resources. However, the F-22 depot maintenance program schedule is instead managed to optimize aircraft availability to the warfighter. This schedule drives a heel-to-toe operation that, while it controls the number of aircraft not mission capable for maintenance, minimizes our ability to level the demand on current skill sets. This problem is further compounded by requirements that vary from aircraft to aircraft. Although the program here at Ogden is very successful, constraints due to specialized skill sets limits flow day reduction and workforce efficiency.The unavailability of skilled coaters is the "burning platform" for this initiative. If successfully implemented, we expect several benefits: First, there will be an increase of available low observable surface applicator candidates, which facilitates the building of a more flexible and responsive workforce to meet the challenges of a disproportionate coatings workload that is difficult to level-load. Second, we can leverage opportunities to build a more flexible workforce internally with employees who already have the required security clearances and a track record to substantiate the training investment. Third, there will be an increase to the efficiency of other skilled technicians by allowing them to work on the coatings process when they otherwise might be at work stoppage. Finally, there will be improved support to the warfighter by increasing F-22 depot maintenance capacity and improving aircraft availability. This in conjunction with improved employee morale will result in higher quality work, at the lowest possible cost and on schedule!When accomplished on a large scale, multi-trading could provide the Ogden Air Logistics Center with a significant return on investment. It will allow management to respond to workload fluctuations by reassigning employees to work on weapons systems and tasks where they are most needed. This reduces the need for overtime and potentially, for an overall number of employees in an organization. The flexibility also optimizes use of resources by improving workflow times, typically slowed by waiting on availability of high-demand or one-deep skills. Multi-trading will also help stabilize our civilian workforce by correcting skill-level imbalances, eliminating "dead-end" occupational series and providing more career opportunities for interested employees, thus helping Hill Air Force Base to retain its expertise. By multi-trading appropriate segments of its workforce, Hill AFB can operate more effectively and economically, and can better posture itself for changes such as evolving work processes, emerging technologies and future workloads.