Connecticut’s manufacturing industry is at a turning point. Despite 92,000 open jobs in early 2025, employment has declined due to a shortage of workers with the right skills. This gap threatens growth but also creates opportunity for those prepared to step up. Upskilling and professional development are no longer optional—they are essential for staying relevant in a rapidly changing field where advanced technologies and operational excellence drive competitiveness.
OWLL's manufacturing programs support professionals at every level to gain the skills employers urgently need, and support career advancement, while strengthening Connecticut’s manufacturing future.
Upskill today and turn Connecticut’s workforce challenge into your competitive advantage with OWLL's manufacturing programs!
AI in Manufacturing – Enhancing Productivity, Reducing Costs, and Increasing Reliability
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve reliability. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to AI technologies in manufacturing, tailored for managers and executives who want to understand how AI can optimize operations and drive competitive advantage.
Participants will explore key AI applications, including predictive maintenance, supply chain optimization, quality control, and automation. The course will provide a balanced perspective on the benefits and challenges of AI adoption, with practical insights into implementation strategies and real-world case studies.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamentals of AI and its relevance in manufacturing.
- Identify key AI-driven technologies that enhance productivity and reduce operational costs.
- Analyze current AI trends and their impact on supply chains, production, and workforce management.
- Forecast short-term AI developments in manufacturing and strategize for future adoption.
- Evaluate the ethical and workforce implications of AI-driven automation.
October 15 to November 19, 2025
Wednesdays, 8 to 9:30 pm Online
SmartOps: Lean Flow & Operational Efficiency
This training provides a comprehensive overview of key manufacturing principles and practices designed to improve efficiency, quality, and productivity in industrial environments. Students will explore Lean Manufacturing fundamentals, focusing on waste reduction and value-added processes, while gaining insight into Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) as a metric for performance measurement.
The training covers essential time-based concepts, including Takt Time, Cycle Time, and Lead Time, alongside the basics of Standard Work to ensure consistency and reliability in operations. Participants will be introduced to Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) strategies, different types of manufacturing production systems, and the importance of First Article Inspection (FAI) in quality assurance. Additionally, the course will highlight the value of capturing and applying Lessons Learned to foster organizational learning and ongoing process improvement.
October 22, 2025, 9 am to 4 pm at SCSU
$249 per registration
Companies with three or more registrations: $199 per registration (contact OWLL for more information)
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
The Department of Defense has introduced new CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) training to make sure everyone in the defense supply chain is protecting sensitive military data. For manufacturers, this matters because without meeting the requirements, you won’t be able to win or keep DoD contracts.
Think of it like OSHA, but for your digital shop floor. Instead of hard hats and safety glasses, it’s about passwords, file protection, and knowing what to do if something goes wrong. The training is designed to teach you and your employees how to safeguard the drawings, programs, and information you handle every day. Most small and mid-sized shops won’t need the highest level of certification; usually Level 1 or Level 2 is enough. That means focusing on basic but important steps like keeping software up to date, controlling who has access to certain files, documenting your processes, and making sure your team knows how to spot and respond to threats.
In practice, this means short, role-specific training for your staff — office workers learning how to handle email securely, machinists keeping their workstations protected, and managers making sure policies are actually followed. The DoD expects you to keep records that show your people have been trained and that your systems are maintained properly.
At the end of the day, CMMC training isn’t just another hoop to jump through. It protects your shop, keeps your information safe, and makes sure you’re ready to keep doing business with the DoD.
Logistics and Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Management Fundamentals:
- Learn what it takes to be a successful supply chain manager. This course will prepare you for internationally recognized certification examinations by teaching you how to create demand forecasts, develop schedules, manage inventory, control production orders, and ensure customer satisfaction.
- Supply Chain Purchasing Fundamentals:
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Master the fundamentals of purchasing by understanding your role as a purchasing practitioner. This course will help you define internal customer needs, generate purchase requisitions and purchase orders, manage supplier deliveries, maintain records, manage budgets, and more.
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- Supply Chain Suite:
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This series will provide you with the tools, tactics, and strategies you need to have a successful career in the supply chain field. You will learn purchasing fundamentals for improving your company's bottom-line profitability, distributions and logistics management for fulfilling customer demands, and supply chain management fundamentals for balancing top management's interests with those of shop floor workers. Some of the courses in this series will even prepare you to sit for nationally recognized certifications. By the end of the series, you will have built the knowledge and skills you need for success in a supply chain role.
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- Distribution and Logistics Management:
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Discover how to improve distribution and logistics management activities, reduce costs, save time, increase customer satisfaction, and better meet your company's objectives. This course will show you how to achieve success through a combination of distribution and logistics strategies and tactics.
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- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP):
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This 100% online supply chain management course will provide a holistic view of supply chain management and fully prepare you for the Certified Supply Chain Professional certification exam. You will learn how to translate the connection between the areas of planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivering into an integrated supply chain.
By course completion, you will have a firm understanding of mitigation strategies, operationalize risk management practices, and how to implement cost reduction measures. This combination of skills will drive the efficiency of your supply chain and give you a competitive edge in the market.
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- Certified Supply Chain Professional + Freight Broker/Agent Training:
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Our all-inclusive online Certified Supply Chain Professional + Freight Broker/Agent Training course will provide a complete view of supply chain management and freight broker training. In addition, you will be prepared for the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) exam and learn the skills needed to be a successful freight broker or agent.
In this supply chain management certification course, you will learn how to translate the connection between planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivering into an integrated supply chain. By completion of your supply chain course, you will have a firm understanding of mitigation strategies, operationalize risk management practices and implement cost reduction measures. This combination of skills will drive the efficiency of your supply chain and give you a competitive edge in the market, including helping you obtain your supply chain management certification (CSCP) exam through the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM).
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Additional Manufacturing Training Options:
Manufacturing Fundamentals - $147
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Discover the role of production design and process planning
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Learn 13 different manufacturing processes
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Understand why facility location and plant layout decisions are so vital
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Learn how job design helps you accomplish company goals and achieve worker satisfaction
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Learn how to characterize different types of production materials
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Master important product development concepts
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Understand how performance measurements and standardization improve manufacturing operations.
Manufacturing Applications - $144
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Learn how to develop a manufacturing strategy
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Understand the purpose of customer demand forecasting and find out what forecasting methods are suitable for which situations
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Learn how to effectively use Gantt charts and the precedence diagram method for planning
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Discover the basics of lean manufacturing
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Understand the true meaning of productivity and how to improve it
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Discover how the application of Six Sigma, and statistical process control (SPC) increase customer satisfaction
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Learn about the elements of a logistics system, including warehousing and receiving
Computer Skills for the Workplace - $147
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Acquire the fundamental computer competencies needed to succeed in the workplace
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Understand how to use Windows 10 and Office 2016 effectively
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Discover how to create charts, presentations, word-processing documents, and more
Mastery of Business Fundamentals - $155
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Discover how external and internal environmental factors affect an organization
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Learn about various organizational structures
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Understand how to use leadership, motivation, and control for maximum impact
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Learn how successful organizations use performance measurements to stay on track
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Master the fundamentals of accounting
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Learn the basics of financial planning and budgeting methods
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Gain an understanding of the basic principles of business law
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Learn about ethics and organizational politics
For a complete list of all our online manufacturing training with our partners at Ed2Go: