OHA Testimonial
Burlodge Testimonial
Enterprise Ireland Testimonial
Since 2007, Bord Gáis has commissioned Leading Edge Group to provide a number of Lean Green Belt training courses. The company has adopted a collaborative approach to ensure that the courses are very much tailored to suit the specific needs of our organisation. They are consistently professional and flexible in meeting our requirements and the staff have always been helpful and efficient in dealing with any queries. I would not hesitate in recommending Leading Edge Group.
Theresa Ryan, Learning & Development Specialist, Bord Gáis Éireann
The Leading Edge Group's training in our facility has had tremendous positive impact. One of our greatest challenges, a new product manufacturing, is showing clear signs of positive development. We've improved margins, reduced lead time, increased capacity and reduced floor space. We've also had other successes, some minor, some greater. People are very happy with results our Lean initiative.
Petri Tuomela, Director, Marketing and Business Development, Advanced Fiber Technologies (AFT)
As we are bringing the year to a close, we have been reviewing our successes in Alcon during 2008. One notable success this year was the roll out of Lean in the organization. I would like to thank both the Leading Edge Group and Joe O’Callaghan for supporting us in achieving this goal. Joe O’Callaghan has worked with us to complete extensive training in Lean concepts and practice. Our Alcon management team benefited from the Executive Overview of Lean; we have also benefited from two groups of employees who have very successfully completed the Lean Green Belt certification program.
Joe is an extremely competent trainer, who was able to explain the concepts in easily understood terms. He uses a wide range of examples to illustrate how Lean is put into practice. I believe that a key skill is his ability to engage all students and make learning enjoyable. The format of on-line learning combined with face-to-face instruction with the trainer worked very well. It has helped us make significant improvements in our business, and has empowered our staff to practice continuous improvement. I recommend this training approach and trainer very highly
Oonagh Kelleher, Operations Manager, Alcon Laboratories Ireland Limited
Thanks to the Leading Edge Group, and in particular to the senior consultant assigned to us Joe O’Callaghan, for the training and hands-on consultancy in Lean 5S and fast changeovers. Joe O’Callaghan is an engaging trainer, gets the team interested and actively participates in supporting implementing improvements. He is well able to explain what Lean involves and has a library of practical examples of how Lean tools work in practice. I consider that Joe’s key strengths are his high energy levels and infectious enthusiasm for Lean. I recommend Joe O’Callaghan without reservation
Vincent O’ Mullane, HR Manager, Teleflex Medical
Initially two of us decided to do the Lean Green Belt Certification programme just to update our knowledge and get a shared understanding of a single “flavour” of Lean. The real surprise came when we carried out some trial value stream mapping exercises on our own processes and we became aware of the scale of improvement potential, particularly in relation to our business processes. Lean is a lot more than just a knowledge update at this stage.
Joe McSwiney, General Manager, Cascade Designs Ltd.
So far I have found the program to be both informative and challenging, and have learnt something new in each of the courses displayed. The presentation and method of questioning keep you focused and ensures you are thorough with your study. A good program pitched at the right level to provide the necessary tools and skills to make a difference.
Ian Stewart, UK
The opportunity to get a Green Belt Certification is invaluable - in my own case it is fully recognised by the company and has given me the opportunity to move into a more project-orientated role within the group. I am now heading up 5 projects which have been identified as key to the development of the Supply Chain.
Barry Condo, Schering Plough
I have worked in Freight Forwarding for nearly ten years and recognise that huge changes are imminent in the industry due to the current economic climate and workforce globalisation. When taking on this course my goal was to learn new Supply Chain skills, update my own skills and ensure that I would be in a good position for employment in the future. The qualification for the Lean Green Belt was excellent as it showed me the tools of continuous improvement in order to make my business more competitive.
Josephine O' Shea, DHL
As part of the Lean Green Belt modules I was a member of a project team tasked with improving the efficiency of a cell within the guide wire area. By using the lean tools learned in the green belt module such as Value Stream Mapping, Spaghetti Diagram & Takt Time we achieved a 20% increase in productivity, reduced parts travel time by 40% and scrap by 50% - all within a six week timeframe. Overall, I found the course to be very practical and the learning designed in such a way that made it easy to apply in my workplace. I would certainly encourage anyone in any position who wishes to learn new skills to undertake this course.
Seamus Hamilton, Lake Region Medical
I would like to say that I have found this course very beneficial in my current role in Pfizer. Having completed the Lean Green Belt, I am now one of the main supports for the new Lean strategy which is currently being implemented on site and I am actively leading and supporting a number of different projects. The course has given me the ability and process knowledge to be able to make a very positive contribution to this process.
Richard O'Regan, Pfizer
The qualification for the Lean Green Belt was great as it gave me an understanding of the types of wastes and improvements businesses are addressing these days to make them more competitive. By doing the practical assignment in my own company, I was able to address certain issues in my department that I would never have thought of before and become more efficient.
Shane Bolster, Flextronics
In my opinion the interactive nature of the Lean Green Belt is what separates this from other courses. It not only enables the students to upgrade their knowledge and skills by introducing them to tools like Lean / Agile etc. but it’s the way the content is delivered. There is an open environment where the students are encouraged to engage with the lecturers.
Henry Higgins, Pfizer
Healthcare Clients
I have been working on and off with Pat O’Donnell, Consultant with the Leading Edge Group for over 12 months now. Our first formal on the job training commenced in November, 2011. Our technical staff have completed the 5S and first value stream map. Several important process improvements have been identified & realised. Such a journey for people to take in civil service has been quite difficult. We could not have done this without his professionalism, intelligence and enthusiasm. Like Nanny McPhee we don’t want Pat to go!!
Peter Kidd, Acting Chief 2 Pharmacist Clinical Services at Health Service Executive
I thought the program was effective in furthering my knowledge in lean management and tools. My mentor’s shared experience was of great value. The online tool was easy to navigate and user friendly. The prepared material (workbook) was more than sufficient.
Jennifer Aiello, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
About 2 years ago we were searching for a suitable training program in Lean thinking that not only provided adequate exposure to the theory and tools of lean management but also met our needs as an organization.
I got in touch with the Leading Edge Group through the OHA and we were able to develop a custom in-house training program with a phased approach that provided sustainability in bringing this knowledge to the rest of the organization.
This program is excellent and I would recommend it to any organization or individual looking to begin their Lean journey.
Eric Constantin-Noue, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
My experience of the Lean Healthcare Green belt program offered by the Leading Edge group was invaluable to realizing the excellent improvements experienced in my department. I started because the ED where I work had been mandated by the government to make extreme improvements over a short period of time. The Green Belt material provided the tools we needed for success. Each lesson simply fed my ability to analyze the issues, engage the staff and find solutions. My only frustration was to not have had the whole course completed before we started. We would have been so much better off, even though our results were amazing. My mentor became a de facto invisible member of our improvement team. Our discussions not only deepened my understanding of the material, but also honed my “lean thinking” bring me beyond the level of simply using tools. In fact so much material came out of those discussions that I have projects and plans en masse in mind ready to be tackled. One intangible that I relied on greatly was the benefit of his experience in the change management aspect of making an improvement. It seems so logical that one can easily be fooled into thinking that it is easy. It is far from easy. Speaking with my mentor in those times of discouragement made a big difference and helped to keep me going.
I have no doubt that the lean healthcare course made our efforts a success, and as an added bonus it has increased my value to the ED and the whole hospital. I will definitely be taking my Black Belt (sooner or later) with the Leading Edge Group.
Marlon Wilson, Jewish General Hospital
The Green Belt Program offered by Leading Edge is great training for aspiring Lean practitioners. The on-line learning modules allow you to work at your own pace from anywhere, and you can go into a great deal of detail if you like. The practical aspect of running a Lean project in tandem with the academic component of the program provides an excellent opportunity to apply learning – and makes the experience much richer. I really appreciated the opportunity to interact with my mentor and ask questions and get support along the way. Ultimately, it was my responsibility to get as much as I could from the training, and Leading Edge offers plenty of opportunities for a motivated learner like me to quench my thirst for information about Lean. I highly recommend this program for the working professional!
James Chan, Northern Health Authority
