Strengthening TWI with BTP Africa and Lean Enterprise Africa
Date: March 2025
Written by: Cathrine Sofie Fredensborg
Strengthening Your Training Organization with TWI
Over the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of conducting two TWI (Training Within Industry) Job Instruction courses in Cape Town in collaboration between BTP Africa and Lean Enterprise Africa. This initiative stemmed from our participation in Lean Enterprise Africa’s conference, where I delivered a keynote speech and a post-conference TWI 1-day introduction workshop. Both courses this week have been a great success, leaving participants inspired and ready to implement TWI JI in their organization.
Green Thread Manufacturers, a division of Cape Union Mart Group, promotes local production, sustainability, and job creation. With over 250 employees in manufacturing and design, it also operates a training facility. Based in Cape Town, Cape Union Mart Group owns three major retail chains and a corporate uniform division, totaling over 200 stores.
Industry: Textile Manufacturing & Retail
Company Size: 1.000+ employees
Location: South Africa (Global Distribution)
Ben Hoseus attentively observes the training, fully engaged as participants work on developing their skills.
TWI Job Instruction in Practice
Following the positive feedback from the conference, one of the participating companies decided to invite us back to Cape Town in February to certify their employees in the basic TWI Job Instruction (TWI JI) course through our Global Certification Standard. The company already has solid lean experience but realized they were missing the human aspect of implementation. TWI Job Instruction brings this crucial element by strengthening employee engagement and ensuring effective knowledge transfer.
Course Content and Participant Engagement
The courses focused on the core principles of TWI Job Instruction, including developing training timetables, creating Job Breakdown Sheets, and applying the TWI JI 4-step method—all part of our Global Certification Standard. Participants were highly engaged, actively contributing to discussions and practicing the method on their own job functions, creating a dynamic learning environment.
One of the most inspiring moments came when multiple participants shared specific challenges they faced in their work. By applying the TWI JI method, they realized they could develop Job Breakdown Sheets that would help them train new employees more quickly and effectively.
One participant from their manufacturing department shared: “Before this course, we struggled to standardize our training and engage with our people. Now, using the TWI JI 4-step method, we can ensure consistency across our production lines, reducing training time and improving employee confidence, safety and quality.”
Another participant from their logistics team noted: “Our onboarding process was unclear and took too long. With the Job Breakdown Sheet, we now have a structured approach that makes new employee training more efficient and ensures that critical job knowledge is not lost.”
One supervisor added: “I used to rely on experienced workers to pass on knowledge informally, which led to inconsistencies. Now, I have a structured method that allows me to coach and develop my team in a way that ensures high-quality outcomes.”
It was exciting to see how TWI Job Instruction can deliver immediate value in practice.
Thanks to Lean Institute Africa
A big thank you to Lean Institute Africa for their commitment and collaboration on this project. Their dedication to promoting lean principles in Africa is essential for fostering a culture of continuous improvement. We look forward to following their next steps with TWI Job Instruction, convinced that it will positively impact their work processes and outcomes.
Contact Us for More Information
We are excited to see how companies implement TWI Job Instruction in their organizations. TWI is more than just a method—it is a philosophy that can transform workplaces and create a sustainable future. Do you want to enhance your employee training and operational efficiency? Learn more about TWI certification programs and how they can revolutionize your business. Contact us here to find out how TWI can make a difference in your organization.
Congratulations
TO THE TEAMs
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