Paul Dettmann

• Led multi-site workforce and training system diagnostics; redesigned operating models that reduced training variance ≈22% and standardized KPIs across facilities. • Built enterprise training governance frameworks (intake → design → approval → version control → release), improving audit readiness and reducing rework ≈12–14%. • Designed LMS and OJT infrastructures with role-based training matrices and on-the-job validation; improved completion rates ≈23% within 90 days. • Developed SQDC-linked workforce dashboards enabling leaders to prioritize interventions and quantify training ROI. Engagements span manufacturing and regulated environments; deliverables include governed training operating models, role-based matrices, OJT validation, and SQDC-linked dashboards.

• Completed ~1,000 hours of supervised field immersion to translate electrical work (NEC 2023, LOTO, permit-to-work) into onboarding simulations, OJT checklists, and safety-critical competency frameworks. • Partnered with foremen, journeymen, and EHS leaders to codify high-risk tasks into mentor playbooks, T3 rubrics, and go/no-go validation steps. • Integrated field-validated workflows into role-based capability models and LMS structures to reduce qualification drift and improve readiness for high-risk work.

• Led a multi-site enterprise training modernization effort to stabilize onboarding, skills validation, and training governance across four manufacturing plants during rapid growth. • Designed and deployed a standardized enterprise onboarding architecture (“Build a Transformer”) aligning training flow, readiness expectations, and supervisor handoffs; reduced early-tenure variability across sites. • Implemented LMS-integrated dashboards linking onboarding, qualifications, OJT progress, and refresher status to SQDC indicators for executive visibility. • Built a governed training operating model connecting role-based skill matrices, OJT validation, SOPs, and change control to improve consistency and audit readiness. • Established trainer certification and SME governance frameworks (standards, rubrics, cadence) to strengthen instructional quality and reduce qualification drift. • Partnered with operations and senior leaders to align capability gaps with production goals, staffing stability, and operational risk reduction.

• Built the workforce readiness system for a new $650M greenfield facility, creating a 96-hour onboarding architecture (16-hour pre-offer + 80-hour post-offer) aligned to AS9100 / ISO 9001 expectations; strengthened early-tenure retention and first-pass yield during startup. • Co-led a state-funded workforce initiative with community colleges and workforce agencies, ensuring accurate reporting, deliverable alignment, and audit-ready documentation. • Established trainer certification, SME standards, and leadership capability pathways to stabilize production readiness and reduce qualification variance across shifts. • Built operational dashboards linking workforce readiness to FPY, staffing stability, and production throughput, giving executives visibility into skill gaps, ramp risks, and compliance status. • Applied Lean Six Sigma to standardize onboarding workflows, reduce rework, and improve cross-functional execution across Engineering, Quality, HR, and Operations.

• Led multi-campus workforce strategy aligning employers, workforce boards, and college divisions to address regional talent shortages across manufacturing and technical roles. • Designed modular, competency-based upskilling and assessment models with ROI tracking; reduced turnover ≈12% and improved early-tenure retention across partner employers. • Revitalized mechatronics and industrial pathways with 100+ employers/SMEs, aligning curricula, structured OJT models, and placement pipelines to labor-market demand. • Built employer-facing dashboards linking competencies, skill gaps, and training progress to operational indicators; enabled data-driven workforce planning and improved completions ≈12–14% through standardized T3 and OJT tools.

• Built and led Mechatronics & Advanced Manufacturing programs, creating competency-based pathways aligned to employer needs; achieved ~95% job placement. • Led a 10-college U.S. Department of Labor consortium to standardize competency models, assessments, and lab frameworks; secured $1.8M+ to expand simulation and credential pathways (NIMS ITM, MSSC CPT).

Specialization: Quality Assurance in Adult Learning & Workforce Training Systems Focused on quality assurance, workforce evaluation frameworks, and system-level improvement in adult and technical education. Doctoral research centered on building and validating methods to improve consistency, effectiveness, and scalability in workforce training programs.

At Virginia Tech, I completed a Master of Science in Vocational and Technical Education with a focus on curriculum design, instructional strategy, and adult learning systems. My graduate work centered on developing high-quality, industry-aligned training programs grounded in evidence-based instructional methods. I conducted applied research on instructional effectiveness, collaborated with faculty on innovative delivery models, and translated educational theory into practical workforce training designs. This work strengthened my ability to build, evaluate, and improve career-focused learning programs that meet employer, learner, and accreditation standards.

At the University of Wisconsin–Stout, I completed a Bachelor of Science in Vocational, Technical & Adult Education, building a strong foundation in adult learning theory, curriculum development, and applied instructional design. The program emphasized creating workforce-aligned training for technical occupations, integrating needs analysis, competency mapping, and outcome-based assessment. I translated educational theory into practice by designing learning materials and performance-based activities tailored to adult learners in applied technical settings. This degree strengthened my ability to develop scalable training solutions that align with labor-market demand—capabilities that underpin my later work in workforce development, mechatronics education, and large-scale training system modernization.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Management at the University of Wisconsin–Stout provided a strong analytical and organizational foundation, emphasizing leadership, project execution, and data-informed decision-making. Through casework, group projects, and practicum experiences, I developed capabilities in strategic planning, organizational alignment, and operational problem-solving. My work in finance, marketing, and management strengthened my ability to evaluate systems, coordinate teams, and support organizational objectives. This degree established the management and analytical base that I later applied in workforce strategy, training operations, and consulting engagements.

The Certificate of Specialization in Training and Human Resource Development strengthened my foundation in workforce training systems, adult learning practice, and organizational development. The program focused on performance analysis, instructional methods, and HRD principles used to support employee development and organizational capability. This credential enhanced my ability to connect training design with organizational goals, supporting the work I later performed in workforce strategy, consulting, and training system modernization.