(OS1) Trainers are a critical piece to creating and implementing a successful (OS1) System. Beyond training their teams, they are also committed to their own continuing education. Trainers are required to complete Train the Trainer class and must pass an exam with a score of 80 percent or higher to earn their designation as a (OS1) Trainer Certificate Holder.

We’ll profile several of our skilled trainers over the coming year with the hopes that by sharing their insights and best practices, everyone learns and improves their training skills.

Joshua Sego is the Simon Institute’s 2019 Trainer of the Year.

Name: Joshua Sego

Title: Training and Staffing Coordinator

Facility: Michigan State University

What do you enjoy about what you do?  I enjoy helping others be successful.

Is there anything that you think a lot of custodial trainers miss when educating workers? 

Letting people know the “why” of things.  I feel that when people know why they need to follow a process, or do something a specific way, people are more likely to follow that process, than if they are just doing what they are told.

What is one thing you’ve found to be most effective when training your team? 

Real world examples.  MSU is a big enough operation that we can give examples of how we have screwed things up and how doing things the way we train people avoids making those mistakes again. 

Do you have any tips for getting to know your audience? 

Being willing to share part of yourself I think helps people and lets them feel comfortable sharing part of themselves.  Not some list of accomplishments but little things. My family and passions end up in a lot of my training material as examples and stories. This, in turn, makes me more of a person and helps others to relax and share as well.  In the end, I get more participation out of a group this way.

Any tips or resources you’d recommend other trainers use to improve their craft?  

Ask questions.  I will make a statement and ask, “What does that mean?”  Then I wait until someone answers.  As you continue to do this, it encourages more of your audience to engage—or at least pay attention in case they are asked a question.

Any memorable/funny stories you’d like to share?

When I first became a trainer, I trained filter maintenance on the vacuums. I would let people know that on the microfilter the white lining was the actual filter so if it gets ripped, they needed to replace the filter.  The brown covering around it was there to protect the lining. After 6 months of training this, one of my trainees pointed out to me the microfilter was green, not brown.  I am color blind and could not see the difference.  Shortly thereafter, I also found out that the lid on the vacuum was purple, not blue.   

Anything else? 

It is easy to think the worst in people.  Our approach to people at MSU is, what do we need to do to help this person so they can be successful.  Often, as we begin interacting with people especially in a retraining situation, they are defensive and sometimes verbally combative. Once they realize that we are really there to help them, their attitude changes.  It is these moments that make our job so fulfilling.