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Bridging Continents: Textile Training from USA to Honduras
Published: February 29, 2024
February 15th, 2024 saw the launch of Hilando Oportunidades, a USAID-funded program to train 1,500 Honduran youth in technical textiles in Northern Honduras. This marks a significant step in addressing unemployment and underemployment in the Northern Triangle region of Central America. Manual.to proudly provides the software enabling native-language training, accessible at any pace and location, from classroom to shop floor.
Since 2019, we’ve been sponsoring a collaboration with North Carolina State University. The focus has been on documenting the machines, training the next generation of US textile designers and workers.
In 2022, we were introduced to the Hilando Oportunidades project through Dr. Andre West, the Director of Zeis Textile Extension Wilson at the Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University. We were able to identify two key areas where Manual.to could help:
At North Carolina State University (NC State), they provide education in the production of textiles. Everything from how to turn fibers into fabric to how to use the machinery involved. Manual.to plays a crucial role here because the manuals were originally text only and in English, but many of the students who will need them spoke other languages. Using artificial intelligence embedded in the Manual.to platform, they were able to instantly translate the manuals into any language, ensuring everyone could understand them. Every step in the production process has a short video showing how to perform that task. This way even the most complex of processes can be broken into easy to understand steps. This aligns with the way students learn at home, through short form video.
The factories in Honduras recognize the value of having similar manuals for NC State and local students. They can easily adapt NCSU’s materials to their machinery with minimal changes.This helps to streamline their operating process and helps with machine maintenance and troubleshooting. This results in fewer stoppages and increased productivity. It also simplifies training, bringing people up to skill dramatically faster.
Over the last 18 months, NCSU and the Manual.to team, led by Brian Aherne, collaborated on this project. They outlined each step and created the necessary manuals efficiently. This project shows the positive outcomes that can result from collaboration.
💡 You can find an example of one of their manuals here: ncsu.manual.to/manuar-final
Now that the project has been launched, we eagerly anticipate seeing its impact unfold. We also hope to expand this initiative to the other countries “The Northern Triangle:” Guatemala and El Salvador.
“The partnership between NC State and Manual.to has been instrumental in realizing the vision of Hilando Oportunidades. Together, we are making a tangible difference in communities across Honduras.”
– Dr. Andre West, Director of Zeis Textiles Extension Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University
“The launch of Hilando Oportunidades represents a significant milestone in empowering individuals and fostering economic growth. We are honored to be part of this endeavor.”
–Jorim Rademaker, CEO & Co- Founder at Manual.to
North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles received a grant in 2023 from USAID to launch Hilando Oportunidades. Based in Honduras, the aim of this project is to train over 1,500 individuals in various textile skills. This includes yarn spinning, knitting, dyeing, and apparel production. About 10,000 additional workers are expected to be needed in Honduras alone within the next five years .
This initiative will also focus on providing trackable credentials to empower workers and enhance supply chain security. Supported by the HUGE Textile Cluster and various industry stakeholders, the program brings together expertise from NC State, UNITEC, Gaston College, and Shimmy to address the growing demand for skilled textile workers in Honduras and the broader Central American region.
This effort not only strengthens international partnerships but also aligns with the goals of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. This highlighs the interconnectedness of the textile industries in North Carolina and Central America.
At Manual.to, our mission is to digitize global know-how, making it accessible everywhere and in any language. The end result? Dramatic improvements in productivity, employee engagement and retention, quality, safety and wellbeing.
Proud Microsoft Scaler alumni & Eviden Scaler participant, Manual.to has the support of some of the biggest companies in tech helping to reach our goal.
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