Lean manufacturing boot camps at the university of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky's College of Engineering began to offer, in the summer of 2004, what has become nationally and internationally recognized as it Lean Manufacturing Boot Camp Program. The program began in the summer of 2004 with one boot camp session for both graduate and undergraduate students. The program was expanded to its current level that offers three boot camp sessions in the summer term. The three boot camps, each offered during a four week period consisting of two three-credit hour courses for a total of six credit hours for each boot camp. The series is designed to give students hands-on experiences and in-depth knowledge in lean principles and practices. This paper outlines the structure of the lean boot camps, the courses included in the curriculum, and the variety of simulations and training factories that serve as platforms for student learning. Future improvements planned to provide more students with the opportunity of learning the lean manufacturing philosophy are also discussed.