New Tablets Accelerate Manson’s Training

Training at Manson has taken an accessible turn with the introduction of tablets across job sites, regional offices, and vessels. These devices bring safety and project training directly into employees’ hands both in the field and in the office. Manson’s Learning and Development (L&D) department procured these tablets in an effort to phase out the bulky, aging laptops that were previously in use. The lighter and better performing equipment has removed limitations to learning and ensured that important information would always be within reach.

Limit-Free Learning

The new MLN tablet, showcasing its quick button interface alongside included accessories: charger, headphones with case, and stylus.

“The tablets are more modern and portable for people to take into the field,” L&D Director Thomas Barrett says. “Laptops have limitations, whereas the tablet functions more like a phone. There’s relatability there and it’s easier to navigate, so you can take them to many more places instead of being confined to offices. There are additional advantages to tablets, which allow us to prioritize high-quality training rather than focusing on hardware.”

Manson employees work in a variety of locations from regional offices, jobsite trailers, and vessels, which can present challenges for training efficiency. For example, hopper dredges and derrick barges lack the desk space needed to use a laptop. Employees have previously stated that with a laptop, they would need to find a desk, plug it in, and additionally wait for it to boot up. Recognizing these limitations, Thomas worked with L&D Specialist Carey Shannon, and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Training Manager Douglas Boehm to find hardware that was as portable and user-friendly as the phones everyone uses daily.

Manson Field Engineer Andrew McLawhorn using the new MLN tablet.

As a result, they introduced the Android Galaxy tablets for training, providing employees with a touchscreen device that is faster and easier to use. “The tablets provide intuitive use and portability for the challenging learning environments of a jobsite or vessel, and that makes training in general more accessible,” Carey says.

Tablets have already been issued at Manson’s offices and jobsites nationwide, with fourteen devices in use. Employee feedback has been positive, stating that the devices are very user-friendly and great for working on-the-go in the field.

“The tablets are a big improvement over the old laptops when it comes to training speed and efficiency,” Gulf & East Coast EHS Manager Taner Nierengarten reports. “They boot up faster, are easier to carry around, and don’t require being plugged in constantly. The touchscreen interface makes navigating training modules quicker and more intuitive, especially for things like checklists, videos, or quizzes. Overall, less time is spent waiting on slow load-times or dealing with technical issues, which means more time focused on the actual training.”

What Comes with the Tablets?

Each tablet comes pre-loaded with MOLLy—the Manson Online Learning Library—and all EHS courses and materials. To preserve hygiene in shared environments, the devices include JBL Bluetooth headphones with sanitizing ear covers. A stylus pen, sleeve, and charger are also provided.

Close-up of the tablet's user interface, highlighting the convenient quick buttons.

To further improve accessibility, the tablets include “quick buttons” which allow Manson employees to launch training applications and instantly access things such as the rigging training log, MOLLy, EHS training, and cybersecurity training.

By equipping employees with a device that offers much greater portability and an appealing interface for users of all technical backgrounds, the L&D team at Manson has taken the initiative to ensure that training has never been easier to access. Educating employees is critical in keeping people safe at Manson, and with these tablets, they uphold Manson’s core value of finding a better way to keep people learning.