Lean Academy course
Practical Lean/TPS training for better processes and stronger leadership
This course translates Lean principles into practical behavior, better decision-making and improvements that become visible in daily work. The focus is on understanding, practicing and applying in your own context.
Built on practical experience with Lean/TPS, operations and improvement programs.
Clear connection between principles, tools, behavior and management routines.
Relevant for professionals who want to apply Lean in real processes.
Description
The Lean Champion programme is a 12-day advanced training designed for managers who want to roll out Lean as a business strategy within their organisation. The programme consists of two modules.
The first module is the 8-day Green Belt in Lean track, which introduces Lean as a business strategy, the principles behind it and a selected set of core Lean improvement tools. Special attention is given to analysing and designing value streams, both in production and office/service environments. Participants learn how to eliminate non-value-adding activities, improve flow and reduce cost, lead time and quality issues.
Techniques such as Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kaizen, Problem Solving, Jidoka, TPM, Pull/Kanban and SMED are studied through theory, exercises and real cases. Several sessions are delivered by former Master Trainers from Toyota and other leading organisations.
The second module focuses on designing the Lean organisation. Participants explore Lean management techniques, cultural aspects and change management. Through cases and exercises, they learn how to build a lean operating system, a human resources development framework and financial,value stream driven cost models that support Lean. Real-world insights from Toyota, Mars Food and Johnson & Johnson are shared by our speakers.
The Lean Champion programme prepares leaders to guide improvement initiatives, support Lean transformation and build long-term organisational capability.
Prerequisites
No specific prior training is required.
Benefits
This programme gives managers a deep understanding of Lean as a strategy and enables them to lead and support impactful transformation initiatives across the organisation.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
✓ Understand Lean as a strategic management system, not just a set of tools
✓ Analyse and redesign value streams in production and office/service environments
✓ Detect, analyse and solve problems using structured Lean and TPS methods
✓ Apply essential Lean tools such as 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen, Jidoka, Kanban and SMED
✓ Build operational stability and improve flow, quality and lead times
✓ Understand HRD, change management and culture-building for Lean organisations
✓ Use Value Stream Costing to link flow improvements with financial impact
✓ Lead or support major continuous improvement initiatives within their department
✓ Improve customer satisfaction while reducing operational costs
✓ Translate Lean principles into practical actions in production, service and healthcare
✓ Collaborate with participants from diverse sectors to gain new perspectives
Target audience
This programme is designed for managers, improvement leaders and professionals responsible for operational excellence, transformation and performance improvement across sectors.
Production & Industry
• Production managers
• Quality managers
• Supply chain and logistics managers
• Team leaders and supervisors
• Engineers and project leaders
• Employees wishing to contribute to improvement teams
Offices & Services
• Department managers
• Office managers
• Middle and senior management
• Self-employed professionals
• Anyone looking to improve administrative and transactional flows
Healthcare
• Functional managers
• Quality managers
• Department heads
• Prevention officers
• Healthcare professionals who want to improve patient-oriented processes
Trainers
Program director en eigenaar van Lean Academy
Dirk Van Goubergen
Prof. dr. ir Dirk van Goubergen has more than 30 years of practical and academic experience in the field of industrial engineering, operations management, lean/operational excellence and value stream design. He worked in all continents with leaders at all levels and employees for companies such as Toyota Motor Europe, Volvo, Mars, Philips, Amazon, Daikin, TE Connectivity, Johnson&Johnson, Delphi Technologies and many others.
Former HR Manager en Master Trainer Toyota Motor Europe
Jan Hermans
Jan is a master trainer for all Toyota Global Content training courses, including PDCA, Performance Management, A3 Consensus Building & Communication, and Problem Solving. Jan was a Management & Leadership Development specialist at Toyota Motor Europe. He currently serves on the board of directors of a Dutch company.
Sr. Trainer/Coach bij Van Goubergen P&M - Lean Academy
Herman De Rom
Herman worked at Volvo Cars as Head of Logistics Engineering, as Operations Director and as Group Senior Lean Director. At INEX, he worked as Operations Director. Herman provides, among other things, the training sessions on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
Sr. Trainer/Coach bij Van Goubergen P&M - Lean Academy
Raf Mues
Raf is a certified master trainer in Toyota Global Content and TPS courses, including TBP (Toyota Business Practices), Hoshin Kanri, A3/PDCA Thinking. Before joining the Lean Academy, he lived and breathed TPS and the Toyota Way for almost 30 years at Toyota Motor Europe where he held several operational management roles, including leading and supporting Kaizen initiatives across warehouse operations.
Head of EMEA CAR T Operations bij Johnson & Johnson
Bart Van Waeyenberge
Bart is a member of the Beerse Campus Management Committee, the Board of Directors of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and the Board of Directors of ETiON, the Belgian entrepreneurs’ organization. He has held various local and international positions in Europe and the U.S. in fields such as process industry, automation, operations, supply chain, and business excellence. He shares the story of how the Lean journey began within Janssen Pharmaceutica.
Lean Manager bij Mars Food Europe
Patrick Wilms
Patrick has nearly thirty years of experience working on Lean at Mars, formerly Masterfoods. He brings practical expertise in improving standards and developing leadership through Daily Management.
Certification
Theory exam GB in Lean
✓ 50 multiple choice questions – 90 minute (physical presence)
✓ Incl 1 re-examination
Practical exam
✓ Effective application of 1 problem solving initiative using the TBP/A3 methodology. This application is judged by a jury.
✓ Presentation of a strategic plan to implement Lean in your own organisation or department for the next 3 years, with demonstrated results and learnings from the first 6 months (PDCA)
✓ Incl. 1 re-examination
For additional exams there is an administrative fee of 250€ per exam.
Practical details and subsidies
Discounts
Organisations registering multiple participants for the same trainings sessions on the same dates benefit from the following reductions:
Second participant: 5%
Third participant: 10%
Fourth and subsequent participants: 15%
Subsidies
For participants from Flanders (Belgium):
This training is recognized by the Flemish government for KMO Portefeuille and VOV (Vlaams Opleidingsverlof)
KMO Portefeuille Registration Number Van Goubergen P&M : DV.O100454 (‘Personeelsmanagement’)
Number of Training Hours : 72 Hours – Maximum subsidy amount : 5.142 euro
Number of Training Hours (if already GB in Lean from Lean Academy) : 24 Hours – Maximum subsidy amount : 1.905 euro
Registration Number of this training for Vlaamse opleidingsincentives (VOV): ODB-0003205
Click here for more information
For participants from food industry (Belgium):
This training is also supported by Alimento/IPV for organisations in food industry in Belgium.
Please indicate on the registration form which subsidies you apply for.
Drinks and Meal
Residential Kick-Off in Blankenberge
Cold and hot drinks during the day are included in the training fee, as well as lunch and dinner.
Roosenberg sessions:
Cold and hot drinks are included in the training fee.
A light meal is served around 16:45.
Sessions typically run from 13:30 to 20:30, unless otherwise stated.
Location
The residential 3 day kick-off takes place at Hotel Aazaert, Blankenberge. Hotel cost at a reduced group rate needs to be paid by the participant at the hotel.
The rest of the training takes place at Roosenberg, Patotterijstraat 1, 9250 Waasmunster, where free parking is available.
Optional
COACHING
Additionally to our open training we offer optional individual off-line coaching during or after the training. The cost is 960 euros excluding VAT for 4 sessions of 1 hour. Alternatively we can provide, on simple request, a time budget for the (on/offline) coaching and further follow-up.
Possible follow-up courses include:
• Black Belt in Lean
• Hoshin Kanri
Contact
Feel free to contact us for
questions related to our
training. You can also check out
our FAQ.
Are you looking for in-company
training? Drop us a message on
academy@vangoubergen.com
and we will get back to you.
Frequently asked questions about this Lean course
Use these answers to quickly assess whether this course fits your role, level and context.
Who is this Lean course for?
It is designed for professionals, managers and teams who want to understand Lean/TPS and apply it in their own processes and improvement challenges.
Can this course be organized in-company?
Yes. Lean Academy can organize courses in-company and align content with your processes, cases, language, pace and organizational maturity.
How do I choose the right Lean course?
Choose Green Belt for a broad practical foundation, Black Belt for deeper transformation and leadership, Hoshin Kanri for strategy execution and TBP for structured problem solving.
