Strategies For Training a High-Performing Maintenance Team
The webinar titled "Strategies For Training a High-Performing Maintenance Team" addresses the ongoing maintenance staffing crisis by showcasing how Willow Bridge Property Company, led by Learning Manager Lourdes Ayala, has innovatively redesigned their training program using virtual simulations, structured onboarding guides, and career development pathways to accelerate technician onboarding, improve retention, and scale training efficiently without extra trainers or equipment.
The maintenance staffing crisis is not slowing down, and traditional training methods are struggling to keep up. With technician turnover rising and the demand for skilled maintenance professionals outpacing supply, property management companies face a critical challenge: how to build a reliable, high-performing maintenance team when time, resources, and experienced trainers are limited.
The answer lies in rethinking how maintenance training is designed, delivered, and scaled.
Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring an expert from Willow Bridge Property Company, who have successfully transformed their maintenance training program to meet these challenges head-on. Learn how they are reimagining the entire employee journey, from attracting and recruiting qualified candidates, to accelerating new hire onboarding, to building career pathways that keep top performers engaged long term.
You’ll leave with:
- Strategies for accelerating new maintenance technician onboarding using virtual simulations and 90-day onboarding guides.
- Methods to improve technician retention through career development pathways.
- Techniques for scaling maintenance training programs without requiring additional trainers or physical equipment.
Meet the Speakers
Lourdes Ayala, Learning Manager, Willow Bridge Property
Lourdes Ayala is the National Learning Manager for Facilities Maintenance Training Programs at Willow Bridge Property Company (formerly Lincoln Property Company), where she began her career with the organization in 2016 as a Learning & Talent Development Director. In her current role, she leads the development and delivery of training initiatives that support operational excellence and technical skill growth across maintenance teams nationwide.
With a property management career spanning more than two decades, beginning in 2001, she brings extensive experience in both supervisory leadership and front-line operations. Her background includes multi-property operations, marina management, and new construction and start-up development, providing a well-rounded operational perspective that informs her training approach.
She previously served in the United States Marine Corps, completing tours both stateside and in Japan, where she developed a strong foundation in leadership, discipline, and teamwork that continues to influence her career.
Sandra Draude, Account Director, Interplay Learning
Sandra Draude is an Account Director at Interplay Learning, where she partners with enterprise organizations to drive workforce transformation and cultural advancement. Since joining the company in 2021 as an Account Manager, she has led strategic initiatives across diverse industries, helping clients modernize training approaches and elevate performance outcomes.
In her current role, Sandra collaborates with enterprise leaders in the multi-family housing and skilled trades sectors to design and refine scalable talent development strategies. Her work focuses on strengthening workforce capability, increasing employee engagement, and creating pathways to sustainable career growth—empowering organizations to build stronger cultures, stronger teams, and stronger futures.
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Strategies for Training a High-Performing Maintenance Team
The recorded 45-minute session features Lourdes Ayala, Learning Manager at Willow Bridge Property Company, sharing how they revamped their maintenance training program by using virtual simulations, structured onboarding guides, and career development pathways to accelerate technician onboarding, improve retention, and scale training efficiently despite limited resources and rising industry challenges.
Interplay Learning Partners with Lincoln Property Company for Maintenance Training
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