| Summary | | | | equipment in good working order exactly as the |
| Whether training a new or current employee the | | | | trainee would find them on the job. If you can run |
| old adage still applies. "If the student hasn't learnt, | | | | the training in the trainees' normal workplace, |
| the teacher hasn't taught". In the workplace you | | | | that's ideal. You can learn to drive in the family |
| also suffer a major penalty. It costs you heaps | | | | sedan. But it's no place to learn to be a Formula |
| when employees can't do their jobs properly | | | | One racing driver. |
| because of poor training. | | | | 5. Treat Safety Seriously |
| 1. Specify What They'll Be Able To Do At The | | | | Be casual about safety and that's what trainees |
| End | | | | will learn. Ensure that all safety procedures and |
| The purpose of training is to get a job done well. | | | | practices are followed exactly. Imagine that you're |
| The first thing to do is to state what the trainees | | | | teaching the trainee how to throw a hand |
| will be able to do at the end of the training that | | | | grenade safely and accurately for maximum |
| they couldn't do at the start. The operative word | | | | effect. Be as careful as you would in those |
| is "do": not understand, appreciate, grasp or any | | | | circumstances. |
| of these other fuzzy verbs; "do". If you can't | | | | 6. Plan Carefully And In Great Detail |
| measure it don't teach it. And you can only | | | | You might be the best trainer working with the |
| measure what the trainee can do. | | | | smartest trainee. It doesn't matter. Your training |
| 2. Specify What They Need To Know | | | | will be as successful as the thoroughness of your |
| In order to be able to "do" trainees need | | | | planning. You have your "able to do", "need to |
| knowledge. Only when you've stated what they | | | | know" and "performance standards". That's an |
| need to be able to do can you specify what they | | | | excellent basis for your training plan. To develop |
| need to know. Be careful. Don't overdo the | | | | your plan start with the end goal and work |
| "knows". For example, you don't need to know | | | | backwards to the start - where you'll commence |
| how a PC works in order to be able to operate it. | | | | the training. Include competency checks at various |
| But you do need to know how to read various | | | | stages of the plan. And don't move to a new |
| screens and what data represents. | | | | training phase until you're satisfied with trainee |
| Stating the "able to do" and "need to know" | | | | competence in the previous phase. |
| matters is the key to successful on job training. | | | | 7. Test Before Training |
| Do this before you start. If you don't, your | | | | There's one last thing to do before you actually |
| trainees won't learn what's essential. | | | | start training. You must test each trainee before |
| 3. Set Performance Standards For "Do" And | | | | starting the training. Use the competency checks |
| "Know" | | | | you've built into your training plan. If you're |
| It's not enough to say "be computer literate" or | | | | satisfied that the trainee is competent in any |
| "operate all company computer systems". You | | | | areas, don't train in those. Nothing irritates trainees |
| need to add "how often", "how well", "how | | | | than being taught something that they're already |
| quickly", "how accurately". You must decide how | | | | good at. It wastes your time and resources too. |
| you would measure competence and what you'd | | | | Conclusion |
| consider to be adequate knowledge. This degree | | | | It's what you do before you start training that |
| of detail also gives the trainee clearly defined | | | | determines whether or not your training will be |
| goals and standards and a clear idea of how his or | | | | successful. It's been said so often it's a |
| her competence will be assessed. | | | | cliché. But it merits repeating in this |
| 4. Replicate Job Conditions | | | | context. "if you don't know where you're going, |
| This is the golden rule: replicate actual working | | | | how will you know when you've arrived"? |
| conditions as accurately as possible. Use tools and | | | | |