Skills and Technical Training

1. Skills and Technical Training Chapter 9 Werner & DeSimone (2006)

2. Learning objectives • Identify and describe basic workplace competencies. • Explain the need for remedial basic skills training programs. • Explain the role of apprenticeship programs in today’s work environment. • Describe a typical technical skills training program. • Describe a typical interpersonal skills training program. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

3. Emerging Needs in the Workplace • Skilled workers • Professional employees • Problem solving • Decision making • Team members • Interpersonal skills Werner & DeSimone (2006)

4. Three Categories of Skills Training • Basic skills/literacy education • Upgrading reading, writing, and arithmetic • Technical training • Upgrading a wide range of skills • Interpersonal skills training • Communication and teamwork Werner & DeSimone (2006)

5. Training Category Subcategories Basic skills/Literacy Remedial/basic education Technical Apprenticeship training Computer training Technical skills/knowledge training Safety training Interpersonal Communications/interpersonal training Customer relations/services training Sales training Team building/training Categories of Skills and Technical Training Quality training Werner & DeSimone (2006)

6. The Skills Gap • The difference between the skill requirements of available jobs and the skills possessed by job applicants • Some people think that the skills gap is perpetuated by four-year, “liberal arts” education Werner & DeSimone (2006)

7. Factors Affecting Skills Gap • Declining skill levels of many high school and college graduates • Growing number of minority and non-English speaking immigrant workers • Increased sophistication of jobs Werner & DeSimone (2006)

8. Basic Skills/Literacy Programs • Prose literacy • Ability to understand and use information from texts • Document literacy • Ability to locate and use information contained in non-textual materials • Qualitative literacy • Ability to apply arithmetic operations Werner & DeSimone (2006)

9. In-House Literacy Programs • If schools don’t do it, companies must. • Two characteristics are common: • Aptitude tests • Small-group or one-on-one tutoring Werner & DeSimone (2006)

10. Problems with Basic Skills Training Programs • HRD professionals think the lack of literacy is a problem that affects many people. • Management tends to think that lack of literacy is a problem, but affects only a few people. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

11. Federal Support for Basic Skills Training • 1983–2000: Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA) • Provided funding to private training institutes and industry • Problems included fraud and too focused on a narrow population • One of 150 federal programs that cost a lot of money and produced little Werner & DeSimone (2006)

12. Federal Support for Basic Skills Training – 2 • 2000–present: Workforce Investment Act • Consolidated more than 70 existing programs • Gave greater control at the local level • Gave greater accountability to training providers Werner & DeSimone (2006)

13. Federal Support for Basic Skills Training (Malaysia) • Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Act (2001) • The purpose is to ensure employers to conduct training for their work to upgrade their skills and abilities • Employer are required to pay a monthly levy into HRDF • They can apply reimbursement – send /organizing the approval training. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

14. Federal Support for Basic Skills Training (Malaysia)/2 • The Skills Development Act 2004/The National Skills Development Act 2006 • The purpose is to establish a fund for the purpose of granting loans to trainee who attend approves programmes to develop and upgrade their skills • National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) – develop the curriculum • Trainees who achieve the required competencies will be awarded a certificate. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

15. Technical Training Programs • Apprenticeship training • Computer training • Skills/knowledge training • Safety training • Quality training Werner & DeSimone (2006)

16. Apprenticeship Training • Provide skills to meet continually changing job requirements • Regulated by the Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services (OATELS), formerly called the Bureau of Apprenticeship Training (BAT) • Most require: • 2000 hours of OJT • 144 hours of classroom training • Though there may be a lot more hours… Werner & DeSimone (2006)

17. Major Concerns • Learning based on time requirements rather than competency • Programs isolated from other programs • Concentrated in blue-collar occupations • Little concern for post-apprenticeship period Werner & DeSimone (2006)

18. Computer Training • Introductory • Focuses on basic tasks • Overcomes fear of computers • Applications • Specific software used by company • Provided “as needed” for position Werner & DeSimone (2006)

19. Computer Training Issues • Self-Efficacy • Individual’s belief that he/she can successfully perform the task • Cognitive Playfulness • Spontaneity, imagination, and exploratory approach brought to learning • Training Format Werner & DeSimone (2006)

20. Technical/Skills Training • Most are specific to job, process, or equipment • Can be general, such as new policies and procedures on waste disposal Werner & DeSimone (2006)

21. Different Levels of Skills Training • Entry-level • Basic skills and procedures • Advanced Training • Update employee skills • Specific skills improvement • New equipment/procedure training Werner & DeSimone (2006)

22. Safety Training • Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • Establishes safety standards • Conducts safety inspections • Grants safety variances as appropriate • Cites violations Werner & DeSimone (2006)

23. Safety Program Needs • Top management support and reinforcement • Employee involvement • Regular and recurrent safety training • Effective safety monitoring Werner & DeSimone (2006)

24. Safety Training Needs for Production Workers • Recognizing, avoiding and preventing unsafe conditions • How to use/handle dangerous machinery, tools, and substances • Use of protective clothing, systems, and devices • Controlling hazards of any type Werner & DeSimone (2006)

25. Quality Training • Quality – providing the product the customer needs when s/he needs it, at a cost the customer thinks is reasonable • Need to provide a continuous quality improvement program • Employees need to know basic statistics to implement most quality improvement programs Werner & DeSimone (2006)

26. ·The Role Of Management Leadership And Quality Policy ·Training ·Process Management ·Employee Relations ·Product/Service Design ·Supplier Quality Management ·The Role Of The Quality Department ·Quality Data And Reporting Quality Improvement Concerns SOURCE: Mandal, P., Howell, A. & Sohal, A. S. (1998). A systemic approach to quality improvements: The interactions between the technical, human and quality systems. Total Quality Management, 9, 79–99. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

27. Total Quality Management • Fundamental Skills: • Employees must be able to work in teams • Employees must be able to collect, analyze, and evaluate quantitative data Werner & DeSimone (2006)

28. Two Phases for Quality Training • Quality Awareness – training managers in concept of quality improvement • In-depth Training: • Process skills • Work coordination, problem solving, conflict resolution • Quality skills • Techniques and tools to improve quality Werner & DeSimone (2006)

29. Needs for Quality Training • Must be comprehensive • Include both process and quality skills • Needs continual and positive follow-up • Training is not enough! You need management commitment, employee involvement, rewards, and integrated performance evaluation Werner & DeSimone (2006)

30. Quality Training and ISO 9000 • International quality standards • Three phases • Document writing • Implementation • Includes company-wide training • Systems effectiveness assessment Werner & DeSimone (2006)

31. Interpersonal Skills Training • Skills needed to work with other people: • Communication • Customer relations • Selling • Teamwork Werner & DeSimone (2006)

32. Most Common Interpersonal Skills Training • Team building • Listening skills • Delegation skills Werner & DeSimone (2006)

33. Why Interpersonal Skills Training is Needed • Increased use of team-based approach to accomplishing work • Entrants into workforce lack needed skills • High school, college and graduate-level • Increasingly multicultural workplace • Global economy Werner & DeSimone (2006)

34. Sales Training Goals: • Increased team productivity • Lower turnover • Enhanced communication within and between all organizational levels • Better morale • Increased self-management of sales teams • Better customer relations Werner & DeSimone (2006)

35. Customer Relations/Service Training • Introduce customer service training throughout organization • Train frontline personnel in interpersonal skills and operational practices • Train service managers in coaching and enforcing service standards • Provide incentives Werner & DeSimone (2006)

36. Team Building/Training • Increased use of teams as basic organizational element • Two sets of team-related skills: • Task Skills – skills needed for accomplishing a team’s work objectives • Process Skills – how to work in a team and maintain team relationships Werner & DeSimone (2006)

37. Model Emphasis Team-member objective Goal Setting Setting objectives and developing individual and team goals Involved in action planning to identify ways to achieve the goals that have been set Develop trust in each other and confidence in the team Problem Solving Identification of major problems in the team Role Clarification Increased communication among team members regarding their respective roles within the team Achieve better understanding of their and others’ respective roles and duties within the team Four Models of Team Building Interpersonal Relations An increase in teamwork skills (mutual supportiveness, communication, sharing ideas) Become involved in action planning for the solution of problems, as well as implementing and evaluating the solutions SOURCE: Salas, E., Rozell, D., Mullen, B., & Driskell, J. E. (1999). The effect of team building on performance: An integration. Small Group Research, 30, 309–329. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

38. Variable • Definition • The extent to which: • Team Structure • Team members understand and are committed to team goals • Group norms are in place • Team Spirit • Team roles are clearly defined • Social Support • A team has confidence in its ability to be effective • Workload Sharing • Communication within the Group • Team members invest energy on behalf of the team • Team members manage conflict in a healthy manner • Team members have positive interactions and provide support for one another • Work is equally divided among team members • Team members give and receive information Variables to Increase Team Effectiveness SOURCE: Werner, J. M., & Lester, S. W. (2001). Applying a team effectiveness framework to the performance of student case teams. HRD Quarterly,12(4), 385–402. Werner & DeSimone (2006)

39. Role of Labor Unions in Training • Joint Training Programs • Most common are safety and health, job skills, communication skills, and displaced worker assistance • Many other programs are job- and company-specific Werner & DeSimone (2006)

40. Professional Development and Education • Earning and maintaining licensure and certification in a field of work • Periodic need for continuing education Werner & DeSimone (2006)

41. Providers of Continuing Education • Colleges and universities • Professional associations • Company-sponsored continuing education efforts Werner & DeSimone (2006)

42. Colleges and Universities • Substantive expertise available • Courses might be tailored to job/profession • Organizations can choose instructors • College credit may be earned Werner & DeSimone (2006)

43. Professional Associations • Conferences, workshops, meetings • Journals, magazines, newsletters • Pre-certification and post-certification workshops Werner & DeSimone (2006)

44. Company-Sponsored Continuing Education • Corporate universities • Programs are organization specific • Staff can be in-house, out-of-house and retirees • Can incorporate latest technology into training Werner & DeSimone (2006)

45. HRD’s Roles in Continuing Education (CE) • Enabler – foster effective distribution of CE throughout organization • Resource Provider – tuition aid, compensation for travel expenses, professional fees • Monitor – assess CE to ensure professional development process is working as desired Werner & DeSimone (2006)

46. Summary • Need for skilled workers is increasing • Entry-level personnel need basic and literacy training • Global economy and multicultural issues need to be addressed • Professional growth must be supported • Need to be proactive in the face of changing technology Werner & DeSimone (2006)