Training_Cycle

INTRODUCTION Training is a crucial aspect in developing a person’s skills, attitude and abilities. In this day and age with work so hard to find or to retain jobs, it is important companies provide training seminars to give their employees an opportunity to develop their skills and abilities in order to progress. This report explains The Training Cycle Model. This model is used by many management firms in all sectors. The model is simple to use and give a clear guide on how a training session should be prepared and performed. This report outlines and describes in detail the five stages of The Training Cycle Model, which are the following: * Identifying the need for training * Preparation for the training * Training delivery * Application of the training * Evaluation THE TRAINING CYCLE MODEL A training cycle is a number of steps that make up a complete training programme. The Training Cycle Model is used by management companies in order to create a lasting and effective change and to be beneficial to the company and staff. There are five main steps in the Training Cycle: * Identifying Training Needs * Preparation * Training Delivery * Applying Learning * Evaluation Partaking in a training events result in learning or developing skills. Although people that experience a training course get a better result if they are consulted and supported, especially when the five steps are followed identify need, prepare and implement. As the process is a cycle one can join the programme at any stage, but the ideal place to start is identifying the training needs. Identifying Training Needs Every stage of The Training Cycle is equally important, but it is also important that all the right issues are addressed. Failure to address the necessary issues or to identifying the training needs will result in the training becoming ineffective. Managers that intend to carry out a training course should be asking the following questions: * What is the current situation' * What problems exist' * What are the opportunities' * What is the required, ideal situation' * What new knowledge, skills or attitudes are desired' The point of this stage of the training cycle is to find out if there is, or identifying, training need. If there is a need for training, it is now managers have to decide who needs the training and what the target audience is. This stage will help those who identified the training need to consider why the training is required and its expected outcome and impact. PREPAREATION Once all of needs have been identified, the training process needs to be designed. Also training delivery, post-training support and an evaluation need to be carried out. A brief overview, a course title and learning outcomes should be prepared. A number of methods can be used in the training process to make it easier for the trainee to understand the training. Handouts can be produced to the trainees and a PowerPoint presentation could be prepared. This gives the trainer an easy step by step format and along with the handouts the trainee can follow quite simply. Other methods often used in these courses are group activities, props, games and music. The venue should also be considered. The trainees should feel comfortable in the venue. Refreshments and facilities should be provided to serve this very purpose. TRAINING DELIVERY Room layout and the equipment you use should be considered (e.g. Projectors, tables, TV & DVD player etc.). Also expect the un-expected. Have a plan B encase your equipment fails for example if laptop or projector fails have handouts prepared as a back-up. An experienced and skilled person should carry out the training. These sessions should be treated with a sense of reward and value. As there are many different cultures in the workforce today, the trainer must be to cater for them. They should adapt different learning and communication styles. For the training sessions to be more beneficial to the trainee the trainer must make sure not to spoon-feed. The trainee should be left learn for themselves as they will learn faster and better this way. The trainer should stop to ask the trainees questions to keep the interested and also this will give them a chance to catch up. Trainers should try and create a bond of trust and cooperation between them and the trainee. They do this by encouraging the trainees to try and use the materials and explore their comfort zones. Trainers should praise trainees on completing tasks; this gives the trainee a sense of pride and recognition. Trainers should try were possible to incorporate workshops into the training process as it provides an opportunity for the trainees to apply real life situations to the training. APPLYING LEARNING Time for reflection should be set aside during the preparation stage. This reflection time is important because the trainee’s learning is enhanced. A review of pre-training materials (notes, self-assessments etc) and training handouts assist the recognition of learning so far achieved, and any additional learning and developmental needs uncovered by the experience. A supervision session should be provided for the trainee’s to support them through the process. Here they reflect on their training and make suggestions and comments on proposed changes. This stage is very important because it is crucial that the new trainees be given an opportunity to put their new skills, learning etc. into practice. This is the only way that any real change can come about as a result of the training. New knowledge and skills are retained easier if they are applied immediately after the training. The new trainees should be encouraged to put their new skills and training into practice and if they do make mistakes they should be reassured as making mistakes is all part of the learning process. Feedback and constructive criticism (where due) is very important throughout this process. When the new trainee completes a task, specific feedback should be given to them so they can reflect over what and how they done. The company might have a reward scheme in place to encourage the use of new skills and learning (e.g. suggestion box, new procedures etc.). On the other hand companies might penalise if employees don’t comply with the new learning or skills programmes. It is important to support and reinforce the new learning in staff and managers should be trained on this. EVALUATION It is import to know if the training was a success or not. Each of the new trainees should be evaluated. This can often be done by way of performance appraisals, one to one meetings, sales figures, observation etc. There are many other ways of evaluating a person’s performance. This stage can also be beneficial and rewarding to the new trainee as it gives them an opportunity to see how they are doing. Evaluation measurements also need to be considered. These measurements are a mixture of both hard and soft data. Hard data is quantifiable. Measurements of hard data are based on facts and objective. Examples of hard data would be sales, items produced, time taken to complete tasks etc. Soft data is subjective and are generally based on people’s perceptions. Examples of soft data would be satisfaction, motivation, attitudes etc. When carrying out an evaluation managers must consider the following questions: * How did the trainees react to the training' * What did they learn' * Did the training make an impact on their behaviour and how are they performing the role differently * How has the organisation benefited form the training and what is the impact on the customers (Kirkpatrick model of evaluation) Evaluation and training material contains valuable information and all information should documented and filed encase the company for whatever reason is able to refer back to it. CONCLUSION The above report outlines and describes The Training Cycle Model. In this model there are five steps managers used when holding training seminars. The five stages are: * Identify the need This stage is to find out if there is a problem or not and if there is a need for training who needs to attend the training. It is an opportunity for the management to ask questions why do the need to do the training and how will it benefit the company. * Prepare for the training This is an important part of the training process because failure to prepare for a training session would result in trainees not being properly trained it would also leave them lost and confused. Hand outs, projector, laptops and DVD players can all be used to aid the trainer in completing the training effectively. Games, group workshops etc. can also be prepared to be used in training. * Training Delivery This stage focuses on how you deliver the training seminar, taking into account the venue, facilities, room layout etc. The trainer should be experienced and skilled and to be able to cater for different learning and communication styles. At all times the trainer should aim to make the trainee as comfortable as possible taking breaks every now and again in order to allow them to ask questions to keep trainee interested or to allow them to catch up. * Applying the Training It is important management empower the trainee where necessary to allow them to put their training into action. This is the best way for the trainees to learn as it is easier to retain new information or a new skill if it is applied immediately. If they make a mistake they should be reassured as they can only learn from their mistakes. * Evaluation Managers should evaluate the training and see if the training was successful. This can be done a number ways: * one to one meeting * sales figures * appraisal systems * Performance observations etc. It is important to evaluate the new trainee because it reassures the trainee and the employer on how they are getting on. Manager can measure this by observing their attitudes, motivation, attitudes, satisfaction or else by looking at their performance in the workplace with regard to items sold, and time taken to complete tasks. This report also concludes that managers can also use KirkPatrick four level of evaluation model in order to assist them with their evaluation of the training. REFERENCES www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm www.docstoc.com/docs/12164047/TRAINING-AND-DEVELOPMENT-THESIS CLASS NOTES