Designing a Training Program

Read this section, paying close attention to Figure 8.11 and the section on career development programs and succession planning. You may want to make a copy of this figure in your notes. Complete the exercises at the end of the section, and be sure to spend time on the question on the importance of creating a career development plan, even if your employer does not have one.

Key Takeaways

  • There are a number of key considerations in developing a training program. Training should not be handled casually but instead developed specifically to meet the needs of the organization. This can be done by a needs assessment consisting of three levels: organizational, occupational, and individual assessments.
  • The first consideration is the delivery mode; depending on the type of training and other factors, some modes might be better than others.
  • Budget is a consideration in developing training. The cost of materials, but also the cost of time, should be considered.
  • The delivery style must take into account people's individual learning styles. The amount of lecture, discussion, role plays, and activities are considered part of delivery style.
  • The audience for the training is an important aspect when developing training. This can allow the training to be better developed to meet the needs and the skills of a particular group of people.
  • The content obviously is an important consideration. Learning objectives and goals for the training should be developed before content is developed.
  • After content is developed, understanding the time constraints is an important aspect. Will the training take one hour or a day to deliver? What is the time line consideration in terms of when people should take the training?
  • Letting people know when and where the training will take place is part of communication.
  • The final aspect of developing a training framework is to consider how it will be measured. At the end, how will you know if the trainees learned what they needed to learn?
  • A career development process can help retain good employees. It involves creating a specific program in which employee goals are identified and new training and opportunities are identified and created to help the employee in the career development process.