Skills and Technical Training

Chapter 9

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 1

Emerging Needs in the
Workplace
Skilled workers
Professional employees
Problem solving
Decision making
Team members
Interpersonal skills

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 2

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) 3

Categories of Skills and Technical
Training
Training Category Subcategories
Basic skills/Literacy Remedial/basic education
 
Technical Apprenticeship training
  Computer training
  Technical skills/knowledge training
  Safety training
  Quality training
   
Interpersonal Communications/interpersonal training
  Customer relations/services training
  Sales training
  Team building/training

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 4

One More Time: 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) 5

Factors Affecting a 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) 6

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) 7

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) 8

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) 9

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) 10

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) 11

Technical Training Programs

Apprenticeship training
Computer training
Skills/knowledge training
Safety training
Quality training

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 12

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) 13

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) 14

School–to–Work Programs
Vary according to states
Combines middle school, high school,
and technical/vocational schools
Provides:
 Trained labor pool
 Better public image
 Potential eligibility for tax credits

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 15

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) 16

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) 17

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) 18

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) 19

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) 20

Safety Metrics

Lost Work Day Index

 National average is 2.6 days/100
employees/year
OSHA Recordable Rate
Lost Time Rate

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 21

Hazardous Communication
Standards
Written policy needed
Use OSHA posters
Material safety data sheets (MSDS)
MSDS notebooks available to all
Hazardous material labels
Train all employees in hazardous materials
Prepare safety manual

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 22

Safety Program Needs

Top management support and

reinforcement
Employee involvement
Regular and recurrent safety training
Effective safety monitoring

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 23

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) 24

Using Computers for OSHA
Training
“OSHA clearly states that while…CBT
can be a valuable tool… its use alone
does not meet the intent of most
OSHA training requirements. …
employees require… access to a
qualified trainer.” (p. 338)

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

 Quality Improvement Concerns
   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

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

Seven Basic Quality Tools
Process Flow Analysis
Cause-and-Effect Diagram
Run Chart
Statistical Process Control (SPC)
Scattergram
Histogram
Pareto Chart
Werner & DeSimone (2006) 30
Statistical Process Control
(SPC)
Most processes demonstrate variation
in output
Important to determine if variation is
normal or abnormal
Focuses on identifying and correcting
abnormal variations

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 31

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) 32

Reasons for Poor Transfer to
the Workplace
Resistance to change
Unclear objectives
Few rewards to use new skills

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 33

Quality Training and ISO 9000
International quality standards
Three phases
 Document writing
 Implementation
 Includes company-wide training
 Systems effectiveness assessment

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 34

ISO 9000 Training
Requirements

Training needs identification process

Training documentation
Ready for inspection every 6–12
months

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 35

Interpersonal Skills Training
Skills needed to work with other
people:
 Communication
 Customer relations
 Selling
 Teamwork

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 36

Most Common Interpersonal
Skills Training
Team building
Listening skills
Delegation skills

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 37

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) 38

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) 39

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) 40

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) 41

 Four Models of Team Building
Model Emphasis Team-member objective

Goal Setting Setting objectives and Involved in action planning to

developing individual and identify ways to achieve the
team goals goals that have been set
 
Interpersonal An increase in teamwork skills Develop trust in each other and
Relations (mutual supportiveness, confidence in the team
communication, sharing ideas)
 
Problem Identification of major Become involved in action planning
Solving problems in the team for the solution of problems, as
well as implementing and
evaluating the solutions
 
Role Increased communication Achieve better understanding of
Clarification among team members their and others’ respective roles
regarding their respective and duties within the team
roles within the team

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) 42

 Variables to Increase Team
Effectiveness
Variable Definition
  The extent to which:
Team Structure •Team members understand and are committed to team
goals
 
•Team roles are clearly defined

  •Group norms are in place

Team Spirit
•A team has confidence in its ability to be effective

 
•Team members invest energy on behalf of the team

Social Support •Team members have positive interactions and provide

support for one another

Workload Sharing
•Work is equally divided among team members

Communication within the Group

•Team members give and receive information

•Team members manage conflict in a healthy manner

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) 43

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) 44

Professional Development and
Education

Earning and maintaining licensure

and certification in a field of work
Periodic need for continuing
education

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 45

Providers of Continuing
Education
Colleges and universities
Professional associations
Company-sponsored continuing
education efforts

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 46

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) 47

Professional Associations
Conferences, workshops, meetings
Journals, magazines, newsletters
Pre-certification and post-certification
workshops

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 48

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) 49

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) 50

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) 51