Workplace Training

This paper reviews the existing evidence on workplace training in Europe in different data sources - the CVTS, OECD data and the European Community Household Panel. We outline the differences in training incidence and relate these differences to the private costs and benefits of training, and to institutional factors such as unions, employment protection and product market competition. We ask whether there is a case for under-provision of training in Europe and examine alternative policies aiming both at raising training incidence and at reducing inequalities in the provision of skills.

Opportunities for training and development are paramount in decisions regarding employee career choices. Despite the importance, many research studies on job satisfaction do not address satisfaction with workplace training as an element of overall job satisfaction, and many job satisfaction survey instruments do not include a “satisfaction with workplace training” component. This study examined the relationship between satisfaction with employer-provided workplace training and overall job satisfaction of customer contact representatives. A significant relationship was found between job training satisfaction and overall job satisfaction. Components of job training, including time spent in training, training methodologies, and content, were determined to be significant in their relationship to job training satisfaction, and trainees were significantly more satisfied with the training they received when the methodology employed was their preferred one. On the basis of these findings, conclusions were drawn and recommendations for researchers and practitioners in the field of HRD were made. It is important that those in the profession of human resource development look at how their work affects the multiple stakeholders for whom they provide services. Those who have defined HRD concur; many definitions include a results or outcome component. As an example, the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) defines the HRD profession as a multidisciplinary field that focuses on training, career development, and organizational development with the goal of improving processes and enhancing the learning and performance of individuals, organizations, communities, and society (AHRD Standards

This document reports on a national study on the factors influencing workplace training in Canada. The Ekos Workplace Training Survey investigated three major issues: the patterns of training activity in Canadian industry; the factors determining employer and employee decisions about investment in training; and, the impacts of training for employers and employees. The report demonstrates the benefits of training for both workers and organisations in relation to wages, self-confidence, and productivity, however, access to formal workplace training is very uneven. The report begins with a review of the literature on workplace training and a description of the research design. The analysis of workplace training is based on both quantitative and qualitative data collected during the survey. Findings are presented on training activities within Canadian industry and covering aspects such as the incidence of training, the balance between formal and informal training, and types and methods of training. The following section examines the training 'decision' and training processes within organisations and training outcomes from the perspective of both the employer and the employee. The report concludes with a summary of the survey results and a discussion of the policy implications for both governments and organisations. The authors identify some valuable advice for management emerging from the research and outline goals for public policy development in the area of workplace training.

This paper assesses the potential of `workplace training' with reference to German Apprenticeship. When occupational matching is important, we derive conditions under which firms provide `optimal' training packages. Since the German system broadly meets these conditions, we evaluate the effectiveness of apprenticeship using a large administrative dataset. We find returns to apprenticeship for even the lowest ability school-leavers comparable to standard estimates of the return to school, and show that training is transferable across a wide range of occupations. We conclude that the positive experience with German Apprenticeship Training may guide the design of similar policies in other countries.

Workplace training may be viewed as an instrumental activity that can be evaluated as to its efficiency in conveying requisite skills and knowledge. This paper develops a broader analysis of training by analyzing a series of classes offered to the production workers of a computer manufacturer. The training curriculum failed in its instrumental function, and instead was used by trainees, support staff trainers, and production floor management to pursue diverse agendas. It also simplified organizational "messes" by making them seemingly amenable to rational problem solving. On-the-job training, the formal training classes, and daily life on the production floor are analyzed as distinct "arenas for learning" that reflected organizational power as much as efficient pedagogy. The implications of this analysis for a world in which enhancing the skills of workers is widely deemed essential are also explored.

The adoption of ICT for personal and business use has encouraged the growth of interactive learning as well as its application in a number of education and training scenarios. Designing effective syllabi for interactive learning projects helps to ensure that desired leaning outcomes are achieved without incurring a significant loss of time or money. Educational Stages and Interactive Learning: From Kindergarten to Workplace Training provides a record of current research and practical applications in interactive learning. This book reviews all aspects of interactive learning, investigates the history, status, and future trends of interactive learning, introduces emerging technologies for interactive learning, and analyzes interactive learning cases in various educational stages and learning situations. Readers interested in the technologies and pedagogical applications of interactive learning will find this book a comprehensive reference for the understanding of notions, theories, techniques, and methods related to the research and development of interactive learning.

This pilot study explored the effectiveness of workplace training programme that aimed to enhance the work-related behaviours in individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Fourteen participants with autism and mild to moderate intellectual disability (mean age = 24.6 years) were recruited. The workplace training programme included practices in work context and group educational sessions. A pre-test-post-test design was used with the Work Personality Profile, the Scale of Independent Behaviour Revised and the Observational Emotional Inventory Revised to evaluate the targeted behaviours. Improvement in social and communication skills specific to the workplace was achieved. For emotional control, participants became less confused and had a better self-concept. However, improvement in other general emotional behaviours, such as impulse control, was limited. The results indicated that a structured workplace training programme aimed at improving social, communication and emotional behaviours can be helpful for people with autism and intellectual disability. Further study with a larger sample size and a control group is recommended. The development of specific programme to cater for the emotional control needs at workplace for people with autism is also suggested.

Informal learning takes place in the workplace through connection and collaboration mediated by Web 2.0 applications. However, little research has yet been published that explores informal learning and how to integrate it with workplace training. We aim to address this research gap by developing a conceptual Web 2.0-based workplace learning and training model. The model draws significantly on the theories and research of communities of practice, informal learning, and research on the application of social networking tools to informal learning. Implications of our study for workplace learning and training are discussed from theoretical and practical perspectives. Limitations and areas for future research are identified.

This report brings together a wealth of material on workplace training: it surveys a wide literature, both theoretical and empirical, and it provides some new data and empirical results for a large number of European countries on training. In my discussion, I would like to touch on four of the areas highlighted in the report: measurement and data issues, estimates of the returns to training, theoretical issues, and training policy. I feel what I have to say more often complements the report, than being critical of it. In fact, where I am critical, it is more of the work done in this area and its shortcomings, and this includes my own work.

- Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current skills gap in both generic and skill areas within the construction industry in Queensland, Australia. - Design/methodology/approach An internet-based survey was administered to collect the opinions of construction employees about the workplace-training environment and their perceptions towards training. The survey intended to address the following research questions, specifically in relation to the construction industry. - Findings The survey results reveal that whilst overall participation in workplace training is high, the current workplace training environments do not foster balanced skill development. The study reveals that in the current absence of a formal and well-balanced training mechanism, construction workers generally resort to their own informal self-development initiatives to develop the needed role-specific theoretical knowledge. - Research limitations/implications The findings of the research are based on the data primarily collected in the construction industry in Queensland, Australia. The data are limited to a single Tier 2 construction company. - Practical implications The findings of this study can be utilised to suggest improvements in the current (or develop new) workplace training initiatives. - Social implications The research suggests that workplace training has positive relationship with career growth. The results suggest that in the construction industry, employees are generally well aware of the importance of workplace training in their career development and they largely appreciate training as being a critical factor for developing their capacity to perform their roles successfully, and to maintain their employability. - Originality/value This paper is unique as it investigates the current skills gap in both generic and skill areas within the construction industry in Queensland, Australia. So far no work has been undertaken to identify and discusses the main method of workplace learning within the Tier 2 industry in the context of Queensland Australia.