To clarify the training need in the work place a good structured approach is needed like the Training cycle, to ensure the training function is effective in supporting the needs of the organisation.
Stage 1; identify the learning needs
Stage 2; Design the training
Stage 3 ; Deliver the training
Stage 4; Evaluate the training
To be certain of what training is most appropriate you need to undertake a training needs analysis and asking yourselves these questions can be helpful:
What is the current situation? What knowledge, practical skills and behavioural skills are required to do the job as it stands now?
What problems exist? Is there a performance issue that indicated a training need e.g., standards not being achieved due to poor skills levels, poor attitude or insufficient confidence
What are the opportunities? Is there anything in the context of the service that is changing resulting in the need for new skills/knowledge for examples new IT systems, is there a need to develop people for career progression or to become specifically qualified
What is the required , ideal situation? What new knowledge , skills or attitudes are desired?
In order to arrive at a successful development outcome for a team or an individual, you need to be clear on three thongs:
1. The actual skill of knowledge that the team/person is lacking
2. A detailed understanding of what a successful result looks like
3. Full agreement from the team/individual
The different ways to identify the training need include:
Job analysis: this requires the manager and jobholder to evaluate job content and actual activities carried out within particular roles through the use of a questionnaire and a one to one discussion.- The questionnaire provides a consistent approach, which analyses the knowledge , practical skills and behavioural skills required by job holders to perform there roles. This enables managers and jobholders to compare job content with actual activities carried out on the job and also provides a standard to match jobholders performance against, therefore indentifying any performance gaps and support the design and implementation of training and/or coaching intervention around knowledge and behavioural skills.
These questionnaires should only really be completed by managers and most experienced staff as they will have greater understanding of each roles compared to new staff in the job. Once the questionnaire has been analysed and perceived job content compared to actual activities then the assessment of knowledge an skills can take place using a task and skill matrix. The common aspects of jobs/roles can be mapped out against the experience and skill levels of the people within the department enabling you to indentify areas for multi-skilling in the future
The Job analysis questionnaire has 3 sections with up to 10 requirements the sections are:
Knowledge requirements- what the job holder must know and understand, things like grass roots level development of sport, national governing bodies of sport being able to use micro soft programmes.
Practical skill requirement – what the job holder must be able to do and demonstrate like ability to demonstrate badminton techniques/shots be able to carry heavy/awkward equipment.
Behavioural skills requirements- how the jobholders must conduct themselves with other people like to answer the telephone within 3 rings, to be helpful smile!.
After the analysis of all the jobs in the department or team you must then look at the individual jobholders who perform each of the these roles/jobs and identify their individual jobholders who perform each of these roles/jobs and identify their individual task and skill levels.
The matrix is designed to allow you to list all the tasks undertaken in a particular role or team or department then for the jobholder to state there current skill level across these tasks using a ranking system , training