Training is no longer a chore

Time was when workplace training meant an hour a week being lectured to, attending a tedious course that may or may not have lead to some kind of career development. Not anymore.

Fortunately for the modern workforce, training techniques have undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Employees now have more choices in how they gain new skills and are often the ones who initiate any such developments. "Business needs dictate the skills and flexibility required for success. And enhancing the abilities of people is key to achieving business excellence," said Mr Jim Nagle a training and development specialist with Analog Devices, the Limerick based electronics company.

The company's current training, education and development initiatives are designed to equip people with the proper skills to ensure that they meet the company business goals while at the same time supporting employee development.

Mr Nagle outlined a number of key changes in the general learning environment in the workplace in recent years:

The focus of learning activities is shifting away from isolated skill building and focusing more on performance and support

Training modules and methods are shifting away from the teacher and concentrating on the learner

Self-directed learning and team learning are increasing

Learning is more likely to occur with the help of technology

Far from abandoning traditional methods, this approach incorporates the best of the old with new training initiatives, including on the job training, organised learning, mentoring and more formal educational routes. "Simply depositing information into people's heads is no longer sufficient justification for the training and development function. Rather, the application of knowledge within the context of the work environment must become the dominant thrust if it is to achieve any influence within the organisation," says Mr Nagle.

Inevitably, new technologies now play a vital role in ensuring the move from more narrowly focussed methods of staff training towards a modern learning environment. Ms Jennifer McGrath, training and development specialist with the insurance group Hibernian, says that offering interactive programmes is the key to modern staff training.

"We find that people won't accept the value of a course unless it is highly practical and they can see exactly how it will work for them in the job they do. The days of just being lectured to are over," she said.

One example of such interactive training is the importance placed on role playing when learning about areas such as customer care. "It is not enough to have the theory," said Ms McGrath. "What we encourage is learning by doing".

At Hibernian, self-learning is also encouraged which is why they have been testing a new CD Rom-based training tool the European computer driving licence (ECDL).

ECDL is distributed throughout Ireland by Flexible Multimedia, the largest provider of multimedia training in Ireland. The pack provides basic knowledge of everything from databases to word processing and acts as a bench mark for computer competency across Europe. "The whole area of interactive training has become enormous in Ireland," says Mr Emmet Hedigan, managing director of Flexible Multimedia. "It can be used on it's own or as a complement to traditional training methods. It makes the process more interesting and more stimulating for the learner".

What has also changed is that the people responsible for initiating new training methods are the employees themselves. Increasingly, workers are taking charge of their own career development and looking to the organisation to support them based on the needs of the company.

According to Insp John Lynagh, trainees at the Garda College in Templemore are encouraged to "develop an interest in lifelong learning and to be alive to opportunities around them". This is in line with their policy of providing more user friendly training schemes where participants can get involved.

"We make sure that training is not based just around individuals but around teams participating in workshops. We have made a major investment in IT training and rather than just being lectured to, participants are sitting at a computer and trying each new lesson as it is explained," he said.

This is particularly relevant for current training for PULSE (police using leading systems effectively) which will result in a uniform database across the force, instead of the separate computer systems currently in use.

The value of more formal education structures are also acknowledged though, and Gardai wishing to embark on part time third level education courses have their courses paid for. Every year members are encouraged to take degrees and diplomas in subjects such as computers or criminology which will make their role as a Guard more effective.

But, according to Mr Nagle, no training, either modern or traditional, can be viewed as an end in itself.

"The focus must be taken off training for the sake of training and focus on people in the context of their job roles. The question must be asked, what are their learning and performance needs? When that question is answered the organisation as a whole will benefit," he said.

Next week Business 2000 will explore the empowerment of employees in the Irish workplace