Basic Manufacturing Skills for New Employees Program Proposal Essay

Evaluation of Planning and Implementation

The need to develop professional skills in novice employees plays a pivotal role in the financial success of any company. The development and the use of training programs are not enough for advancement, and trainee feedback should be collected to generalize on the effectiveness of educational interventions. The given paper defines an effective approach to training evaluation and proposes an evaluation form to be used to define the practical results of the Basic Manufacturing Skills for New Employees program.

The quality of training evaluation tools has a significant impact on the ability to implement evaluation results and single out areas of improvement, and this is why close attention should be paid to the choice of evaluation methods. The process used to plan and implement a training evaluation should reflect the key facts about the program such as the number of participants (Asadullah, Peretti, Ghulam Ali, & Bourgain, 2015).

The training program under analysis is aimed at new employees whose work duties are related to manufacturing.

The program involves two types of learning activities. First, participants are expected to work with theory, and the information is presented in the form of lectures. Then, new knowledge is solidified with the help of various practical activities that require the application of new skills. The training group includes a hundred new employees who should improve four types of skills related to manufacturing processes. The most popular approaches to training evaluation include the goal-free model (evaluation without knowledge concerning expected goals), and the Kirkpatrick model (Chang & Chou, 2015; Mueller & Colley, 2015). The latter is the model that includes four areas of assessment, and this approach to training evaluation acts as the most favorable option.

Rationale

The above-mentioned model allows focusing on participants’ subjective experiences and the extent to which they use new knowledge. Other approaches such as the goal-free and the discrepancy analysis models may require the use of specific professional knowledge tests. In the case being discussed, a large number of participants and the nature of skills make the creation of such tests extremely difficult.

The Kirkpatrick model has been chosen to create a post-training evaluation form for employees. The structure of the form will reflect the four evaluation levels identified in the model: reaction, learning, behavior, and results (Agarwal, Pande, & Ahuja, 2014). To plan an evaluation effectively, it will be pivotal to include both quantitative and qualitative questions in the majority of sections. The evaluation procedure is planned to be implemented two weeks after the end of the training program to ensure that new employees are capable of assessing the practical significance of newly acquired knowledge.

Evaluation Form

Your age: ___

Training location: ______

Employee trainer: _______________

Instructions

Answer questions using the following scale:

1. Fully disagree;
2. Disagree;
3. Do not know;
4. Agree;
5. Fully agree.

Questions 10, 14, and 18 are to be answered using words.

Reaction

1. I was encouraged to participate in group activities
2. The trainer managed to create an engaging experience
3. The training was a unique learning experience
4. Theoretical information was presented in an appropriate manner
5. Audio and visual aids were effectively used to illustrate theoretical points

Learning

6. I feel more confident when it comes to work-related tasks
7. The trainer was ready to explain all concepts in great detail
8. I still remember the modules and can briefly describe the content
9. The lecture content was well-organized
10. Three things that were new to me: ______________________________________

Behavior

11. I use new knowledge daily
12. The way I perform tasks has changed due to the program
13. I need less time to fulfill tasks than earlier
14. Three changes in behavior caused by new knowledge: ______________________

Results

15. The majority of concepts covered relate to my work duties
16. I have become more productive at work
17. I make fewer mistakes at work than earlier
18. Three changes that can improve the program: ______________________________

References

Agarwal, N., Pande, N., & Ahuja, V. (2014). Expanding the Kirkpatrick evaluation model towards more efficient training in the IT sector. International Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals, 5(4), 19-34.

Asadullah, M. A., Peretti, J. M., Ghulam Ali, A., & Bourgain, M. (2015). Firm size, ownership, training duration and training evaluation practices. European Journal of Training and Development, 39(5), 429-455.

Chang, N., & Chou, J. T. (2015). Evaluating learning effectiveness of an information law course in a blended learning environment based on the Kirkpatrick model. Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences, 52(4), 417-450.

Mueller, R. G., & Colley, L. M. (2015). An evaluation of the impact of end-of-course exams and ACT-Quality Core on US history instruction in a Kentucky high school. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 39(2), 95-106.