Training needs assessment
According to Barbazette need an assessment analysis is necessary for success of any training program that employees of a company are put through (2006 p. 56). As a human resource consulting firm, LTC carries considers the need of assessment a crucial part of the services that clients are offered in an organization.
To ensure success of the training and development that is offered by LTC, the firm adeptly the need to perform a training assessment. LTC uses the training needs an assessment analysis to identify the areas where there is a gap in the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the employees of an organization.
LTC helps analyze what is currently in place and what the organization expects in alignment with its long-term plan and objectives. Through this analysis, LTC is able to formulate a training program for an organization to bring the employees up to speed with their organization’s expectations and objectives.
LTC uses three levels of analysis to conduct its needs assessment analysis. Analysis is done on organizational level, individual level and task level.
Organizational effectiveness is scrutinized under organizational analysis to determine the effect of if the environment, effect of technology on organizational performance, effect of globalization, achievement of organizational goals, the effect of the macro- economic conditions, political trends and the attitudes of the employees and top management towards training initiatives.
LTC also looks at task analysis for in-depth information on the jobs that are carried out in the organization. Task analysis also focuses on the skills, attitudes and the level of performance of the organization.
To get the information for task analysis, LTC looks at the various job descriptions of the company, the KSA analysis, standards of performance, operation problem analysis, literature review about the various jobs available in the organization, observation of the jobs and in some cases actual performance of the work by LTC professionals.
According to Rosset, individual analysis on the other hand involves analysis of the individual performances of the employees of an organization (1987 p. 19). LTC examines whether or not an individual is performing his/her job optimally and determines which employees needs more training and on which areas.
The analysis by LTC is dome through administration of questionnaires and checklists, observation, evaluation of performance, interviews and attitude surveys of the employees.
Through the above analyses, LTC is able to pinpoint with accuracy where a gap exists in an organization to come up with a remedial training program.
Learning theories employed
Training carried out by LTC is comprehensive. Both pedagogical and andragogical approaches are used in the training. However, according to Soni it is important that these two methods are suited for two different groups with a considerable age difference; children and adults (2004 p.47).
Adults especially educate and working adults that LTC trains mostly have been through the formal schooling system and have a little more experience and exposure on what their jobs entail. They therefore need minimal memorization for the purposes of exams rather they need understanding of concepts and approaches that stimulate their minds to apply knowledge they have learnt in real life situations including their jobs.
LTC therefore employs an anagogical approach in its training seminars considering most adults would prefer to be treated like adults in a learning setting. However, that is not to say that LTC does not use a pedagogical approach.
The Company considers the fact that some basic learning skills are universal in both adult and child learning. That is the reason why LTC carries out analyses to determine their skillset and intellect to fuse the learning approaches for the effectiveness of the training.
Learning style
The analyses that LTC carries out help determine a lot bout the learning styles that can be used an organizational setting. Lytras at al says that effective learning cannot take place without proper modes of presentation (2008 p. 67). LTC prefers seminar style trainings that are backed by sets of audiovisual products as well as soft and hard copy materials.
The trainings by LTC are carried out with the aid of power point presentations. Power point is preferred by LTC because of its simplicity and clarity in its presentations. However, the company recognizes that different people have different speeds of learning and slow learners may not effectively participate in the training. Besides, some learners may not find the power point presentation friendly especially those with eyesight problems.
LTC therefore issues hard copy handouts bearing the same content that is contained in the power point slides. The company also issues compact discs that have the training in soft. The copies help participants to follow proceedings. Besides, they get to keep them for their own references form time to time when need may arise.
It’s also LTC’s believe that learning through group work is healthy and helps in exchange of ideas. The trainings also involve group discussions where group members are assigned tasks to solve as group. It helps improve their creative and presentation skills.
Companies suited
Currently LTC is preparing a training program for Dubai Islamic bank. Besides other companies in the financial sector, LTC carries out training in various other organizations including non-governmental organizations, government corporations, insurance companies, and companies in tours and travel business. LTC has conducted numerous training in the Middles East, Africa, Europe, and the United States.
References
Barbazette, J. (2006) Training needs assessment: methods, tools, and techniques: Volume 1. San Francisco: Wiley Publishing.
Lytras at al. (2008)The Open Knowledge Society: A Computer Science and Information Systems Manifesto. Berlin: Springer Verlag.
Rosset, A. (1987). Training needs assessment. New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications.
Soni, S.K. (2004) An Information Resource On Education. London: Sarup and sons.