TRAINING

MEANING AND DEFINITION OF TRAINING

Training is an organised procedure for increasing the knowledge and skill of people for a specific
purpose. The trainees acquire new skill, technical knowledge, problem-solving ability, etc. It also gives
an awareness of the rules and procedures to guide their behaviour. Training improves the
performance of employees on present jobs and prepares them for taking up new assignments in
future.
• According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an
employee for doing a particular job”.
• According to Michael J. Jucius, “The term training is used here to indicate only process by which
the aptitudes, skills and abilities of employees to perform specific jobs are increased”.
• According to Michael Armstrong, “Training is a learning process whereby people acquire skills,
concepts, attitudes or knowledge to aid in the achievement of goals”.

TRAINING DEVELOPMENT
Short duration and for a specific job It involves broader education and its
related purpose purpose is long term development.

Training helps an individual learn Development involves preparing the

how to perform his present job individual for a future job and growth of
satisfactorily. individual in all respects.

Development is mostly the result of

Training is mostly the result of
initiatives taken by the management.
Training is, thus a reactive process
whereas development is a proactive
process
internal motivation
Development complements training
because human resources can exert their
full potential only when the learning
process goes far beyond simple routine

Development is future oriented training

focusing on the personal growth of the
employee

OBJECTIVE OF TRAINING
The training objectives are laid down keeping in view the company’s goals and objectives.
1. To develop capacities and capabilities: The basic objective of training is to help develop
capacities and capabilities of the employees-both new and old by upgrading their skills and
knowledge so that the organisation could gainfully avail of their services better for higher grade
professional, technical, sales or production positions from within the organisation.
2. Improvement in level of Performance: Training aims to help existing employees in improving
their levels of performance on their present job assignments. In case of new employees, training
has its objective to provide them with basic knowledge and skill they need for an intelligent
performance of their specific tasks.
3. Awareness & Consciousness: The aims of training are not only providing new knowledge and
job skills to the employees, but creating in them self consciousness and a greater awareness to
recognise their responsibilities and contribute their very best to the organisation they serve.
4. Availability with in the organisation: Sometimes, it may not be possible for the management to
fill in some important work positions from outside. Under such conditions, the apprenticeship
programmes aiming at improving the skills of the present employees come to the aid of the
company to tide over the position by making available their requirements of the personnel from
within the organisation.
5. Efficiency and Effectiveness: The main objective of training is to being about efficiency and
effectiveness in an organisation, so that the organisation may remain competitive in highly
competitive market situations and for the achievement of organisational goals.

TYPES OF TRAINING: The following types of training are generally in use:

1. Orientation or Induction Training: Helps a new entrant for adapting himself to the new
environment. The employee is given a full description of the job ,policies, procedures and rules
related to his work. Orientation training helps him to acquaint himself with his immediate boss and
the persons who will work under his command.
2. On-the-Job Training: Here the worker is trained on the job and at his work-place. He gets training
under the same type of conditions in which he will be working later on. The new worker is
generally attached to a superior or a senior worker who will tell him the technique of doing that job.
When a worker is trained on those very machines on which he will work, then he will adapt more
easily to the new working conditions. The success of this method will depend upon the quality of
trainer. If the trainer is good and knows the job well, then it will help the worker to learn all aspects
of the jobs.

Merits: The main advantages of On the Job Training (OJT) are as follows:
a) The trainee learns in real environment of the job. He gets a feel of the actual job. Therefore, he is
better motivated to learn and there is no problem of transfer of training skills on the job.
b) OJT is the type of training, which can be tailored to suit the specific requirements of each trainee,
in terms of his background, attitudes, needs, expectations, goals and future assignments.
c) Very economical because no additional space, equipment, personnel or other facilities are
required for training. The trainee produces while he learns.
d) The trainee learns the rules, regulations and procedures by observing their day to day
applications.
e) OJT is most suitable for unskilled and semi-skilled jobs where the job operations are simple, easy
to explain and demonstrate within a short span of time.
f) The supervisors feel greater responsibility and work more willingly and zealously for the
development of their subordinates, while imparting OJT.

Demerits: Some of the demerits from which OJT suffers are:

a) There is a tendency to neglect, disregard the essentials of principles and theory in favour of
immediate production.
b) Trainee while learning may damage equipment, waste materials, cause accidents frequently.
c) The work place, with environments charged with hustle and noise and the pace of skilled workers,
is most likely to affect the learning and may create a feeling of frustration in the mind of a trainee.
d) Experienced workers cannot use the machinery while it is being used for training.

3. Off-the-job Training: Off-the-job training consists of lectures, conferences, group discussions,

case studies, programme instructions, etc. This method is generally used by government and
public enterprises. A school or an institution is established to provide training to all types of
persons. The lecture method or group discussion helps new employees to learn theoretical
aspects of the jobs. Lectures, case studies, group discussions and audio-visual aids are used to
explain knowledge and skills to be trainees. Classroom training is suitable for teaching concepts
and problem solving skills. It is also useful for orientations and safety training programmes. It may
also include courses in retraining and upgrading.
4. Apprenticeship Training: In apprenticeship training a worker is attached to an experienced or
senior worker. The worker learns while observing his senior and helping him in the task. The
period of apprenticeship is generally long, ranging from two to five years. This method of training
is generally used in technical jobs. Mechanics, electricians, plumbers learn their jobs by working
 with trained persons. This is one of the traditional methods of training and is still in use for learning
certain jobs.
Merits: The main merits of this method are:
a) The main advantage of this method is that it combines theory and practice. The trainee becomes
productive immediately.
b) It ensures the maintenance of a skilled work force/ improves workmanship
c) This fosters a sense of belongings and loyalty in the minds of employees and opens up
opportunities for their growth and development.
Demerits: Apprenticeship training is time consuming and expensive. Many persons leave the training
programme midway as the training period extends from one year to three years.

5. Refresher Training: Refresher training is helpful in acquainting personnel with latest

improvements in their work. The changing technological methods require fresh training to existing
employees even if they are well trained or qualified. Such training also helps in refreshing the
memory of employees.
6. Vestibule Training: In this method a training centre called vestibule is set up and actual job
conditions are duplicated or simulated in it. Expert trainers are employed to provide training with
the help of equipment and machines which are identical with those in used at the workplace.

7. Internship Training: In internship training, educational institutions and business firms have a joint
programme of training. Selected candidates carry on regular studies for the prescribed period.
They also work in some factories or office to acquire practical knowledge and skills. This method
helps to provide a good balance between practical and theory. But it involves a long time period
due to slow process. Internship training is used in professional courses e.g. MBBS, CA, ICWA,
etc.