This document discusses a skills training assessment for an employee. It includes questions about calculating present value and interest for cash flows, loan payments, project valuation using NPV and IRR, bond pricing, stock valuation, options pricing, and statistical analysis. The employee is asked to show their work in Excel and include any formulas used.
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
Ā
Name_________________________________________Please give bes.docx
1. Name_________________________________________
Please give best answers to all questions on the with use of
Excel, Excel sheets need to be attached when you submitted.
Please write the formula you use in excel and also attach the
excel answers.
a) With interest rate 8%, calculate the PV of following cash
flows.
Year
Payment
PV
1
1,000
2
1,000
3
1,000
4
1,000
5
1,000
b) You borrow $10,000 today with interest rate 7%, and you
plan to pay the bank back with 8 equal annual payment. Please
fill up the following table.
Principal
Payment
3. 7
8
1. a)Please calculate NPV and IRR for both projects, and fill the
blank which project you decide to say yes.
Discount rate
12%
Year
Project A
Project B
0
-1000
-800
1
500
420
2
500
420
3
500
420
5. b)Please calculate the following cash flow and show us your
decision about which project should be chosen and why.
Date
Cash flow A
Cash Flow B
1-Jan-02
-10,000
-13000
1-Jul-02
3,000
3500
1-Jul-03
3,000
4000
1-Jul-04
3,000
3500
1-Jul-05
3,000
4000
1-Jul-06
3,000
4000
2. Statistics and Regression Analysis
a) Please calculate average, variance and standard deviation for
annual return column.
Annual
return
31-Dec-98
34.13
0.92
31-Dec-99
30.81
7. 1.30
-16.02%
Average return, E(rK)
Variance of return, Ļ2K
Standard deviation of return, ĻK
b) Please show your regress analysis table and fill form for
slope, intercept and R-square.
Return for the month
Date
S&P 500
IBM
3-Jan-07
1-Feb-07
-2.18%
-6.98%
1-Mar-07
1.00%
2.42%
2-Apr-07
4.33%
10. Intercept
R-squared
3. Bond
a) Please calculate YTM.
Date
Bond cash flow
15-Dec-09
-1,000.00
15-Dec-10
80.00
15-Dec-11
80.00
15-Dec-12
80.00
15-Dec-13
80.00
15-Dec-14
80.00
15-Dec-15
80.00
15-Dec-16
1,080.00
11. YTM of bond
b) Compute the price for following bond with YTM of 5%.
Date
Payment
1
80
2
80
3
1,080
Bond price
4. Stocks Valuation
ABC companyās current FCF is $2,000,000, it will grown at
20% for the first 4 years and back to a steady growth rate 7%
after 4 years. The WACC is 10%, outstanding shares is
4,000,000. Please use FCF model to estimate the value of their
stock. Show you steps and calculations in Excel. Assume all
FCFs happen at the end period.
Current FCF
2,000,000
Anticipated growth rate, years 1-4
20%
WACC
10%
Long-term growth rate, after year 4
7%
Number of shares outstanding
4,000,000
5. Please fill the following chart.
Suppose you write a IBM call which was sold for $7.00 on Apr
9 2013 with exercise price X=$100, on Expiration date July
12. 19,2013, given different possibilities of market prices, please
fill the following chart. Hint: Profit/ loss is not payoff.
ST: Market price
of IBM
Will call
buyer exercise
Dollar
profit/loss
to call writer
0
80
90
100
110
120
130
13. 140
150
160
170
180
190
In this chapter, we will discuss basic workplace competencies
and then review
some of the types of training programs used to improve these
competencies. There
are many ways that skills training programs can be categorized.
For this chapter, we
organize our discussion around three categories: basic
skills/literacy education, tech-
nical training, and interpersonal skills training. Basic
skills/literacy education refers
to training that focuses on upgrading the reading, writing, and
computation skills
needed to function in most any job. Technical training refers to
training that
involves the process of upgrading a wide range of technical
14. skills (such as computer
skills) needed by particular individuals in an organization.
Interpersonal skills
training refers to training that focuses on an individualās
relationships with others,
including interpersonal topics like communication and
teamwork. Training in all of
these areas can be critical to organizations. Table 9-1 lists the
categories of skills
training programs and the subcategories included within them.
We will discuss pro-
grams used in each of these categories and subcategories.
BASIC WORKPLACE COMPETENCIES
As mentioned in Chapter 1, a major problem facing employers
today is the
skills gapāthe difference between the skill requirements of
available jobs and
the skills possessed by job applicants.2 In the United States, the
skills gap is the
result of at least three factors: (1) the skill level achieved by
many high school
and college graduates; (2) the growing number of racial
minorities and non-
English-speaking immigrants in the labor market (many of
whom are concen-
trated in the worst-performing schools and school systems in the
country); and
(3) the increased sophistication of jobs due to increased reliance
on information
technology. 3 The skill levels of high schoolāand even some
collegeāstudents,
particularly at a time when organizations require increasingly
skilled workers, has
generated much criticism of public education systems in the
United States, as
well as in other nations. 4 One survey found that 73 percent of
15. employers said
that recent high school graduates lack grammar and spelling
skills, 63 percent of employers feel graduates lack basic math
skills, and 47 percent of employers say
these students canāt speak English properly; similar percentages
are obtained
when professors rate college freshman.5 Many employers are
finding that graduates
with basic skill deficiencies must be given remedial training
before they are job-
ready. This remains an urgent issue for both school
administrators and society
to address.
The number of racial minorities in the U.S. labor market is
predicted to
exceed one-third of the labor force by 2018.6 This change in the
demographics
of the labor force is expected to be gradual. By 2018, Hispanics
are predicted to
increase to 17.6 percent of the labor force; African-Americans
will make up
about 12.1 percent; and Asians will be 5.6 percent, with 2.9
percent other
(non-white/multiple racial categories).7 Furthermore, a sizable
portion of these
new workers will be immigrants who lack proficiency in
English, and who also
may lack basic skills. Thus, two kinds of training may be
necessary to get them
job-ready: basic skills and basic English-as-a-second-language
training (ESL).8
These deficiencies represent a major challenge to potential
employers who must
rely on these workers.
The increased sophistication of jobs, particularly as a result of
the information
16. technology explosion, affects almost every industry. The trend
toward increas-
ingly powerful computer technology and software systems has
led to a prolifera-
tion of high-technology applications, including robotics,
decision-support systems,
e-mail systems, and communications networks. Continuous
technical training will
likely be necessary for those occupations that rely on
information technology and
are directly affected by the constant changes in hardware and
software.9
BASIC SKILLS/LITERACY PROGRAMS
As discussed earlier, the basic competency skills include
reading, writing, and
computational skills. While the assessment of these skills is not
always standardized,
deficiencies in these skills are widely reported. In 2007, the
U.S. Department of
Education estimated U.S. adult literacy levels in three broad
categories:
1. Prose literacyāskills and strategies needed to understand and
use information
from texts that are frequently found in the home and the
community
2. Document literacyāskills and strategies required to locate
and use information
contained in nontextual materials that include tables, graphs,
charts, indexes,
forms, and schedules
3. Quantitative literacyāknowledge and skills needed to apply
the arithmetical
operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
(either singly
or sequentially) in combination with printed materials, as in
balancing a
17. checkbook or completing an order form
Using these categories, it was estimated that 14 percent of U.S.
adults were
ābelow basicā in prose literacy, 12 percent were below basic in
document literacy,
and 22 percent were below basic in quantitative literacy. The
greatest number
of adults were at the ābasicā and āintermediateā levels across
all three types of literacy measures, with only 13 percent of
adults at the āproficientā level (across
all three categories).10 Two other national surveys found results
that were similar,
or worse in particular areas. 11 It is distressing that so many
adults could be classi-
fied as functionally illiterate, that is, lacking sufficient literacy
skills to meet daily
needs in their workplaces and families. 12 Literacy issues pose
major challenges for
employers. If employees cannot read or compute at sufficient
skill levels, it is
extremely difficult to install new equipment that requires
operators to read
instructions and make decisions.13
Worldwide, the greatest number of illiterate adults can be found
in develop-
ing nations, especially in rural areas. However, many
industrialized nations also
face literacy challenges, including Great Britain and Canada.14
For example, a
1995 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development
estimated that 21 percent of U.S. adults had reading proficiency
levels below
primary school; this figure was worse than the estimates for
most other countries
surveyed.15
18. When creating a program to address basic skill
deficiencies, employers
should operationally define each basic skill. Kirsch and
Jungeblut studied literacy
among young adults (ages twenty-one through twenty-five)
using the same three
categories as shown above. The measurement of these skills was
accomplished by
devising a large number of simulated tasks that are then
administered to a nation-
wide sample. A sizable number of young adults had low literacy
scores, with an
even greater number of young minority adults ranking below
average.16 A more
recent book presents similar evidence.17
Addressing Illiteracy in the Workplace
Many organizations recognize literacy issues among their
workers. It is estimated
that 4.8 percent of the money spent on formal learning by
organizations is used
to conduct basic skills programsāthough this encompasses more
than literacy
training.18 Companies like Motorola, Ford, DaimlerChrysler,
Xerox, Polaroid,
and Kodak have instituted comprehensive basic skills programs.
19 The following
are examples of some programs.
1. The California State Department of Education assisted
nineteen area compa-
nies by developing a literacy program, involving 600 hours of
development
time, aimed at improving employee skills for reading work
materials, enter-
ing required data, making numerical calculations, and using
correct technical
vocabulary in their speech.20
19. 2. Ten Canadian organizations were highlighted in a 2010
report by the
Conference Board of Canada for their efforts to increase worker
literacy in
the interests of workplace safety and health. This included
addressing literacy
issues for immigrants and Aboriginal employees in northern
Canada. 21 The
good news in this report is that the larger group of Canadian
organizations
surveyed were spending an average of 10 percent of their
training budgets
on safety and health issues; the bad news is that these same
organizations
were only spending an average of two percent of their training
budgets on
addressing literacy and basic skills upgrading.22
Designing an In-House Basic Skills/Literacy Program
The design of basic skills/literacy programs varies widely from
organization to
organization. There are at least two common characteristics: (1)
an aptitude test
and (2) small-group and one-on-one instruction. An aptitude test
is important for
assessing the current ability level of each trainee. For example,
a basic skills program
developed by the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station begins
with an assess-
ment of each traineeās learning ability before he or she is
assigned to an intensive
six-month study skills program.24 These data are essential for
developing an indi-
vidualized lesson plan that allows the trainer to pinpoint
learning objectives and
to select the best training methods, techniques, and materials
for each trainee.
20. Small-group instruction and one-on-one tutoring are
important for supplying
feedback to the trainee, as well as for conducting remedial work
in any areas of
deficiency. Zaslow suggests using supervisors as writing
coaches by training them
to give feedback to employees on writing techniques. 25 To
supplement small-
group instruction, some organizations are using self-paced,
computer-interactive
programs that provide opportunities for employees to practice
basic concepts.
Many organizations now offer these programs in CD-ROM
format or through
their intranet. Self-pacing allows a trainee to practice at his or
her own rate,
without the pressures of a classroom, and to repeat or skip steps
or sequences in
the program as necessary. Perhaps this is obvious, but this
approach is best used
for trainees who are highly motivated to learn.
The methods used for in-house basic skills training programs
also vary.
Training manuals, tutorial disks, and videotapes/DVDs are the
least costly meth-
ods to use because they do not require a classroom or an
instructor, although
these methods also have significant disadvantages.26 But when
a trainer and class-
room are used, the cost increases. The most costly programs are
those that are
customized, because they require considerable time and
expertise to design.27
As with most HRD interventions, support from management is
an important
ingredient of a successful basic skills training program. But that
21. support is not
always easy to obtain. For example, an ASTD survey reports
that the majority of
HRD professionals believe āthere is a problem and that many
people in the orga-
nization are affected,ā while the majority of top management
believe āthere is a
problem but that few people are affected.ā28 This suggests that
HRD professionals
will likely need to inform and educate top management about
the extent of the
basic skills problem in their own organization if they expect to
receive the neces-
sary funding and support for their basic skills programs.
Federal Support for Basic Skills Training
The U.S. federal government has long recognized its role in
supporting private
training initiatives targeted toward the unemployed, displaced,
and economically disadvantaged. From 1983 to 2000, the Job
Training and Partnership Act (JTPA)
was the largest federal skills training program. The JTPA
replaced the Compre-
hensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). The goal of
Title IIA of the
JTPA was to provide training opportunities to the unemployed,
displaced, and
economically disadvantaged in order to help them obtain
permanent jobs. In
2000, the JTPA was replaced by the Workforce Investment Act
(described
more fully later in this section).
Under the JTPA, approximately $4 billion was available every
year from the
federal government. This money was funneled through 600
individual private
industry councils (PICs) to private training institutes and
22. employers in order to
fund skills training.29 Local government officials appointed the
PICs, which were
composed of representatives from business, education,
community-based agencies,
and others. The role of a PIC is to oversee the distribution of
the funds and to
ensure that state JTPA standards and guidelines are followed.
Most employer-based training programs involve basic skills and
job-specific
training. While most of the training is conducted on-site in a
classroom, JTPA
sponsored on-the-job training programs, as long as the employer
agreed to hire
the trainees once they completed their training. The success of
JTPA programs
was dependent, in part, on how well these programs were
coordinated with the
work of other social service agencies. For example, potential
trainees could be
identified and referred to a training agency by a community-
based social agency
that served the economically disadvantaged target population.
This was the case
when the Atlanta Marquis Hotel trained fifty-nine people;
thirty-nine were referred
by Goodwill Industries, a community-based non-profit agency,
and twenty were
referred by the local PIC.30
In addition, the JTPA was tied to the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining
Notification (WARN) Act. The WARN Act requires employers
with 100 or
more employees to give sixty days advance notice of a plant
closure to both
employees and unions. When plant closings or mass layoffs
23. were imminent, JTPA
funds were to be made available to set up rapid response teams
that worked with
unions and companies to administer retraining and worker-
displacement programs.31
Despite successful JTPA programs, such as that of the Atlanta
Marquis,
two problems were identified. First, several private institutions
and employers
received funds fraudulently, that is, some employers used JTPA
funds to hire
workers they would have recruited even under normal
conditions. 32 Second,
JTPA funds provided training for only a fraction of the eligible
displaced and
unemployed workers. This was due in part to the JTPA budget
being decreased
from $1.4 billion in 1983 to $0.9 billion in 1997. The funding of
JPTA-type
programs was also affected by the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996. A main goal of this act was to move
people from
welfare to work through a process known as workfare. The act
mandated that
welfare recipients work a minimum of twenty hours per week
(the minimum
was increased to thirty hours in 2002).
The JPTA was one of 150 federal education and training
programs that
together cost the taxpayers $25 billion a year. According to
Judy and DāAmico,
these programs were ānotoriously ineffective ... or at least
extremely expensive, when their meager results are consideredā
(p. 133). 33 For example, a federal pro-
gram attempted to retrain 4,500 laid-off garment workers in El
24. Paso, Texas.
While the program spent $25 million in two years, only 375
trainees were placed
in jobs.34An empirical study of sixteen JTPA sites studied the
impact of JTPA
training on post training earnings. Eligible individuals were
randomly assigned to
either a training or a control condition, and JTPA training was
found to have a
positive, but modest (and statistically nonsignificant) impact
on earnings ten
months after training.35 Beyond these concerns, the U.S.
General Accounting
Office (GAO) found that the narrow focus of the patchwork of
federal education
and training programs frustrates and confuses employers,
program administrators,
and those seeking assistance.36 The GAO recommended that
these programs
be overhauled and consolidated to streamline services and make
program admin-
istrators more accountable.
In response, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) passed in
1998. The goal
of this act was to consolidate more than seventy federal
education and training
programs into block grants designed to give states more
flexibility in meeting
their constituentsā education and training needs. The three
major funding streams
are for youth, adults, and displaced workers (that is, workers
who have lost their
jobs through layoffs, downsizing, etc.). The Act is designed to
give greater con-
trol to local boards and the private sector, and to increase the
accountability of
25. all training providers for the outcomes of their efforts. The goal
is to see more
positive use of federal training dollars; it is imperative that
these funds be used as
effectively as possible to reach the populations targeted for
assistance. 37 The per-
formance standards and performance management system built
into the WIA are
meant to encourage greater accountability and successful
outcomes for federally
funded job training programs. In 2009, over eight million
individuals were
served by WIA programs.38 Presently, the resources available
to adults through
the WIA are administered by the Office of Workforce
Investment within the
U.S. Department of Labor.39 A summary of results by the U.S.
Employment &
Training Administration, as well as two recent independent
reviews of data con-
cerning the effectiveness of the WIA are relatively optimistic
concerning the
impact this act is having on adult participants in WIA-sponsored
activities.40
TECHNICAL TRAINING
Technical training, as discussed earlier, is a generic term that
can encompass a wide
range of programs. For convenience, we limit our discussion to
five categories of
technical training programs: apprenticeship training, computer
training, technical
skills/knowledge training, safety training, and quality training.
Apprenticeship Training Programs
Apprenticeship training began during the Middle Ages as a way
to pass on the
knowledge of individuals working in skilled trades and crafts.
26. The primary pur-
pose of these early programs was preservation of the industrial
and crafts guilds.
Today, the focus of apprenticeship programs is to provide
trainees with the skills needed to meet continually changing job
requirements. With the challenges of
the global economy and the scarcity of skilled employees, it is
imperative that
apprenticeship programs be more responsive to these needs.41
Apprenticeship programs represent a unique partnership
between employers,
labor unions, schools, and government agencies. In the U.S.,
there are roughly
28,000 different apprenticeship programs enrolling over
460,000 registered
apprentices across over 700 job categories. 42 Of this total, the
largest number of
all apprenticeships are in construction trades, and then
manufacturing. A typical
apprenticeship program requires a minimum of 2,000 hours of
on-the-job training
(OJT) experience.43 In addition to the OJT experience, all
programs require a min-
imum of 144 hours of classroom training. Classroom training
may be given at a local
vocational/technical school or community college. For example,
the Community
College of Rhode Island conducts the classroom portion of the
Plastics Process
Technician Apprenticeship Program for area employers. The
four-year program is
broken into 1,050 hours of classroom training, plus 8,000 hours
of OJT training.44
At the end of the program, the students receive not only
certification as journey-
men, but also an associateās degree in plastics process
27. technology.
The U.S. apprenticeship system is regulated by the Office of
Apprenticeship,
which is housed within the Employment & Training
Administration of the U.S.
Department of Labor (DOL). It was formerly called the Bureau
of Apprenticeship
and Training (BAT). There is an Office of Apprenticeship
location in most
states.45 In addition, many states have apprenticeship councils
that oversee appren-
ticeships in their state. A well-planned, properly administered
apprenticeship
program should lead to many positive outcomes for employers
and employees,
including decreasing turnover, potential financial support from
tax incentives, and
networking opportunities with other employers who make use of
apprentices.46
There are, however, some problems with the present
apprenticeship system.
Some major concerns are: (1) learning is based on time
requirements rather than
competency, (2) programs are isolated from other education and
training institu-
tions, (3) programs are concentrated in traditional blue-collar
occupations, and
(4) the system has not adjusted to requirements for the period
after the initial
apprenticeship. 47 In addition, issues have been raised as to
whether females and
minorities benefit as much from traditional apprenticeship
programs as males and
white individuals.48 It is also the case that most apprenticeship
programs begin
after someone completes high school, that is, they can be
28. considered āadultā
apprenticeships. Data collected by the U.S. Department of
Labor indicate that
formal apprenticeships also have an āimage problemā with
employers, parents,
and students alike.49
Some of these problems were addressed in the United States by
an initiative
called Apprenticeship 2000, started by the U.S. Department of
Labor. Based
on the successes of countries like Germany, one purpose of the
program was to
expand the apprenticeship concept and link it to secondary
schools. For example,
in 1991, the Wisconsin legislature passed an act that
emphasized youth appren-
ticeships and technical preparation programs. Also around this
time, Oregon
redesigned its vocational high school curriculum to allow
eleventh-grade students
to enter an apprentice-type training program with businesses
that guaranteed the students jobs after they graduated.50 Such
efforts are referred to as school-to-work
programs. The success of the programs in Wisconsin and
Oregon prompted other
states, such as Rhode Island, New York, North Carolina, and
South Carolina, to
seek similar reforms. These programs are distinct from more
traditional adult
apprenticeship programs, in that they target high school
students, particularly those
who are not likely to enroll in four-year colleges.
In response to the success that many states have with school-to-
work initia-
tives, the U.S. Congress enacted the School-to-Work
Opportunities Act in 1993.
29. This federal act was in effect from 1994 until 2001.51 The act
created a fund
through which the federal government made grants available to
states to cover
the costs of implementing school-to-work programs. For
example, Wisconsin
received $27 million to support implementation of a variety of
school-to-work
programs, including youth apprenticeship, over a five-year
period.52 The Wisconsin
youth apprenticeship program offers apprenticeships in twenty-
two occupational
areas, including engineering, manufacturing, health services,
automotive technician,
and banking. First-year enrollment in the program was 700
(representing only
1 percent of high school students). 5 3 In 2008, roughly 1,800
students were
involved in youth apprenticeships, with more students in co-op
education pro-
grams. Funding cuts are blamed for the relatively low numbers
of students
involved. 5 4 This is unfortunate, given the many positive
outcomes found for
this program, as well as those in other states. 5 5
School-to-work programs continue in many states. The success
of a school-
to-work program depends on the coordinated effort of all
participants. 56 Schools
should administer vocational assessment tests so that they can
properly advise
students on which program is best for them. In addition, schools
should also
ensure that their curriculum adequately prepares students in the
fundamentals
needed to learn advanced skills in an apprenticeship program.
30. Other organiza-
tions involved in program administration, such as state
government and labor
unions, should provide technical support and advice to
employers and help
coordinate activities to ensure that programs run smoothly.
Finally, employers
should ensure that the work assignments provide meaningful
learning experiences
for each student to build the competencies needed to complete
an apprenticeship
program.
Benefits to employers from school-to-work programs include
access to a
trained labor pool, a better public image, and potential
eligibility for wage
subsidies and tax credits. 5 7 These benefits, however,
should be weighed
against the potential costs. The direct costs include wages and
benefits paid
to students. The indirect costs include the time spent on the
programs by
HRD professionals and other employees who are responsible for
coordinating
the program, orienting and training the staff, and training and
supervising the
students. However, given the continuing shortage of skilled
workers, school-
to-work programs would seem to be a vital element in the effort
to reduce
the skills gap noted earlier. 5 8 In 2009, England passed the
Apprenticeships,
Skills, Children and Learning Act, which provides considerable
new direction
and support for youth apprenticeships, as well as adult learning
and retrain-
31. ing efforts.
Computer Training Programs
Computer-skills training is extremely popular. Some computer
training is more
introductory in nature. Introductory programs introduce trainees
to computer hard-
ware and software. Such programs focus primarily on mastering
basic software
application, such as how to navigate the operating system. They
do this through
the use of manuals and tutorials (software programs themselves)
that provide
hands-on, interactive learning. These courses are designed to
help trainees over-
come their fear of computers and better understand how
computers work. Applica-
tions training covers specific software applications available
within an organization.60
Unlike introductory courses, which can be offered to an entire
organization, appli-
cations training is typically provided on an as-needed basis.
With the availability of
online capabilities via an intranet, employees can access online
computer training
at any time of the day (or any day of the weekā24/7).61
Given the range of options for conducting computer skills
training, which
approaches do employees prefer? One survey reveals that both
experienced and
less experienced trainees prefer to learn to use software by
experimenting or
through trial and error. 62 The more traditional training
methods, including
lectures and seminars, rank near the bottom of the list of trainee
preferences.
Gupta and Bostrom have recently provided a theoretical
32. framework that seeks
to explain such preferences for technology-mediated learning.
63
Researchers are exploring a number of learning issues involved
in computer
skills training. For example:
ā¢ Self-efficacyāself-efficacy is an individualās belief that he
or she can successfully
perform a given behavior (recall our discussion of self-efficacy
in Chapter 3).
Computer self-efficacy is an important prerequisite for
successful computer
training.64 Research shows that a behavior modeling approach
to software
training results in higher self-efficacy scores and higher scores
on an objective
measure of computer software mastery than a tutorial
approach.65
ā¢ Cognitive playfulnessācognitive playfulness includes the
spontaneity, imagi-
nation, and exploratory approach that a person brings to task
performance
and learning. 66 Martocchio and Webster found that trainees
higher in cog-
nitive playfulness were more likely to exhibit higher learning,
positive mood,
and satisfaction with feedback.67 However, they also found that
positive feed-
back was more beneficial for employees who were lower
in cognitive
playfulness.
ā¢ Training formatāthe use of behavior modeling for software
training is gener-
ally more effective in producing computer skills learning and
application
than either of the more commonly used self-paced and lecture
33. approaches.68
Behavior modeling has also been found to be effective in online
learning. 69
The results of empirical studies like the ones cited here can
provide useful
guidelines for designing and implementing computer skills
training programs. This
kind of ongoing research on learning-related issues underscores
the need for HRD
professionals to keep abreast of developments that can help
them improve the
design and implementation of computer skills training (and all
HRD programs).
Technical Skills/Knowledge Training
When organizations introduce new technology (e.g., by
modernizing facilities or
computerizing operations), they typically need to update the
skills of the workers
who must use it. Organizations often do this through job-
specific technical skills/
knowledge training programs. Such training is often specific to
a job, process, or
piece of equipment, but can also be more general. For example,
a training program
used to teach clerical workers how to operate a new telephone
system is classified as
job-specific. A training program used to train employees on new
policies and pro-
cedures pertaining to waste disposal and given to all workers is
classified as general.
There are different levels of technical skills/knowledge training.
At the
lowest level, the goal is to prepare entry-level employees to
perform basic func-
tional responsibilities. These programs are similar to basic
skills programs and
34. combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training (OJT).
As an example,
Stanley-Bostitch Inc., a manufacturer of staples and
fasteners, conducts a
twenty-eight-week, entry-level operator training program of six
modules, encom-
passing basic math, basic measurement skills, blueprint reading,
shop practices,
basic tooling, and basic machines. The last three modules
involve intensive OJT.
Successful trainees are expected to operate new, advanced
equipment. In a similar
situation, IBM assigns entry-level clerical workers to a two-
week, sixty-eight-hour
training program divided into fourteen modules that include
automated pro-
cedures, time management, problem solving, and stress
management. 7 0
Beyond apprenticeship training, unions may also help provide
training, such
as with joint labor-management training programs designed to
update union
membersā skills. For example, the Laborersā International Union
and the Associ-
ated General Contractors (AGC) formed the Laborers-AGC
Education and
Training Fund. One example of training provided by the
Laborers-AGC group
is an eighty-hour certificate course in hazardous-waste
removal. Goodman
reports that almost 9,000 of 500,000 union members completed
the training
qualifying them to work on hazardous-waste removal
projects.71
Michael Gorman provides an interesting case study where a
large organization
35. provided specific training programs to their IT managers, in an
effort to expand upon
their current expertise with technology. These included separate
programs on
spreadsheet skills, financial evaluation of projects, decision
making, and technology
consulting, with positive responses from the managers
completing evaluations.
