Unit 3: Training, development & career planning
Human Resource Management notes · PTU syllabus (BCOM 303-18)
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Unit summary
Employees must keep learning to perform well and grow. This unit covers identifying training needs, the training process and methods, development, the career life cycle, and career planning and development.
After this unit you can
- Identify training needs at organisation, task and individual levels
- Explain the training process and methods
- Distinguish training from development
- Explain the career life cycle and the career planning process
PTU syllabus topics
- Identification of training needs
- process and methods of training and development
- career life cycle
- process of career planning and development
Where
At the workplace
Classroom or training centre
Methods
Coaching, job rotation, apprenticeship
Lectures, case studies, role play, simulation
Cost
Lower
Higher
Drawback
May disturb work
Transfer to real work can be harder
Topic 1
Training needs and the training process
Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. Training needs analysis compares required and actual performance at three levels: organisation, task (job) and individual (person).
- 1. Assess needs:
- 2. Set objectives:
- 3. Design the programme:
- 4. Deliver training:
- 5. Evaluate: Feedback into needs
Topic 2
Methods of training and development
On-the-job
Job instruction, coaching, apprenticeship, job rotation, understudy
Practical skills at the workplace
Off-the-job
Lectures, case studies, role play, simulations, vestibule training, e-learning
Concepts, behaviour, safety
Development prepares employees, especially managers, for future roles: management games, sensitivity training, conferences, mentoring, executive education.
Focus
Current job skills
Future growth
For
Non-managers mostly
Managers mostly
Duration
Short term
Long term
Initiated by
Management
Often the individual too
Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation: reaction, learning, behaviour and results.
Topic 3
Career life cycle
- 1Exploration
Choosing a career, education
- 2Establishment
First jobs, proving oneself
- 3Mid-career
Growth or plateau
- 4Late career
Mentoring others
- 5Decline
Preparing for retirement
Topic 4
Career planning and development
Career planning is the process by which an employee identifies career goals and the path to reach them; the organisation helps through career paths, counselling and opportunities.
- 1Self-assessment
Skills, interests, values
- 2Explore opportunities
- 3Set career goals
- 4Plan actions
Training, experience
- 5Implement and review
Benefits: better retention, motivation and a ready pool of talent for succession.
Key terms
- Training
- Improving skills for the current job
- Development
- Preparing employees for future roles
- Training needs analysis
- Identifying gaps in skills and knowledge
- Vestibule training
- Training in a simulated work environment
- Career planning
- Setting career goals and paths
Quick revision
- TNA levels: organisation, task, individual.
- Training cycle: assess → design → deliver → evaluate.
- Kirkpatrick: reaction, learning, behaviour, results.
- Career stages: exploration → establishment → mid → late → decline.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.Define training.
- Q2.Differentiate between training and development.
- Q3.Name two on-the-job and two off-the-job methods.
- Q4.What is vestibule training?
- Q5.State Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation.
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain the process of training and the methods of identifying training needs.
- Q2.Explain on-the-job and off-the-job training methods.
- Q3.Explain the career life cycle and the process of career planning.
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