How many times have we have we sent someone to training just to have them return without really having improved their personal skills in relation to the tasks that were being presented.  And then we ask:  Why?

 

The reason training, both in-house and outsourced, appears to fail is not because the student didn’t learn or that the instructor didn’t teach, but rather because the student was not able to adequately use the skills that were taught.  We can train an individual in a skill and test them in performance only to have them not be able to execute the task in the office under practical conditions.

 

Adult learning is different than that we had in our younger school years.  Adult learning consists of a five step process: 

 

 

 

This process is similar in nature to Deming’s quality theory of Plan-Do-Check-Act. 

 

To ensure adult education is successful the training should include some form of professional mentorship.