Discussion Topic

Concept and Brief Discussion:

On-the-Job Training
On the job training is a very important aspect for those who are learning a new trade and would also like to earn money as they are training. An apprenticeship enables a person to work with a professional in that trade, while learning all of the ins and outs. They gain a better experience and are also able to pay for their education while they do the apprenticeship. An internship is a good way to prepare yourself for the real world because it lets you work with a company that you may be interested in. If they like you as an employee then they are able to offer you a job. Simulations are a great way of improving job performance because it helps a person internalize a situation that they really have never encountered or need to work on. Through simulations the employee gains essential skills that will help them improve and become more efficient in their work.

Emotional Hook:

If you were to learn a skill or trade, wouldn’t you want to learn side by side with a professional that will be able to give you immediate feedback on the work that you have done? Wouldn’t the professional be able to guide you with instructions and a visual demonstration and then let you do it? Isn’t this a better way to learn than just by reading a book?

Key Points to Elicit in Discussion:

There are many different ways of learning. In a classroom an instructor is able to present everyone with all of the material that everyone should know and practice, but there usually is no follow up and lots of time there is no practice of the principles learned. With on the job training, people are able to get immediate feedback that will help them learn a lot faster and are able to work with professionals in their field. I know that I would want to know if what I was doing was wrong or not rather than just doing it wrong for a while letting myself get into bad habits.

Facilitative Questions:

People develop bad habits when left to themselves to figure things out. Why not have a professional teach them how to do it correctly and have the learner practice the correct way so they know which way to do it? This way, wouldn’t employees be more capable of doing things correctly, and in the process become more efficient with their time?