Part three and  four in our Capability Based Training series...

Part three:  Implementing the Program

In the previous workshop we saw that Capability-Based Training processes identify the real learning needs of an organisation, not just the most obvious ones.  And having identified these needs, a program can easily be developed which addresses the needs of not just the individuals requiring training but also the area in which they work, their section of the organisation, the organisation as a whole and the community in which it operates.  But to achieve this trainers and learning development staff must look at their role as much more than simply providing new skills and knowledge to others.  They must be assured that they are creating a capability that their organisation can employ in the achievement business and strategic objectives at all levels.  More importantly, they must be assured that they are also helping people to be as effective as they can be at that point in time when they need to be effective - where and when their performance is evaluated against career and remuneration objectives.

During this workshop we'll look at the ways in which training and education programs can be implement which are both timely and effective.

During this workshop Phil will offer solutions to challenges such as:

•  How to interpret and contextualise competency standards.

•  How to develop and conduct programs that integrate multiple learning processes and flexible delivery methods.

•  How to undertake Recognition of Prior Learning.

•  Assessment as a learning opportunity.

•  How to use naturally occurring work practices as the basis for learning and assessment.

•  The role of assessors and advisors in the workplace.

A poorly designed program implemented using a wide range of tools, methods and learning strategies will always be a success. However, it doesn't matter how well designed a program is, if it is poorly implemented it will not achieve its learning outcomes or organisational objectives.  It is important therefore that an equal - if not greater - amount of time is spent considering how a program will be implemented as is spent on designing it.  After all, it is the implementation phase of training and development that most people remember the most.

Participants at the previous workshops will have a solid understanding of what capability-based training is and how it provides far greater relevance in today's fast paced and technologically advanced business world.  In particular they will have seen how the term competency has lost much of its meaning in the modern workplace and how the national approach to vocational education and training, while ideal in TAFE and other stable learning environments, is nowhere near sufficient for organisations keen to incorporate adaptive and 'lean' approaches to the way they go about their business.

The issue confronting management today is that organisations no longer seek 'competent' staff (particularly given the current definition of the term) - they seek 'capable' staff - staff at all levels who have the skills, knowledge, and more importantly the capacity and capability, to achieve current and future goals and objectives important at both the operational and strategic levels of their organisation. They are also looking for staff who are creative, innovative, and have the capability which matches the organisation's vision. As important is that staff can adapt their skills and knowledge to meet new challenges and issues as and when they arise.

In this workshop we will look at how we, the learning and development specialists, can be assured that the programs that we introduce are in line with the needs of the organisation and how, more importantly, we can demonstrate our value in terms of individual and collective achievements made by staff at all levels.

During this workshop Phil will offer solutions to challenges such as:

•  How to align learning objectives with organisational objectives - even those objectives of programs not designed for the organisation concerned

•  How to evaluate training and determine its 'return on investment'

•  Going beyond Kirkpatrick and Phillips

•  How to implement training reform and a 'lean' approach to learning and development.

Two of the most critical steps in any systematic approach to training is the analysis of the training needs and the evaluation to determine whether - and how well - these needs have been met.  These are the beginning and the end of any training strategy and are in many organisations far more important than the processes used in presenting the training.

For over 30 years Dr Phil Rutherford has helped organisations, industries and in some cases whole nations identify and address human performance needs that are barriers to the achievement of operational, business and strategic objectives.  As a result of his national and international experience he has successfully applied the Capability-Based Training Model (c) in the achievement of individual, team and organisational training in the private and public sector here and overseas.  His experience has included government agencies, the military, small businesses, commercial companies and engineering and technically sophisticated organisations who have profited from shifting their concentration from competence to capability, and from current issues to future potential.  Past participants have gained or saved millions of dollars for their organisation by applying these processes.

Dr Phil Rutherford was one of the leading architects of the UK's National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) system, the Australian vocational education and training system, the New Zealand NZQA and South Africa's SAQF.  He has also been an adviser to VET projects conducted in Europe and SEAsia, and has recently returned from the United Arab Emirates where he was tasked with creating the VET system for the eastern region of the Middle East.

He has over 35 years experience in workplace education and training, graduating through all levels from part-time trainer, to training supervisor, training manager, and owner of a very successful training company. For the past ten years he has been very critical of the way in which VET systems have been focused more on what TAFE and other technical institutions can present rather than on what learners need and their employers demand by way of competent and confident staff. His work on the Capability-Based Training Model (c) has influenced many organisations here and overseas and is forming the basis for extensive reforms being introduced to the Australian Army training systems.