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EMPLOYEE TRAINING INTERVIEW GUIDE - JUDGING THE QUALITY AND

EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAINING PROVIDERS

National Alliance of Business

The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative builds the capacity

of the service providers working with small and mid-sized companies

in order to help businesses adopt high-performance work practices,

become more competitive, and ultimately advance the well-being of

their employees. The Collaborative was created with a $650,000

cooperative agreement grant from the Department of Labor to the

National Alliance of Business. Current partners on the project

include the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, the

Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy at The Pennsylvania State

University, the Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity, and

the National Labor-Management Association. The Collaborative

provides assistance in four areas: employee training, labor-

management relations, work restructuring, and workplace literacy.

For more information, contact Cathy Stewart at the National Alliance

of Business, phone: 202/289-2915, fax: 202/289-1303, e-mail:

nwac@nab.com.

Development and printing of this publication was funded under Grant

Number F-4357-3-00-80-60 by the U.S. Department of Labor. Opinions

expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the

official policy of the U.S. Department of Labor.

R5587

To order additional copies, contact:

National Alliance of Business

Distribution

P.O. Box 501

Annapolis Junction, MD 20702

Phone: 1-800-787-7788

Fax: 301-206-9789)

E-mail: INFO@NAB.COM

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This Employee Training Interview Guide was developed by Terri

Bergman with the assistance of Louise Bertsche, Michael Puzia, and

Stephen Mitchell.

The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative would like to thank

the many business leaders who reviewed the field test version of the

Guide and provided input on its content and structure:

* Evelyn Becker, Morton Metalcraft Company

* Paul Branham, United States Electric Company

* Maury Costantini, Frederick Gumm Chemical

* Kreag Cotter, Eastman Kodak

* Anson Craumer, Wozniak Industries, Inc.

* Tom Frank, AC Gentrol, Inc.

* Lucy Golding, Teltrend, Inc.

* W. Jeff Jeffery, IRMCO

* Keith W. Kells, Illinois Machine & Tool Works

* Karen Lewis, National Metal Specialist

* Arny Manseth, US West

* Angela E. Marshalek, Gehl Company

* Jacquelyn Haley Moreira, Borg Indak, Inc.

* Michael O'Connor, Gardner Denver Machinery, Inc.

* William Parmer, Prestige Metal Products, Inc.

* Diana Rader, Watlow Bataira

* Grant Reichard, Humboldt Manufacturing Company

* Charles Stewart, Rotorex Company, Inc.

* Bob Vail, Bodie-Hoover Petroleum

* Henry Vogel, DeCardy Diecasting

* Dianne Wawrzyniak, Management Association of Illinois

* Donald Z. White, Phillips Swager Associates

We would also like to thank the employee training specialists who

reviewed draft versions of the Guide and provided advice and

guidance:

* Kenneth Edwards, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

* Lynne Fry, U.S. Department of Labor

* Evelyn Ganzglass, National Governors' Association

* Fay S. Harlow, Onondaga Community College

* John Hoops, Consultant

* Greg Julson, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

* Cathy Kramer, Association for Quality and Participation

* Noreen Rice, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

* Joel Rodkin, Prince George's Community College

* Benjamin Schneider, University of Maryland

* Bob Soltys, Center for Workforce Development, Institute for

Educational Leadership

* Neal Steiger, New Hampshire Technical College

* Joan Wills, Center for Workforce Development, Institute for

Educational Leadership

* Jack N. Wismer, Lake Michigan College

* Gail A. Zwart, Riverside Community College

This Guide could not have been completed without their help.

Denise Hall, Marvin H. Harden, Bernice Jones, Amy Pincus, Cathy

Stewart, and Kim West edited, designed, and produced the Guide.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.......................................................1

HOW TO USE THE INTERVIEW GUIDE....................................3

QUESTIONS..........................................................5

ANSWERS............................................................7

1. Business Objectives...........................................7

2. Workplace Requirements........................................8

3. Employee Needs...............................................10

4. Employee Assessments.........................................12

5. Qualified Staff..............................................13

6. Evaluations..................................................12

INTERVIEW WORKSHEET...............................................15

COMPARISON CHART..................................................21

THIS GUIDE IN CONTEXT.............................................23

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INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF THE EMPLOYEE TRAINING INTERVIEW GUIDE

The Employee Training Interview Guide can be used to determine

whether a training provider has the skills to develop and deliver a

successful employee training program - one that will meet the needs

of your firm and build the productive capacity of its employees.

The Guide will help you, as a business person or labor

representative, to interview prospective training providers and get

the most value for your training investment.

It can be used to assess the capabilities of a wide variety of

providers, including those from community colleges or universities,

nonprofit organizations, and private consulting firms. The Guide

was designed for use with technical training providers, but it is

also relevant for providers offering training in other areas, such

as basic skills(1), management, work restructuring, or sales.

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EMPLOYEE TRAINING

The Guide was developed from a list of Employee Training Best

Practice Guidelines, constructed by nationally recognized training

professionals, business people, and union representatives. These

individuals defined employee training as the following:

Employee training supports adaptive, productive workplaces that

capitalize on investments in both technology and workforce skills to

boost productivity. Employee training is firm-focused and is a key

element of a firm's overall performance improvement plan. Training

assists a firm to achieve

* Effective utilization of technology resources;

* Decentralized decision making;

* Improved work processes by measurably improving worker

knowledge, skills, and ability; and

* Full customer satisfaction and profitability.

Training links technical, occupation-specific skills development

with broad-based foundational skills such as teamwork, problem

solving, leadership and initiative, resource allocation, customer

service, communications, and commitment to lifelong learning to meet

the requirements of today's and tomorrow's workplace. In large

companies, employee training is often provided by internal staff; in

small and mid-sized companies, training is usually provided by a

third-party supplier.

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INTERVIEW GUIDE STRUCTURE

The Interview Guide is divided into eight sections:

1. Introduction - Explains the purpose of the Guide, defines

employee training, and lays out the structure of the Guide

2. How to Use the Interview Guide - Provides instructions for

using the Guide.

3. Questions - Introduces the Guide's six questions.

4. Answers - Discusses the types of answers you should be looking

for from the providers you interview.

5. Interview Worksheet - Provides probes to questions and spaces

to write responses to each of the six questions.

6. Comparison Chart - Provides space to compare the merits of four

different providers you interview.

7. This Guide in Context - Explains how employee training fits

within the larger context of workforce and workplace change,

and lists other Collaborative products designed to help small

and mid-sized companies in their change efforts.

8. Advisory Groups - Lists the individuals serving on the

Collaborative's Advisory Board and Councils.

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HOW TO USE THE INTERVIEW GUIDE

Before conducting an interview, you should read the Questions and

Answers sections of the Guide. These sections will provide you with

an understanding of the questions you might ask, and the answers

that a high-quality training provider would give in responding to

these questions. Once you have familiarized yourself with the

questions and answers, you can use the Interview Worksheet to

conduct an actual interview.

The ideal training provider would cover all of the points contained

in the answers to the six questions in this Guide. However, you

will probably find that the different providers you interview will

vary in the number of points they cover, have differing strengths

and weaknesses, and charge relatively divergent fees. In the end,

you will have to use your own set of criteria to select one from

among the providers you interview. Factors to consider include

these:

* The number of points the providers cover,

* The relative value you place on the points the providers either

do or do not cover,

* Your ability to use other methods to address any of the points

not covered by a provider, and

* The fees charged by the providers - compared with each other and

with your budget for employee training.

You should also ask each provider you interview to supply the

following:

* A corporate resume,

* Resumes of any staff members they intend to use for your

program, and

* A list of references.

Your review of these items (which are also mentioned in question 5

in the Answers section) should guide your final selection. Check to

see how much and what kinds of experience the providers and their

staffs have in your industry, with companies of comparable size, and

with training needs similar to yours. Call their references and

determine how satisfied previous clients are with the services they

received.

It is a worthwhile investment of time up front to ensure that what

will probably be a large investment in training provides the

dividends you are seeking.

Finally, you can use the Comparison Chart at the back of this Guide

to summarize the results of the interviews you conduct and the other

information you collect. This chart will make it easier for you to

compare the relative merits of up to four training providers.

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QUESTIONS

When you first sit down with a training provider, you will probably

start the interview by stating your needs, or the problems you want

addressed, and asking the provider to recommend solutions. During

the discussion that follows, you will want to determine the

provider's ability to develop and deliver a high-quality training

program targeted at meeting your company's specific needs. To do

this, you could ensure that the provider supplies appropriate

answers to the following six questions:

1. Business Objectives: How will you develop an employee training

program that is tied to my company's business objectives?

2. Workplace Requirements: How will you develop an employee

training program that reflects my workplace and its

requirements?

3. Employee Needs: How will you craft an employee training program

tailored to our employees' needs?

4. Employee Assessments: How will you ensure that the employee

assessments you use will be high quality?

5. Qualified Staff: How will you ensure that staff members

involved in the development and delivery of programs are highly

qualified?

6. Evaluations: How will you use evaluations to ensure training

quality?

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ANSWERS

Every training provider's answers to these questions will vary, but

there are a number of key points you should expect to hear from a

high-quality training provider.

1. Business Objectives: How will you develop an employee training

program that is tied to my company's business objectives?

+ We align the program with company performance objectives and

job requirements. Customization is key to a successful

employee training program. The provider should have plans

for learning about your company and aligning the training

objectives with your company's overall performance objectives

and specific job requirements.

+ We link training success to clear learning objectives and

industry skill requirements. Training success should be tied

to attaining clearly defined and measurable learning

objectives. These learning objectives should be based on any

skill requirements your industry may have established(2).

The provider should have plans for using industry skill

requirements, where they exist, to set learning objectives,

and then for bringing all trainees' knowledge, skills, and

abilities up to the required levels.

+ We involve management, supervisors, employees, and unions in

development. To be successful, an employee training program

should be supported widely throughout your company. It is

critical that the provider develop good working relationships

with all of the key "stakeholders." Clients, management,

supervisors, employees, and, in unionized workplaces, union

representatives should be included in all stages of the

development and delivery of the employee training program.

This may be accomplished by establishing an advisory

committee of stakeholder representatives, as well as using

stakeholder representatives on specific task-oriented work

groups.

2. Workplace Requirements: How will you develop an employee

training program that reflects my workplace and its

requirements?

+ We align training to your company's structure, processes, and

culture. Training curricula, structure, and delivery methods

should be appropriate to your company's organizational

structure, work processes, and culture. The provider should

have a plan for learning about your company and customizing

training activities so that lessons are clearly linked to the

work your company performs. Methods for learning about your

company include studying your company's organizational chart

and employee handbook, observing executive management

meetings and employee staff meetings, interviewing employees

at various levels of the organization, walking around your

company and observing the work process, and spending time

with employees in social situations.

+ We are prepared to teach foundational, as well as

occupational skills. Training should address both

occupational skill requirements and the academic or

foundational knowledge, skills, and behaviors that underlie

them. If only occupational skills are addressed, employees

will be able to perform specific tasks only in the specific

context taught. However, if relevant foundational knowledge

and skills are also addressed, employees will be able to

apply the new occupational knowledge to other tasks and in

other situations. The provider should be prepared to teach

foundational skills along with occupational skills, and, if

necessary, to build more extensive academic skills training

into the program.

+ We integrate training with company work restructuring

efforts. If your company is adopting new, "high-performance"

work practices, training should broaden worker

knowledge, skills, and abilities and support employee

empowerment. Training should not just prepare workers for

the status quo, rather it should prepare them for the new

work organization. The provider should have plans for

integrating its training program with your company's work

restructuring efforts.

+ We develop interactive, experiential, problem-solving

exercises. Training activities should be interactive and

experiential, and should include frequent opportunities for

trainees to use their new knowledge and skills to solve

problems encountered on the job. The provider should have

plans for learning what job problems employees face, and for

creating instructional exercises that provide trainees with

the opportunity to develop skills to solve these problems.

Training activities that build on case studies of events at

your company, along with simulations and role play, are

effective training techniques the provider might suggest.

+ We create short, discrete, clearly defined training sessions.

The training program should consist of short, discrete, and

clearly defined training sessions so that training delivery

can be adapted to workplace schedules. Work and family

already consume most, if not all, of employees' time. Adding

training to their schedules will be difficult. If you decide

that employees will be training on work time, the provider

will need to have a training program that is flexible enough

to accommodate work responsibilities. If you decide that

employees will be training on personal time, the provider

will need to be able to accommodate employees' personal time

commitments.

+ We time delivery of training with employees' needs for

knowledge and skills. Training should be delivered "just in

time." If training is delivered long before it is needed,

employees are likely to forget their new knowledge and skills

before they have a chance to apply them. If it is delivered

after it is needed, employees may have already made costly

mistakes. The provider should have plans for aligning

training delivery with your plans for using new knowledge and

skills.

+ We develop activities that use technology and materials like

those used on the job. Training activities should use

technology and materials comparable to those used on the job.

Using comparable technology makes it is easier for employees

to transfer new knowledge, skills, and abilities back to the

job. Using actual company materials (e.g., work orders,

forms, OSHA directives) helps employees see the relevance of

the instruction to their work. The provider should either use

the technology and equipment in your company, or comparable

technology and equipment housed elsewhere. The provider

should use copies of company materials whenever possible.

+ We provide instruction at multiple sites. The training

provider should be able to deliver training at multiple sites

if your company's employees are dispersed. The provider

could meet this need through a variety of methods, such as

traditional correspondence or home-study instruction, as well

as computer-based instruction, audio cassettes, cable

television, and teleconferencing.

+ We reinforce training on the job. Knowledge and skills

gained in training must be reinforced on the job if

employees' work is to improve. The training provider should

have plans for working with trainees' direct supervisors to

prepare the supervisors to reinforce the training and help

their employees transfer their new knowledge and skills

to their jobs.

3. Employee Needs: How will you craft an employee training program

tailored to our employees' needs?

+ We assess employee knowledge and skills. Before the training

lessons can be developed, the training provider must know not

just the knowledge and skills required in the workplace, but

also the knowledge and skills employees already have. With

this information, the provider can develop lessons to bridge

the gap between what is known and what needs to be known.

The provider should plan to assess the knowledge, skills, and

abilities of a sample of employees from the employee training

program's target population to develop an understanding of

the existing "gap." Once the program actually begins, all

participants will need to be assessed. (The assessment

instrument for these tasks will be discussed in question 4.)

+ We tailor training to individual knowledge and skill

development needs. Training should meet individual knowledge

and skill development needs, as defined by each trainee's

current abilities and goals. Not all employees will need to

study the same skills. Each will come with a different base

of knowledge, and some may have different learning goals.

The provider should plan to divide the training curriculum

into discrete sections, each focused on developing different

skills and abilities, so that individual employees can limit

their participation to the sections relevant to them.

+ We use instructional methods appropriate to individual

students. Employee training should be appropriate to the

training objectives and learning styles of the students,

which may vary quite a bit. The provider should plan to use

a variety of instructional methods to teach and reinforce the

same knowledge, skills, and abilities. Possibilities include

lectures, small-group instruction, discussions, group

learning activities, role playing, tutoring, computer

exercises, workbook exercises, application exercises, reading

assignments, and homework.

+ We allow for self-paced learning. The training structure

should allow participants to learn at their own pace.

Trainees who can demonstrate that they have already mastered

a skill should be allowed to move on, while those who need

extra time to learn should be provided with it. The training

provider should have a variety of techniques for dealing with

those needs, such as self-paced computer programs, self-paced

workbooks, and one-on-one instruction. It is critical,

though, that the provider supply support systems for any

employees using a training method that is not led by an

instructor.

+ We train employees to transfer knowledge and skills to

different work settings. Training should emphasize general

skills, as well as specific task skills so that employees

will be able to adapt to the new job requirements as the

workplace changes. The provider should be able to help

employees "learn how to learn," as well as learn how to apply

new knowledge, skills, and abilities to a variety of work

activities.

+ We promote continuous learning. Training should build

trainee understanding that learning is an integral and on

going component of successful work performance. The provider

should have plans for demonstrating the value of training

both inside and outside of work.

+ We provide "portable credentials" for learners. A portable

credential that documents employees' skill gains can be a

valuable employee benefit. In today's volatile economy,

employees working at your company today may need to search

for a new job tomorrow. A portable credential would

facilitate that job search. Ideally, the provider will have

worked with a trade or professional association, or some

other organization recognized in your industry, to have its

training "accredited" to enable the provider to issue a

portable credential. If this has not occurred, the provider

should be willing to provide employees completing the program

with some type of certified "transcript" detailing the skills

and knowledge they gained.

4. Employee Assessments: How will you ensure that the employee

assessments you use will be high quality?

+ We develop assessments that are reliable indicators of

performance. A key step in training involves measuring - or

"assessing" - employees' knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The assessment instruments used should be valid for training

purposes and reliable indicators of job performance. The

provider should be able to show that the assessments it plans

to use accurately measure the knowledge and skills needed on

the job.

+ We explain outcomes and assessment methods to employees.

Training takes people beyond what they are comfortable doing,

and it can be very stressful. To diminish that stress,

trainees should be given clear and honest information on both

the knowledge and skill goals of the program and the

assessment process.

+ We assess participants' needs and develop individualized

training plans. Employees will come to the training with

different knowledge, skills, and learning abilities. Before

employees enter the employee training program, the provider

should assess their knowledge and skills, and then create

individualized training plans that meet their needs. (This

was also discussed under question 3.)

+ We provide employees with on-going feedback. The provider

should give trainees regular, on-going feedback on their

progress while in the training program. The purpose of an

employee training program is not to sort people by ability,

but to raise the knowledge and skill levels of all

participants. Therefore, the provider should have plans for

helping participants to gauge their progress and, if

necessary, take steps to accelerate that progress.

+ We assess employees at program completion to measure program

success. The provider should assess trainees at the

completion of training to ascertain learning gains and

overall program performance. It is important that the

provider's plan to measure the success of the program

includes documenting knowledge and skill gains.

5. Qualified Staff: How will you ensure that staff members

involved in the development and delivery of programs are highly

qualified?

If the provider intends to supply the training staff,

+ We are well versed in job performance requirements and have

industry-based experience. The provider's staff should be

well versed in job performance requirements and have

industry-based experience. Check staff's previous employment

for work with similar occupations and industries, as well as

the provider's corporate resume. In addition, ask the

provider for references from other companies and talk

with those references.

+ We are able to apply adult learning principles to

instructional design and delivery. Training staff members

should be able to apply the principles of adult learning to

instructional design and delivery (e.g., using problem

centered instruction, integrating information with what is

already known, providing feedback and recognition, paying

attention to multiple learning styles, incorporating

strategies for transferring learning, facilitating rather

than lecturing). Check the educational background of the

provider's staff, as well as the provider's corporate resume

describing earlier projects.

If the provider intends to prepare members of your company's

training or operational staff to serve as trainers,

+ We prepare your company's staff to serve as employee training

instructors. While your staff's knowledge of your workplace

can be an asset to training delivery, these individuals may

need training to serve as instructors. The provider should

be ready to teach your staff how to apply the principles of

adult learning to instructional design and delivery.

+ We train your company's staff to deliver the employee

training program. Your company's staff will also need to be

familiarized with the training program the provider develops.

The provider should plan to familiarize staff members with

the program, conduct "train-the-trainer" sessions, oversee

and troubleshoot the delivery of the classes, and possibly

even team-teach some of the first classes.

6. Evaluations: How will you use evaluations to ensure training

quality?

+ We develop measures to assess the quality and effectiveness

of the training. The provider should plan to work with you

to develop evaluation measures that gauge both the

performance outcomes and the quality and effectiveness of the

training process. Measuring the quality of the process will

enable you to make any needed changes in the training

structure. Measuring training effectiveness will enable you

to determine the payoffs of the program in terms of your

company's goals and objectives.

+ We involve management, supervisors, employees, and unions in

evaluation development. Evaluation should not take place in

a vacuum. Management, supervisors, employees, and, in

unionized workplaces, union representatives should

participate in evaluating program effectiveness and its

responsiveness to their needs. The provider should plan to

include these stakeholders in planning the evaluations to

ensure that the evaluations capture information that is

important to the stakeholders and that the evaluation process

is one with which they are all comfortable.

+ We incorporate feedback from evaluations into training on an

ongoing basis. If the training program will take place over

a long period of time, feedback from evaluations should be

incorporated into the training process on an ongoing basis.

Evaluations must be conducted regularly to ensure that the

training program is meeting its objectives. The provider

should have plans for using evaluations to monitor the

program and make adjustments when necessary.

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INTERVIEW WORKSHEET

--> Feel free to make copies of the Worksheet <--

Instructions: Ask each question along with any follow-up questions

needed to make sure that the training provider has had an

opportunity to address each of the points contained in the Answers

section of the Guide. Probes listed with each of the questions that

follow should help you to formulate any follow-up questions you need

to ask.

1. Business Objectives: How will you develop an employee training

program that is tied to my company's business objectives?

Probes:

+ How will you align the program with company performance

objectives and job requirements?

+ How will you link training success to clear learning objectives

and industry skill requirements?

+ How will you involve management, supervisors, employees, and

unions in development?

2. Workplace Requirements: How will you develop an employee

training program that reflects my workplace and its

requirements?

Probes:

+ How will you align training to my company's structure,

processes, and culture?

+ How will you teach foundational, as well as occupational

skills?

+ How will you integrate training with company work restructuring

efforts?

+ How will you develop interactive, experiential, problem-solving

exercises?

+ How will you create short, discrete, clearly defined training

sessions?

+ How will you time delivery of training with employees' needs

for knowledge and skills?

+ How will you develop activities that use technology and

materials like those used on the job?

+ How will you provide instruction at multiple sites?

+ How will you reinforce training on the job?

3. Employee Needs: How will you craft an employee training program

tailored to our employees' needs?

Probes:

+ How will you assess employee knowledge and skills?

+ How will you tailor training to individual knowledge and skill

development needs?

+ How will you use instructional methods appropriate to

individual students?

+ How will you allow for self-paced learning?

+ How will you train employees to transfer knowledge and skills

to different work settings?

+ How will you promote continuous learning?

+ How will you provide portable credentials for learners?

4. Employee Assessments: How will you ensure that the employee

assessments you use will be high quality?

Probes:

+ How will you develop assessments that are reliable indicators

of performance?

+ How will you explain outcomes and assessment methods to

employees?

+ How will you assess participants' needs and develop

individualized training plans?

+ How will you provide employees with ongoing feedback?

+ How will you assess employees at program completion to measure

program success?

5. Qualified Staff: How will you ensure that staff members

involved in the development and delivery of programs are highly

qualified?

Probes if the provider is supplying the training:

+ How do you know about job performance requirements and what is

your industry-based experience?

+ How will you apply adult learning principles to instructional

design and delivery?

Probes if the provider is preparing your company's training or

operational staff to serve as trainers:

+ How will you prepare our staff members to serve as employee

training instructors?

+ How will you train our staff members to deliver the employee

training program?

6. Evaluations: How will you use evaluations to ensure training

quality?

Probes:

+ How will you develop measures to assess the quality and

effectiveness of the training?

+ How will you involve management, supervisors, employees, and

unions in evaluation development?

+ How will you incorporate feedback from evaluations into

training on an on-going basis?

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COMPARISON CHART

--> Feel free to make copies of the Comparison Chart <--

Instructions: Put the names of each of the providers you

interviewed in the blank boxes across the top. Use the notes from

your Interview Worksheets with these providers to place a check mark

in the boxes corresponding to the points the different providers

made. Add up the number of points covered by each provider. Also

note whether the providers' corporate resumes, staff resumes, and

references demonstrate quality and experience, and note the

providers' costs. In comparing providers, do not rely solely on the

totals. Be sure also to compare which points the providers did and

did not cover and whether you can address the points not covered by

a provider, whether the providers' materials demonstrate quality and

relevant experience, and program costs.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

| |######|######|######|

| 1. Business Objectives |######|######|######|

| objectives. |______|______|______|

| learning ojectives. |______|______|______|

| and employees. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| 2. Workplace Requirements |######|######|######|

| company processes. |______|______|______|

| occupational skills. |______|______|______|

| work restructuring. |______|______|______|

| experiential exercises. |______|______|______|

| - Creates discrete training sessions. |______|______|______|

| with employees' needs. |______|______|______|

| used on the job. |______|______|______|

| at multiple sites. |______|______|______|

| - Reinforces training on the job. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| 3. Employee Needs |######|######|######|

| skills. |______|______|______|

| individuals' needs. |______|______|______|

| methods. |______|______|______|

| - Allows for self-paced learning. |______|______|______|

| - Links literacy with other training |______|______|______|

| transfer skills to work. |______|______|______|

| - Promotes continuous learning. |______|______|______|

| - Provides portable credentials. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| 4. Employee Assessments |######|######|######|

| of performance. |______|______|______|

| - Explains assessments to employees. |______|______|______|

| training plans. |______|______|______|

| - Provides on-going feedback. |______|______|______|

| at program completion. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| 5. Qualified Staff - Provider's |######|######|######|

| and your industry. |______|______|______|

| - Applies adult learning principles |______|______|______|

| Qualified Staff - Company's |######|######|######|

| as instructors. |______|______|______|

| training program. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| 6. Evaluations |######|######|######|

| - Assesses quality and effectiveness. |______|______|______|

| and employees. |______|______|______|

| - Incorporates feedback continuously. |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| TOTAL POINTS |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| MATERIALS DEMONSTRATE EXPERIENCE & QUALITY |______|______|______|

| - Corporate resumes |______|______|______|

| - Staff resumes |______|______|______|

| - References |______|______|______|

| |######|######|######|

| COST |______|______|______|

-------------------------------------------------------------------

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

THIS GUIDE IN CONTEXT

Employee training is just one of a number of workforce and workplace

changes companies must undertake to remain competitive in today's

global economy. For many companies, staying profitable involves

adopting new technologies, restructuring work processes, and

redefining the relationship between employers and employees, as well

as upgrading employees' knowledge, skills, and abilities.

All of these changes are interrelated. New machines frequently

require new work processes if they are to be fully used. New work

processes can lead to changes in the locus of decision making and

redefining of the roles of both labor and management. Training in a

variety of skills, including basic reading, writing, and

mathematics, is almost always necessary to put any other changes

into place successfully.

The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative has prepared a

series of tools to help small and mid-sized companies find and

select the high-quality service providers and products they need to

undertake successful workforce and workplace changes, including the

following:

* Employee Training Interview Guide: Judging the Quality and

Effectiveness of Training Providers

* Employee Training Product Checklist: Judging the Quality of

Training Products

* Labor-Management Interview Guide: Judging the Quality and

Effectiveness of Labor-Management Relations Consultants

* Resource Guide: A Key to Organizations Working in Employee

Training, Labor-Management Relations, Work Restructuring, and

Workplace Literacy

* Work Restructuring Interview Guide: Judging the Quality and

Effectiveness of Work Restructuring Consultants,

* Workplace Literacy Interview Guide: Judging the Quality and

Effectiveness of Workplace Literacy Providers, and

* Workplace Literacy Product Checklist: Judging the Quality of

Workplace Literacy Products.

Additional Collaborative publications designed for small and mid-

sized businesses and the service providers working with them include

these:

* Resource Listings

Workplace Literacy Publications: An Annotated Bibliography of

Print Resources - A workplace literacy bibliography.

* Newsletters

Workforce Briefs - A newsletter series for businesses.

Business Assistance Notes - A newsletter series for service

providers.

* Tools for Companies

Pay-for-Knowledge - A how-to guide on the development and

implementation of a pay-for-knowledge system.

Computer-Based Training - A guide for selecting computer-based

training products and services.

* Tools for Service Providers

Integrated Service Delivery - A publication providing insights

into the best methods for delivering integrated services to

small and mid-sized companies.

Delivering Cost-Effective Services to Small and Mid-Sized

Companies - A publication highlighting proven approaches for

delivering cost-effective services to small and mid-sized

companies.

Approaches to Forming a Learning Consortium: A Guide for

Service Providers - A how-to guide on forming learning

consortia.

Marketing to Businesses - Information on how to identify and

effectively market services to a local business community.

Assessing an Organization's Training Needs - A generic

training needs assessment accompanied by instructions on how

to approach and "market" the value of training to small and

mid-sized business leaders.

Assessing the Value of Workforce Training - An introduction to

assessing the value of training programs, focusing on quick

and easy strategies.

* Internet Services

Internet Listserv - An electronic forum for discussing

workforce and workplace development issues. To subscribe to

NWAC-L, send an e-mail message to LISTSERV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU

saying "subscribe NWAC-L [YourFirstName YourLastName]."

Gopher Server - Online access to materials and products

produced by the Collaborative. The gopher server address is

INFO.PSU.EDU. Open "Information Servers at Penn State"; then

open "Research Centers and Institutes."

World Wide Web Home Page - Information on the Collaborative

and its products and services, as well as links to related

information on the Internet

(http://www.psu.edu/institutes/nwac).

All Collaborative publications can be ordered through the National

Alliance of Business Distribution Center, listed on the front cover,

or downloaded from the Collaborative's Internet Gopher Server or

World Wide Web home page.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

ADVISORY GROUPS

Stephen Mitchell

Project Director

Terri Bergman

Products and Services Manager

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BOARD

Chair

William H. Kolberg

National Alliance of Business

Eunice Askov

Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, The Pennsylvania State

University

William L. Batt, Jr.

Consultant

Robert Baugh

Human Resource Development Institute

Clair Brown

National Center for the Workplace

Robert Fien

Stone Construction Equipment, Inc.

Evelyn Ganzglass

National Governors' Association

Marshall Goldberg

The Alliance for Employee Development, Inc.

Andy Hartman

National Institute for Literacy

Cathy Kramer

Association for Quality and Participation

David Pierce

American Association of Community Colleges

Jack Russell

The Modernization Forum

Benjamin Schneider

University of Maryland

Dennis Sienko

Prairie State 2000 Authority

Stephen Sleigh

International Association of Machinists

Pamela Tate

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Hugh Tranum

National Labor-Management

Benjamin Tregoe

Kepner-Tregoe, Inc.

Thomas Tuttle

Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity

Joan Wills

Institute for Educational Leadership

John Zimmerman

MCI

-----------------------------------------------------------------

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Chair

Pamela Tate

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Brian Bosworth

Regional Technology Strategies

Thomas L. Clogston

Boeing Defense and Space Group

Kenneth Edwards

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Phyllis Eisen

National Association of Manufacturers

Wendell Fletcher

Congressional Office of Technology Assessment

Patti Glenn

Texas Instruments

Ruth Haines

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Janet Steele Holloway

Kentucky Small Business Development Center

John Hoops

Bay State Skills Corporation Center

Tom Huberty

Upper Mid-West Manufacturing Technology Center

Dan Hull

The Center for Occupational Research and Development

Victoria Kraeling

Southeastern Institute for Advanced Technologies

Arny Manseth

US West

Alfred Moye

Hewlett Packard

Frederic Nichols

National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing

Joan Patterson

UAW/Chrysler National Training

Paula Reeder

Sallie Mae

Martha Reesman

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences

Lee M. Shrader, Jr.

Great Lakes Manufacturing Technology Center

Duc-Le To

U.S. Department of Education

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LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATI0NS

Chair

Hugh Tranum

National Labor-Management Association

Nick Argona

Xerox Corporation

William L. Batt, Jr.

Consultant

Betty Bednarczyk

SEIU- Local 13

Barry Bluestone

University of Massachusetts

Rena Cross

Foamade Industries

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfield

Michigan State University

David Fontaine

Maryland Labor-Management Committee

Pat France

Stark County Labor-Management Council

Robert Frey

The CIN-MADE Corporation

Maria Heidkamp

Wisconsin Labor-Management Council

Edsel Jones

Mapleton Local No. 7-7807

Robert Landsman

New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Malcolm Lovell

National Planning Association

Charlene Powell

Kentucky Association of Labor-Management Committees

John Stepp

Restructuring Associates

Brian Turner

Work and Technology Institute

Earl Willford

Bureau of Mediation

-----------------------------------------------------------------

WORK RESTRUCTURING

Chair

Thomas Tuttle

Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity

Eileen Appelbaum

Economic Policy Institute

Mike Beyerlein

The Center for the Study of Work Teams

Jane Reese Coulbourne

Restructuring Associates, Inc.

John Dodd

Computer Science Corporation

Ned Ellington

Productivity and Quality Center

Michael Galiazzo

Regional Manufacturing Institute

Debbie Goldman

Communications Workers of America

Bruce Herman

Garment Industry Development Corporation

Robert King

Goal/QPC

Vaughn Limbrick

Society for Human Resource Management

Peter Manella

New York State Department of Economic Development

Robert Meyer

Work in Northeast Ohio

Joe Rigali

Sanden International, USA

Jill Scheldrup

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Maureen Sheahan

Labor-Management Council for Economic Renewal

Peggy Siegel

National Alliance of Business

Audrey Theis

Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development

Edwin Toussaint

Xerox Corporation

-----------------------------------------------------------------

WORKPLACE LITERACY

Chair

Eunice Askov

Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy,

The Pennsylvania State University

Judith Alamprese

COSMOS Corporation

Lorraine Amico

National Governors' Association

Dale Brandenburg

Labor-Management Council for Economic Renewal

Jinx (Helen) Crouch

Literacy Volunteers of America

Regina Guaraldi

Miami-Dade Community College

Karl O. Haigler

The Salem Company

Mary Ann Jackson

Wisconsin Technical College Board

Inaam Mansoor

Wilson School

Donna Miller-Parker

State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Michael O'Brian

CertainTeed Corporation

James Parker

U.S. Department of Education

James Ryan

District 1199C

Anthony Sarmiento

AFL-CIO

Johan Uvin

Massachusetts Adult and Community Learning Services

Robert Visdos

NETWORK

Jo Ann Weinberger

Center for Literacy, Inc.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

NATIONAL WORKFORCE ASSISTANCE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

National Alliance of Business

National OFfice

1201 New York Avenue, NW

Suite 700

Washington, DC 20005

Phone: 800/787-2848

Fax: 202/289-2875

E-mail: info@nab.com

Atlantic Office

317 George Street

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone: 908/524-1110

Fax: 908/524-6275

Capital Area Office

1201 New York Avenue, NW

Suite 700

Washington, DC 20005

Phone: 202/289-2897

Fax: 202/289-2875

Central Office

9400 N. Central Expressway

Suite 606

Dallas, TX 75231

Phone: 214/373-0854

Fax: 214/373-1941

Midwest Office

1 East Wacker Drive

Suite 2410

Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: 312/595-2100

Fax: 312/595-2101

Northeast Office

1 McKinley Square

Suite 600

Boston, MA 02109

Phone: 617/624-4190

Fax: 617/624-4195

Southeast Office

1 Midtown Plaza

1360 Peachtree Street, NE

Suite 710

Atlanta, GA 30309

Phone: 404/881-0061

Fax: 404/881-0006

Western Office

800 Wilshire Boulevard

Suite 960

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Phone: 213/488-9153

Fax: 213/488-9460

COUNCIL FOR ADULT AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

243 South Wabash Avenue

Suite 800

Chicago, IL 60604

Phone: Phone: 312/922-5909

Fax: 312/922-1769

Philadelphia Office

Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center

12265 Townsend Road

Suite 500

Philadelphia, PA 19154

Phone: 215/969-1286

Fax: 215/969-6652

INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF ADULT

LITERACY

The Pennsylvania State University

College of Education

204 Calder Way

Suite 209

University Park, PA 16801

Phone: 814/863-3777

Fax: 814/863-6108

MARYLAND CENTER FOR QUALITY

AND PRODUCTIVITY

CMB/SPA Building

4th Floor

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20742

Phone: 301/405-7099

Fax: 301/314-9119

NATIONAL LABOR-MANAGEMENT

ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 819

Jamestown, NY 14702

Phone: 800/967-2687

Fax: 716/665-8060

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

1 A separate Workplace Literacy interview Guide is available from

the National Workforce Assistance Collaborative and the National

Alliance of Business.

2 For more information on industry-developed skill standards,

contact the National Alliance of Business Information Service,

phone 800/787-7788, fax 301/206-9789, or e-mail INFO@NAB.COM.