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Posted by Joni Rose Jun 28, 2006 |
As part of the needs assessment process when developing an entry-level internship program, I flew around North America with a researcher to hold focus groups with recent hires in the company. We were interested to find out how these new hires coped in their early days with the company. Some had received training through an internship program from an acquired company, others had not received formal training when they started.
The feedback we consistently received was that the new program should consider prior learning. Some of the new hires had degrees directly related to their work - others didn't. Some had many years of experience in the industry - others didn't. They stressed that they would be frustrated if they all were expected to sit through the same training.
The challenge was that upper management wanted them all to receive the same training so that we could be sure they were all on the same page.
The solution was to give the participants an entry assessment and to build into the program a learning plan that could be customized to prior learning only if their supervisor felt they demonstrated competency strongly enough to receive an exemption.
This amount of flexibility requires extra record-keeping but it is worth it to keep learners engaged.
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