On The Job Training
Presentation by Mark
Hoxmeier
What will be covered
• On-the-job-training defined
• How on-the-job-training can be used
in your organization
• On-the-job-training explained
• How it works
• A real world example
• An exercise
• Summary
What is on-the-jobtraining?
• On-the-job-training (OJT) is
simply the training that an
employee receives at work
during the normal work day
458)
(Foster,p.
How can OJT be used in
your organization?
• To teach a single skill or task
• Multiple programs
• Used to help teach tasks within
a work process
• Used in conjunction with other
types of training procedures
(Foster, p. 411)
On-the-job-training
explained
• OJT is very important to today’s
businesses because of:
– Greater emphasis on the value of formal
education and training programs
– Advanced learning must be grounded in
real-world curricula
– Investment in human capitol is perceived
by many to add shareholder value
(Vital Speeches of the Day, p.418)
OJT explained (cont.)
• Information is not training
• Employers must have insight as
to how individuals learn
• Employees learn through:
– Practice
– Feedback
– Guidance
(Franchising World, p. 25)
OJT explained (cont.)
• Different kinds of instructional goals
require different instructional
strategies
• The trainer needs to focus on output
rather than the training program
itself
• Effective training design
– Necessary knowledge and skills
– Setting in which job is performed
OJT explained (cont.)
• Training must be done in a manner to
assure that the participant
completes the training with:
• A high sense of value for what they have
learned
• High competence in their ability to perform
the task for which they were trained
• High levels of confidence in their ability to
perform the trained skill
(Franchising World, p.26)
OJT and the Internet
• Using the Internet as an OJT tool
–
–
–
–
–
Mobile
Helpful in time-pressed situations
Good for self-motivated employees
Eager to master skills on own-terms
Supplement for traditional instructor-led
training
(Upside, p.165)
How OJT works
• Structured OJT
– Prepare the trainee
– Present the training
– Require a response
– Provide feedback
– Evaluate performance
(Quality, p.84)
Prepare the trainee
• Explain the purpose
• Determine prerequisites
• In applicable cases, explain general
safety and quality issues
• Explain how training will be done
• Try to set trainee at ease and solicit
questions
Present the training
• Position the trainee
• Provide overview of process and
steps involved
• Include safety and quality issues
again
• Describe and demonstrate
• Summarize
Require a response and
provide feedback
• Simultaneous actions in the
structure of OJT
• Establish a level of
understanding with the trainee
so you can get honest and open
response
Evaluate performance
• Value the trainees opinions
• Quantifiable output
“Structured OJT is one of the
preventive expenses that will
help reduce, if not eliminate, the
cost of failure” (Quality, p.84)
A real world example in
the aerospace industry
(Training, p.76)
• What was the issue?
• What caused the problem?
• How OJT helped the problem
What was the issue?
• Certified aerospace inspectors
continually failed to detect
serious flaws in metal
components
What caused the
problem?
• The inspectors were not
properly operating the test
equipment
• The method for teaching the
inspector was by watching
another inspector who had more
experience with the machine
How OJT helped
• Developed simple procedures for
the task
• Identified and document best
practices
• Training professional used the
documentation to train
• Fostered an environment of
communication and learning
A Simple Exercise
• You will need two other
individuals to help emphasize
the importance of OJT
• With the first individual,
separately show him/her how to
fold a particular style of paper
airplane. SHOW ONLY.
Exercise (cont.)
• With the second individual:
– Show as well as allow individual to
follow along w/ his/her own paper
– Use a documented step by step
procedure
– Encourage questions and communication
• Then let both try to reproduce
• Unless, the first individual already
knows that style of airplane he/she
will probably have more difficulty
reproducing it
Summary
• OJT is important because it
grounded in real-life practice
• Employees learn through practice,
feedback, and guidance
• Structured OJT includes preparing
the trainee, presenting the training,
requiring a response, providing
feedback, evaluating performance.
Bibliography
Foster, S. Thomas. Managing Quality: An Integrative
Approach. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001.
Franklin, Harriet. “Five Steps to Effective Training.”
Franchising World Sep./Oct. 1999: 24-26.
Greenspan, Alan. “Investments in Human Capitol.”
Vital Speeches of the Day 1 May 2000: 418-420.
Suzik, Holly Ann. “On-The-Job Training: Do It Right!”
Quality Nov. 1999: 84.
Terry, Lisa. “On The Job Training.” Upside May 2000:
165-174.
Walter, Diane. “A View From the Floor.” Training Jul.
2001: 76.