Step 3 – Develop

The Development Stage is the next crucial step to follow when building a training program for a company. This stage may at first appear easily understandable, but it can be overlooked without proper planning. During development, management considers what curriculum is needed for each person or group of persons, and then builds programs around those needs. If this is not done effectively, the result is that students may be asked to take training that is not needed or may be simply overwhelmed by the amount of training that is required. An effective Development Stage contains these key activities:

1. Determine courses needed

• The core of a training program is the curriculum presented to students. Key stakeholders should be involved in selecting what courses will be applicable to what students or groups of students. Simply put, training cannot occur without this stage. However, there is a significant difference between an “intuitive,” informal, or haphazard selection of curriculum vs. a more strategic, explicit, and accurate curriculum. The previous investigative and planning stages help ensure the latter is the result.

2. Determine blended learning programs

• The blended learning approach emphasizes the distinct benefits of different delivery methods and combines these benefits to create the most effective learning experience. There are certain concepts and ideas that translate very well to online training and that can be delivered most cost-effective with this method. In contrast, some topics demand traditional face-to-face learning, particularly if the topic is best learned through simultaneous conversation and questioning with an instructor. A blended learning approach incorporates different training media to address a range of learning styles, as well as account for the entire “hierarchy” or taxonomy of learning: from knowledge and comprehension to hands-on application, to higher levels such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The tricky part is identifying where all methods can be utilized in the most efficient manner so that the company and the employee gain the most benefit and meet the original stated goals of the training program.

3. Set up competency programs

• When a company prepares to launch a training program, the company must realize that manufacturing-specific training demands a unique dynamic between theory and practice. Face-to-face or web-based training may be an ideal means for teaching the theory of manufacturing, but eventually, that theory must be put to practice. By building competency plans that link theory courses to hands-on practice, the company will get the most value from the training program.