Technical Training

Technical training is a generic term that can encompass a wide range of programs. For convenience, we limit our discussion to five categories of technical training programs: apprenticeship training, computer training, technical skills/knowledge training, safety training, and quality training. Apprenticeship training began during the Middle Ages as a way to pass on the knowledge of individuals working in skilled trades and crafts. The primary purpose of these early programs was preservation of the industrial and crafts guilds.

In the U.S., there are roughly 28,000 different apprenticeship programs enrolling over 460,000 registered apprentices across over 700 job categories, representing a unique partnership between employers, labor unions, and schools. Computer-skills training is extremely popular. Introductory programs introduce trainees to computer hardware and software through the use of manuals and tutorials that provide hands-on, interactive learning. When organizations introduce new technology (e.g., by computerizing operations), they typically need to update the skills of the workers who must use it through job-specific technical skills/ knowledge training programs.

Most organizations conduct some form of safety training. The need for such training increased dramatically after the passage of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). On-site training can focus on actual safety standards and behaviors. On-site Safety Observations (OSO) are a way for organizations to take a proactive approach to improve their safety training efforts. Typically, the safety instructor will visit the worksite to gather critical data about workplace conditions, safe work procedures, and to conduct behavioral observations. An OSO is a formal, structured approach for conducting a safety needs assessment.