What Employers Need to Know to ensure Training is Effective

What Employers Need to Know to ensure Training is Effective

By Tim Neubauer, MS, CSP, JoAnn Dankert, CSP, CHMM, CIT, and Kimberly Kemp, PhD

In the contemporary workplace, the era of one-sizefits-all instructional paradigms is effectively over. This is particularly the case in complex, high-stakes industries like steel erection. In such fields, training isn’t a mere formality but a crucial process that ensures not only competency but also safety. A misstep or misunderstanding can result in serious injury or even loss of life, making the stakes exceedingly high.

In-house trainers can be more effective when they take a comprehensive approach and understand their audience.

In the 21st century, steel erection training requires more than rote learning. Workers require a deep understanding and practical application of complex principles, ranging from physics to safety regulations. The risks of getting it wrong are not just financial but can be human as well. With increasing technological complexity and a more diverse workforce, the one-size-fits-all model has become obsolete.

Adapting content and delivery

Today’s workforce is incredibly diverse, not only in terms of demographic factors like age, ethnicity, and educational background but also in terms of learning styles. According to the Cone of Learning developed by Edgar Dale, the retention rate for different types of educational activities varies widely. For instance, people generally remember only 10% of what they read but as much as 90% of what they do or teach others.

Emerging technologies such as augmented and virtual reality offer unprecedented opportunities to adapt training to individual needs and to integrate more hands-on learning. For example, virtual reality scenarios can simulate the high-risk, high-stakes environment of a steel erection project, providing workers with a safe space to practice skills and procedures. A 2020 study by Price Waterhouse highlighted that trainees retained over 80% of the material through virtual reality training, compared to much lower retention rates for traditional methods. Moreover, this kind of training can be completed in a fraction of the time, leading to cost savings and quicker deployment of skilled workers.

The notion that longer training hours automatically yield better results is not just archaic; it’s fundamentally flawed. Extended periods of training can lead to cognitive overload and disengagement, often achieving the opposite of the intended outcome. Training should focus on quality over quantity, incorporating adaptive learning modules that learners can complete at their own pace. This is another reason virtual reality or simulation-based training is so effective.

Moreover, an emphasis on outcomes and real-world application of skills provides a more accurate barometer for training effectiveness than mere “seat time.” The introduction of microlearning modules, which break down complex topics into bite-sized, manageable pieces, has revolutionized the way training programs can be structured. These modules can be tailored to suit individual learning pathways, further ensuring that trainees can learn and review material in a way that aligns with their cognitive preferences.

Effective instructors are more than just SMEs

An instructor’s capability is not just determined by his or her grasp of the subject matter or their teaching skill. Personal attributes like enthusiasm, patience, empathy, and the ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner are often what set great instructors apart from merely competent ones. These soft skills enable the formation of a learning environment where trainees feel encouraged, valued, and understood—key factors in enhancing engagement and facilitating effective learning.

A study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identified qualities such as empathy and mental alertness as essential traits for trainers in high-risk environments like steel erection. These human factors often serve as the glue that binds the more technical aspects of a training program, ensuring that it resonates with trainees on a deeply personal level.

While empathy is key, at the same time, instructors must be objective facilitators. This is especially important for industries where differing methodologies and approaches can lead to varied—and sometimes conflicting—outcomes.

Instructors must strike a delicate balance between showcasing their expertise and remaining objective. This means setting aside personal preferences or ingrained habits to present information in a way that is both comprehensive and neutral, allowing trainees to form their own conclusions based on evidence and best practices. Failure to do so can create an environment where learners are unable to critically engage with the material, undermining the ultimate goal of any training program—real-world application and long-term retention of skills. Virtual reality and simulation training that uses data to guide instruction helps to remove training bias.

Finally, instructors must know their audience. Without a comprehensive understanding of who is being trained, even the most skilled instructor and most well-designed course can fall flat. Understanding and adapting training to different cultural, linguistic, and even generational needs cannot be overstated.

For example, younger generations may prefer digital, interactive learning platforms, while older employees might be more comfortable with traditional lecture-based formats. An instructor’s awareness of these preferences, along with the flexibility to adapt to them, is key for maximizing engagement and retention.

Measuring success

Traditionally, the success of training programs has been measured through end-of-course tests, feedback forms, and completion rates. While these metrics provide some level of insight into the effectiveness of a program, they don’t offer a complete picture. For industries like steel erection, a more nuanced approach to evaluation is needed.

Continuous evaluation mechanisms, such as real-world simulations, can better measure the practical application of skills. Peer feedback and mentor evaluations can offer insights into team dynamics and collaborative skill sets, which are often as crucial as technical skills in complex work environments.

Post-training interviews and long-term follow-ups can gauge the lasting impact of training, providing data on how well skills and knowledge have been retained and applied in realworld scenarios.

With technological advancements like augmented reality, AI-based learning platforms, virtual and simulated delivery methods, and real-time performance analytics, we have the tools to revolutionize how training is delivered and assessed.

For training in the steel erection industry to be productive, it's imperative to continue evolving our approaches, experimenting with new methodologies, and rigorously evaluating their effectiveness. •