Industrial training : the efficacy of a special drafting training program versus an on-the-job drafting training program

In question form, the problem addressed in this investigation was, "Does a non-traditional special training program train draftspersons better than a traditional OJT training program?"

Distinctions in the Special Drafting Training Program included the following:

1. Trainee status. While the trainees were on the payroll during training, they were not assured of a job after training. Trainee performance at the end of training determined whether continued employment was given.

2. Instructor status. The instructor was a local community college educator under summer contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to design, implement, teach, and evaluate the special program. He was responsible for all phases of the program, and his recommendations during and at the end of the program were important factors for future trainee employment.

3. Evaluation procedures. The progress of each trainee was closely monitored by the instructor. Individual prescriptions were iv given to strengthen trainee weaknesses. Post evaluative procedures were developed to test program effectiveness.

4. Learning environment. The program took place at TVA in an 8-hours-per-day, 5-days-per-week laboratory setting devoted entirely to training.

The special program began in June, 1976, and ended in August, 1976. The control group for the study was an On-the-Job Drafting Training Program conducted during the same period in other departments of TVA.

The method of the study was a descriptive survey. The writer designed two questionnaires to sample respondent perceptions. One was administered to engineers and supervisors who submitted work to the special program and/or for whom the OJT trainees worked. A second questionnaire was administered to trainees participating in both training programs. The following were the areas of investigation:

1. Difficulty and quality of work performed by both trainee groups.

2. Opinions held by respondents about both training pro grams .

3. Comparison of training experiences and techniques found in both programs.

An analysis of the questionnaires served as a basis for evaluating the Special Drafting Training Program. It was concluded that, overall, the special program was a better format for training than a traditional OJT program. Results showed the following:

1. Special trainees were better prepared than OJT trainees.

2. The special trainees mastered the tools of the trade and complied with drafting standards more quickly and more completely than the OJT group.

3. The quality of instruction provided to the special trainees was better than that offered to OJT trainees.