Factors affecting the transfer of related training in a trade union apprenticeship program

Author

Mark Stuart Farris

Date of Award

12-2001

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Gregory C. Petty

Committee Members

Ernest W. Brewer, Jacquelyn O. DeJonge, Jack S. Ellison

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how five previously identified factors (Blair, 1996) related to the transfer of training among the national population of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers apprentices. To accomplish the purpose of the study, certain independent variables were selected and studied that were believed to either inhibit or facilitate the efficacy of transfer of training.

To better understand the transfer process, it was necessary to investigate the perception of identified factors and the extent their contributions positively or negatively affected the transfer of training. A panel of experts and an extensive literature review were used to identify factors that affect the transfer of related classroom training.

Nineteen thousand one hundred and twenty three apprentices and journeymen out of 32,480 from a national five-year trade union apprenticeship program responded to the Transfer of Training Inventory. The TTI was designed to gather perceptions on 36 barriers/facilitators thought to affect the transfer of training and was categorized under the five factors identified as a result of an extensive review of literature.

The study utilized a one-shot case study design (Campbell & Stanley, 1966). A multi-variate test was used to determine if significant differences existed at the .05 level of significance. The researcher used an exploratory factor analysis procedure to determine if the factors and corresponding factor categories would be the same. The demographic variables used in this study were age, formal education, gender, marital status, military service, number of children, year in apprenticeship program, number of days lost during the past 12 months due to lack of work, time format of related classroom training.

The study found that significant differences existed in the perceptions of apprentices toward the factors affecting the transfer of related training in the majority of apprentices surveyed. Apprentices were classified as 1^st year, 2^nd year, 3^rd year, 4^th year or 5^th year. Each group perceived the factors that affect the transfer of training differently. The study found that differences existed when apprentices were grouped by the demographic variables of age, formal education, gender, marital status, military service, number of children, year in apprenticeship program, work days lost in 12 months due to lack of work, and time format of related classroom training.

Recommended Citation

Farris, Mark Stuart, "Factors affecting the transfer of related training in a trade union apprenticeship program. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2001.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/8505