Improve the knowledge and skills within a company

To improve the knowledge and skills within a company or business you need to start with the Competency Analysis ...

* First, the business must evaluates what "Workforce competencies" it needs to operate in performing its business - typically 5 to 10 competencies should be adequate for the software business. "Workforce competencies" are made up of "knowledge" (the classroom, or other training that an individual receives), "skills" (the demonstration by actual practice and work experience using the concepts learned in the training), and "process abilities" (the proven ability to know and to operate the standard defined processes used within the organization in the execution of the particular workforce competency -- e.g., Agile, Plan-Driven, Scrum etc. may be the standard way of develop software so a project manager would need the knowledge and skills associated with its use).

* Next, the business conducts an inventory of the people in the organization. What do they personally possess of the business-driven workforce competencies; what level of competency in these areas do they operate at?

* Perform an analysis of the GAP that exists in what the business needs and what it has.

Next comes Workforce Planning...

* How will the organization fill the gap, short-term and long-term?

* Develop a plan that will become the basis for the organization achieving the workforce competencies it needs.

* By the way, example options then available to the organization are: train their own people; outsource some particular workforce competency that you do not want to develop; bring in temporary workers; mentor the less competent people by the more competent. Of course, the workforce plan can/should include a short-term approach to filling a particular gap, and (perhaps a different) long-term approach. An example would be that for the long-term you want a particular capability available within the organization, but because you need certain things to start within 3 months and that isn't enough time to complete the long-term goal, use of a short-term, temporary solution may be needed.

Now to your specific questions...

* Your question: What is the definition of "training and development program?" Is that the organization's program or the company program, or both? Training is inadequate by itself. Development is a planned, deliberate effort to have people practice (develop) real skills associated with what they've learned (in a class, for example). It could be accomplished by a temporary assignment along with coaching by a mentor, temporary assignment to another group or project, or even a permanent assignment with careful monitoring and coaching. There may be other options as well.

* Your question: What is the definition of "graduated training?" Think of a thermometer; a graduated scale. The "student" is guided and monitored through a carefully orchestrated series of training and development opportunities to gradually increase their workforce competency in a particular area from Entry level position to Master or Expert in a field. These activities are not ad hoc, they are deliberate and planned.

* Your question: What is the definition of "standard for learning activities?" The standard is established so that everyone recognizes that when we say you are an Expert, they know what that means and can have a confidence in the knowledge, skills, and process abilities (i.e., the workforce competency) of the person in question. This is where a professional level for software engineer is needed. Please refer to my lecture on "The need for Professional Software Engineer in The U.S" This might be accomplished, for example, by a series of exams, certifications, problem assignments, benchmark, or other methods. Within a company, there is likely an expectation that a person who is a project manager and is operating at a specific level (for example, Expert) has a recognizable, perhaps universal, set of capabilities.

As a final word, knowledge and skills are essential to success in global competitive world. In the next few years you will see the competition for skilled workers intensified in some areas. Today both India and China do not have enough skilled workers and they are looking hard and training hard. The U.S and Europe also are facing critical shortage of skilled workers, especially in the software and High Tech areas and they are also looking for them. I strongly believe that to success, your company must focusing on training and developing skilled workers and keep them by having good incentives Your organization should determine what it needs to conduct its business, nothing less, nothing more. What's right for one organization may not work in another but having skilled people is already a significant advantage and differentiate you from your competitors.

I hope this helps. If not, feel free to continue the dialog.

John Vu

Carnegie Mellon University
Original source: http://www.segvn.org/improDetail?id=149