Training aims at giving the recipient the competencies required to do a job or carry out a function in the present. It is the process of transferring knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes (KSAAs) required to do a specific job or carry out a specific function from one person to another or to a group of persons.
Although literacy can be advantage, it is not essential to training; hence the process of training can be encapsulated in the four steps of “show, tell, do and check” (Allen in Craig, 1987).
The KSAAs acquired through training are focused at enabling the recipient or trainee to do or carry out a specific job or function after the completion of the training programme. Training equips the recipient with the capability to do or carry out a specific task, job or function.
The distinctions between Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Education on the one hand, and Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Training, on the other hand, are summarized in Table 1 (Mafe, 2004a)
TABLE 1: Distinctions between SET Education and SET Training Science/Engineering/Technology Education Science/Engineering/Technology Training
*Conceptual: learning of ideas and information *Practical: hands-on application of information
*Generic: acquisition of base knowledge and information in the subject area *Specific: application of knowledge and information (show, tell, do and check) to a defined job.
*Long-range and strategic *Short-range and tactical
*Career-focused *Job- or Task-focused
*Equips recipients with knowledge, capabilities and potentials to do all, several or some jobs in subject area *Recipients acquire knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes