Training Do For Brown

Abstract

What can Training Do for Brown? is an article written by Paula Ketter that talks the innovative training program UPS has developed for their employees. The new training program was designed to benefit Generation Y workers. The program incorporates technology and many hands-on activities to teach the drivers the skills they need. The article goes in depth on what goes into the week-long training. After analyzing the development of this training program, I can correlate the information I’ve learned to the knowledge I have on training and development. This paper will answer six questions relating the article to eight chapters from the book “Training and Development, Communicating for Success” by Beebe, Mottet, and Roach.
The general laws of learning are to help set a foundation for developing a training lesson that will enhance trainee learning.
(Beebe, Mottet, Roach, pg. 28) There are four general laws: Law of Effect, Law of Frequency, Law of Association, and Law of Readiness. In this article “What can Training Do for Brown?” by Paula Ketter, The UPS training program uses the law of effect and law of frequency to enhance the trainees learning. The Law of effect states that people learn best under pleasant and rewarding conditions. (Beebe, Mottet, Roach, p. 28) In the learning lab, UPS offers different delivery methods to help make learning fun such as simulations and different hands on activities. The 11, 500 square foot learning facility has many different stations leading to a pleasant work environment. (Ketter, 2008) The training program received a 90.8 percent satisfaction rate from the students on all the modules and has had a major difference in success compared to drivers who did not train with the program. (Ketter, 2008) When the drivers had a pleasant environment to learn and had the chance to make learning fun, the drivers learning
increased. The Law of frequency states that the more often you practice a trained behavior, the more likely you will continue using the desired behavior accurately. (Beebe, Mottet, Roach, pg. 29) The “Clarkville” outdoor integration station is a simulation drivers use to practice the drivers job of delivering packages. The Five-day learning lab has the students delivering packages in different environments and situations so the drivers will can feel comfortable with driving. In the training, the trainees will deliver ten to fifteen packages a day. (Ketter, 2008) By having them practice the task repeatedly, the trainees will grasp in the information.

The UPS training program involves adults learning the basics of driving for UPS. Since adults learn differently than children, they conduct the learning environment differently. The assumptions made with adult learning in this article are: Adults are internally motivated to learn, adults need relevant training, and adults bring experience to the classroom. Since the trainees in this program are training for a job, the trainees take their learning lab seriously so they can perform their job to the best of their abilities. The article states “… When they pass course, there have been tears of joy and hugs.” (Kitter, 2008) Their positive attitudes and tears of happiness are from self-motivation to do their best to complete the training they were given. Adults need relevant training is a big assumption because the reason for the whole training is for doing the job they were hired on to do for the company. The drivers undergo different learning methods in the training to learn specifically how to do their job. The training is based on what the company is trying to get out of their employees. Having the adults already driving before, the driving skills they currently have bring experience to the learning lab. Trainees are not learning from scratch how to operate a vehicle to deliver packages, they have experience on the road and know how to drive in different environments.

Beebe, Mottet, and Roach state that “conducting a training needs assessment is the process of identifying what learners do not know or the necessary skills they cannot perform yet. (p. 56) A lot of research is involved to figure out exactly what skills the learners need to learn. UPS took 20 months of analysis to make sure they have the perfect training for their employees. During the extensive assessment, the company did research on the learning difference between generation X and Y and conducted many focus groups made up of UPS employees to see what kind of training they needed. With the generational research and focus groups, they could create a program to teach learners the skills they need to work at UPS. The training program seems very effective because of how successful the employees are after taking the training. UPS is seeing a major difference between the employees who have taken the training vs. employees who have not. They currently have plans to expand the training program internationally. (Ketter, 2008) Having the focus groups made up of actual UPS employees to help decide what drivers needed to learn helped tremendously. The training program made up simulations that depict real incidents help the drivers understand what could possibly happen. The training program provides the drivers the knowledge they need to do their correctly and safely. I personally do not think they need to do anything better to fully prepare the drivers for their routes.

UPS’ training program provides the skills and knowledge employees need to handle their job as a driver. The Company is made up on four basic principles- professionalism, customer focus, compliance, and service performance. If Stephen Jones asked me what the two most important training objectives that we hope to achieve when the drivers complete the course, I think that service performance of the driver and safety for the driver and environment would be the most important.

A driver should know how to perform their job correctly and effectively by the end of the training course. “We need to enhance their skills immediately because if a new driver is not performing efficiently, then the other drivers have to pick up the slack so we can meet our performance and delivery goals.” (Ketter, 2008) The drives also should know how to conduct their job effectively and safely. (Ketter, 2008) The focus of the training is to make sure that each person adheres to safety and compliance rules. (Ketter, 2008)

UPS is offering different delivery modes such as 3D models, podcasts and videos, and hands on activities for trainees to learn the information.
The main method they are using is experiential activities but they are also offering forms of lecture. They are using the experiential activities as a main part of the training because they are focusing on the fact that this generation learns through technology. They knew that workers didn’t like to sit still so they thought using a virtual world would help them learn. (Ketter, 2008) The company then altered their training by incorporating more technology and hands on learning to train their employees on the skills they needed to do their
job.

By using the hands-on learning and simulations, they have changed their training that is working in their favor. The use of many experiential activities has made their training one of a kind. They have received a 90.8 percent satisfaction rate from the students who are happy with the training. (Ketter, 2008) Trainees are excited to learn and have fun completing the training while learning the skills they need. The UPS driver training program is centered around technology. They use physical training and class room training to prepare each driver with the information they need to know. Having technology and presentation aids in their training, the trainees have had a lot of success in completing the training session. The presentation aids helped promote interest, clarify the information, demonstrated the skills/behaviors, enhanced trainee’s retention, and enhanced training transfer. (Beebe, Mottet, Roach, p. 175-176) Having the “Clarkville” integration station helped spark trainee interest by not having the same environment every day and having different situations to help learn how to deliver packages. Not one day in training is same which makes it more enjoyable. The trainees undergo different delivery modes to help clarify the information. They want to make sure each trainee understands how important the information is they are learning. By using the hands-on simulations, the trainees help understand the skill because the behavior is demonstrated. The trainees have enhanced retaining the information by repeating the skills they learn. The more times the trainees does a skill or behavior, the more they will remember it. Having the trainee’s complete life size simulations, it is easier for the trainees to transfer the new behaviors to their jobs. “Technology and media allow trainers to turn training sessions into simulated work environments that more closely resemble what trainees encounter on daily basis.” (Beebe, Mottet, Roach, p. 175-176) Having the environment change every day not only promotes interest, it helps the drivers learn to stay aware of their surroundings. The scenarios they are put in are to teach the drivers that anything can happen and to make sure they are safe.
The UPS training driver program is different than other trainings. Having the use of technology and presentation aids has made a difference in the way the trainees are learning. The way the training program presents their information has tremendously helped their drivers learn.

Resources
Ketter, Paula. (May, 2008). What Can Training Do for Brown?. American Society for Training & Development.
Beebe, Steven A. Mottet, Timothy P. Roach, David K. (2013). Training and Development Communicating for Success. Pearson Education Inc.