Developing Training Plans

1. Developing Training Plans 2010 NASCSP WAP Orientation Training Bob Scott Director of WAP ServicesNASCSP

2. What is Training? • A comprehensive human development program with the objectives of changing behavior and enhancing performance so they match the mission of the organization.

3. Trainer Core CompetenciesTrainer (page 16 of Core Competencies document) • Prerequisites: • Trainers should possess Safe Work Practices, Auditor, and Inspector competencies; • Trainers should be knowledgeable of Installer competencies; • Completion of adult education training program; and • Certification in subject areas of presented training. • Possess a working knowledge of: • Principles of building science; • Principles of adult education; • Benefits of cross-training; • Building codes, especially energy and health/safety-related codes; • Allowable activities at the location of training (e.g., knob-and-tube wiring requirements); and • Available resources to aid students in future understanding and application. • Demonstrate the ability to: • Develop curriculum based on student needs; • Tailor each class to the experience and needs of the students; • Motivate students through inspirational presentations; • Provide hands-on training; • Use technology to enhance the learning experience, especially as related to adult education principles; and • Direct students to other resources to get answers beyond the capacity of the trainer to provide.

4. DOE Grant Guidance • How Grantee assesses training needs • What training will Grantee provide and is attendance mandatory? • Are any certifications or training required prior to hire or by date certain? • How production and energy savings are used in development of T&TA activities

5. DOE Grant Guidance • T&TA funding – • What % for monitoring • Apportionment of funds • Other sources of funds for this purpose • Assessment of T&TA activities to determine whether funds are being spent effectively

6. Developing a Training Plan • Identifying training needs • Who needs to be trained? • Who will be doing the training? • Where will the training be? • What are the best training methods for your target participants? • Buy-in at all levels is critical

7. Identifying Training Needs • Review monitoring reports to see major trends or individual agency deficiencies • What new technologies or issues is your WAP facing? • What already implemented technologies need to be reinforced? • What DOE or State policy changes need to be implemented?

8. Who Needs to be Trained? • Arguably all levels of WAP need constant and consistent training but… • How to you decide what to prioritize and where to focus? • Often depends on particular identified need

9. Who Needs to be Trained? • Field workers need consistent training and refreshers • Often new technology needs 2-3 training events to thoroughly grasped, be reinforced, and be correctly implemented • The higher the level of responsibility, the more training needed

10. Who Needs to be Trained? • With so much focus on technology, often there is not enough management and supervisory training • The local WAP Coordinator/Director is the one most important person to have knowledge in all program aspects • Generally, good WAP Coordinators have had good programs, lousy ones have had lousy programs

11. Who Will be Doing the Training? • State Training Staff when feasible • National or regional trainers • Another perspective • Sometimes same state training can become stale • Can benefit participants by seeing how other states do things, or reinforce how you do it • Enables locals to see we’re all in it together • Other state or local specialists • A lot of movement towards community colleges, trade schools, WIB’s, and other organizations

12. Where Will the Training Be? • Classrooms • Training Centers • Conferences/Meetings • Weatherization job sites

13. What are the Best Training Methods for your Participants? • We have seen that WAP Personnel are: • Highly practical learners – content must make sense to what they do • Do not want to be talked down to • Tend to like informal settings • Need to be mentally and/or physically involved • Often feel threatened by tests • Have different kinds of smarts and learning styles

14. What are the Best Training Methods for your Participants? • Instructional Strategies • Lecture • Guided discussion • Demonstration and practice • Role play (including crew competitions) • Individualized/mentoring

15. What are the Best Training Methods for your Participants? • Use multiple training strategies when possible – best way to reach everyone • Example – dense pack sidewall insulation • Begin with lecture on stopping air movement in wall cavities and increased R-value, how to achieve dense pack (include guided discussion) • Demonstrate technique on wall prop or at job site • Have small groups practice setup and tubing technique • Give individualized attention during practice • Consider crew competition for follow-up

16. What are the Best Training Methods for your Participants? • WAP personnel usually respond best to hands-on training • This seems true even with administrative/management training • It often works better to bring training to crews than to bring crews to training

17. Buy-in at All Levels is Critical • A successful training program needs commitment from: • The State • The Trainer(s) • The Monitor(s) • The Local Agency • The Trainees

18. State Responsibilities • Support a comprehensive and sustaining plan • Provide funds to make it successful • Make sure there are clear and up-to-date standards • Develop Field Guide • Adopt core competencies for various job descriptions • Include stakeholders from all levels

19. Trainer Responsibilities • Become an expert and continue personal educational process • Develop and improve curriculums • Develop and improve props • Develop a system to measure the effectiveness of the training • Be responsive to needs of participants • Assist agencies in developing reinforcement of training and best practices

20. Monitor Responsibilities • Understand that monitors are an important part of the training program • Observe field personnel at job site or at inspection sites • Provide in-field T&TA and mentoring during visit • Note deficiencies for use in training needs assessment • Cite training needs as recommendations in monitoring reports

21. Agency Responsibilities • Give training the importance it needs rather than treating as an inconvenience • Base wages on training and experience • Develop training plans for each employee • Follow up on training • WAP Coordinator should discuss immediately and then 3-6 weeks later • Have in-house reinforcement and mentoring

22. Trainee Responsibilities • Be receptive to training • Determine how you can advance through training • Fully participate in event • Understand that training is an interactive process • Ask questions if you do not understand • Behave when away from home – it’s hard to learn with a hangover

23. Buy In At All Levels • Will help validate your training program • Will make your training program more sustainable • Will make your training program easier to implement and maintain

24. How Do You GetBuy In At All Levels • Consider network wide training committee and have regular meetings • Develop quality evaluations of training and then carefully consider recommendations • Consider certifications or merit based rewards • Have multiple levels of classifications so workers have possible career ladder • Formalize training program so all are aware of a tangible product

25. Comprehensive Training PlanConsiderations • Sustaining and consistent, yet • Constantly evolving • Involve stakeholders from all levels of the program with regular meetings • Identified training curriculums, task analyses, learning objectives, testing and evaluation • Thorough training records and documentation • Certifications

26. Documentation • In the past, this area has probably lacked • Recommend state have a policy for documentation of training records • For courses - Curriculum, lesson plans, date and venue, evaluation tools, participants list and test results • For trainees – participation records, test results, advancement through course of study, any certifications

27. WAP Certifications • More states are considering developing certification program • Certifications key issue in DOE ARRA T&TA Plan • Wx+ goal of consistent delivery of quality services

28. Challenges of Maintaining Consistent Delivery of Services Personnel Issues • Labor force wages have not increased as much as technology and diagnostics • Relatively high turnover rate • Perception of “entry level” positions • Underpaid and unappreciated workers can lose motivation

29. Challenges of Maintaining Consistent Delivery of Services • Changing technologies and standards • Pressures of production sometimes compromise quality of services • Sporadic enforcement of standards

30. What is Driving Certifications? • Raise the level of competency throughout the statewide program • Provide recognition for WAP personnel who do consistent quality work • DOE initiative for WAP to be gateway to emerging Green Retrofit Market

31. What is Driving Certifications? • Develop a systematic training program • Bring more consistency in statewide training • Provide a way to measure success in training • Set standards for knowledge and skills of various job classifications • Give accountability to agency sending staff for training

32. Benefits of Certifications • Ensure bar for excellence is established and maintained • Enhance professionalism of statewide network • Add stability to work force • Increased wages • Increased respect • Increased professionalism

33. Training Resources • National Weatherization Training and Technical Assistance Plan http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/pdfs/wap_tta_plan.pdf • WAPTAC website www.waptac.org • Weatherization Core Competencies (on WAPTAC) • WAP Standardized Curricula (on WAPTAC) • Saturn Resource Management http://srmi.biz/ • Building Performance Institute (BPI) http://www.bpi.org/ • R.J. Karg Associates http://www.karg.com • And many more