In my field of study and work, Construction Engineering Management, there are a lot of opportunities to get hands-on in-field training. When it comes to field-based training, I’m referring to training related to learning how to operate pieces of equipment and other safety procedures needed to be a competent individual on a job site. Throughout the last couple of years have been extremely difficult to do in-person training because of the pandemic, however, now that things are cleared up, OSU and construction companies are able to provide those necessary in-person pieces of training.
An example of an extremely beneficial training program I experienced during my construction internship this year was my Manlift training. Manlifts are large pieces of machinery that enable individuals to reach heights of 40ft – 60 ft in a bucket at the of an extending boom. The vehicle ultimately increases the efficiency and safety of workers on the job. During my Manlift training, I was able to ask as many questions and take my time operating the vehicle with the instructor that was hired by the company I worked for. The instructor went through all steps of how to put on a safety harness, how to operate the vehicle and what vehicle malfunctions to watch for. This training helped me fully understand the dangers and benefits of using the piece of equipment (Module 6 Lecture 2). It also was beneficial training since my manager identified that I would need to be trained to use this equipment in order to help him complete specific tasks on-site. I use the skills I learned in the training often when I’m working.
An example of a nonbeneficial training was when I had to take an online Plane Surveying class through OSU during the pandemic in order to stay on track towards graduation. I was forced to take a physically oriented class, learning how to use surveying equipment, online through a computer screen. I ended up not taking away anything useful from the class since all labs were offered via prerecorded lecture without hands-on exposure to the trade. The university mismanaged what its students needed to do in order to stay on the path toward graduation by making students take physical labs online. The skills taught did not transfer to applicable knowledge for the students (Module 6 Lecture 2).
