Training is an essential tool that companies use to ensure proper knowledge in the work place and make the environment much safer. I have had many encounters with various training methods in my career, these different methods ranged from presentation training, hands on training and group-building. Each one of these methods has advantages and disadvantages, but in my opinion the best training I received was always hands on training. For instance, at my last internship for a construction firm in Portland, I was given hands on training on all of the software that they use on a day to day base. The manager of the project that I was on sat down beside me and walked me through step by step how to use the software. In this series of trainings, I became fluent in Procore, eBuilder, Navisworks and other software. The hands on method was most effective in this scenario because I was able to ask questions if I was stuck because I had help right by me. If this were a presentation format and I would watch videos that wouldn’t be as interactive as the hands on method. In addition to that training, I have also been a part of a really effective group building training method. In this case, the superintendent of the project brought out all of the employees on site and walked them through a safety training on how to use the water buffalo. This was an effective form of training because he was able to convey the message to everyone at one time and allow for group discussions. This group building format was effective for this case because it also involved action learning where the superintendent physically demonstrated the proper process. Overall I tend to favor hands on training and group building training over presentation because It allows for discussion to happen, although presentation training does have its benefits because a video for example can be shown at any moment and can be a quick and easy way to convey information.

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Lecture Slides for week 6 (Swift)