Shop leaders should work to motivate technicians on educational value, and instill a more positive outlook. They can do that by explaining why training is good for the health and stability of the business. Use phrases such as “Please attend this training and bring back as many things as possible to share with your colleagues.” Even if a course is known to be basic, challenge technicians to find one thing to bring back and discuss. This promotes a sense of excitement that there will be value, and motivates them to retain information.
Leading by example may be what it takes to set the tone and show the importance of consistent, steady training. You may just need to attend trainings to convey that message.
Once information is learned, it has to be applied in the real world before it’s lost and forgotten. You need to have a process that allows technicians to quickly apply new skills.
Develop an environment that isn’t afraid to discuss things a technician learned from a training effort. Many technicians feel that admitting they learned something will expose that they did not know the information to begin with. Work to dispel that mindset and challenge your technicians to come back and talk about it.
For example, say a technician just completed a class on ultra-high-strength steel. Find an example of that on a job already in your shop. Have your technicians huddle around it, discuss the course material, and identify how the learned information can be used for that situation.
Take it even further by creating a positive type of group learning, in which technicians learn information from one another. Training in that fashion ensures that technicians share accurate and up-to-date material in an organized environment.