Staff Training

Every organization stresses training and it is a legal requirement in many industries. Training managers and human resource personnel spend countless hours identifying, preparing, and delivering training. After training, we test to assess competency and mastery of information and skills.

With any training program, there are the associated training records. Records document who was trained, when they were trained, and what skills they have mastered. Training records provide documentation for regulatory agencies, information for personnel evaluations, and support for promotion or salary increases.

Training records can be used as a basis for goal setting or aid in selecting staff assignments by matching competencies with required skills. They also are useful for charting and reviewing personal progress toward annual goals.

Records are objective. They provide the data needed to make decisions based on actual performance after specific training. Records provide an easy method to identify training gaps that direct future subject matter. As a reminder, this gap analysis assesses the needs of the organization and the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities (KSA) of the staff in relation to the jobs they perform.¹

Recordkeeping Methods
Training record management can be very simple or complex, from certificates in a file to a custom electronic database. There is no one way to keep records but some methods make it easier to retrieve and use the data.

There are a number of commercial programs specifically designed for training records. These entities have a web presence and can be easily found. Some offer online database management or data storage. Some are part of a larger training package, while others only offer records management.

Paper records are the most common way to manage training records. Files can be created by person, by subject, or by date. Attendees sign a log sheet which is filed or they receive a certificate. Pick a system that works for you.

In order to maximize the usefulness and functionality of a paper file system, consider using a single summary sheet for organizing training records. If using the file folder method, this form can be stapled to the front of the file folder for ease of access; it can also be managed electronically. To be useful, summary forms must be kept current. The use of a single summary sheet per employee allows the manager to easily see what has been accomplished, tally the training hours logged, identify topics covered and mastered, and see what training gaps, if any, exist.This method enables the manager to easily compare year over year training. A summary sheet is useful when planning for upcoming training or goal setting for the next year. A number of such forms can be found on the internet by using a good search engine.