Training and Development Relate to Human Resource - Essay Example

Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training Mentoring Mentoring describes a developmental relationship between an experienced professional and one who is less experienced. Though mentoring can be formal or informal, it can be “the most intense and powerful,” “entailing the most influence, identification and emotional involvement”(Wanberg, Welsh, & Hezlett, 2003, p. 40). Formal mentoring involves purposeful matching of the mentor and the mentored. Often constraints are placed on the formal mentoring processing with regard to time frame, subject matter or skill development and position specific behaviors. Formal mentoring can also be subject to monitoring by Human Resource managers and others within an organization to make sure objectives are met. Informal mentoring is more of a natural relationship that develops between two individuals with mutual respect, who become involved in the relationship on a purely voluntary basis. Such mentoring is more common and usually more flexible in nature. There is a lack of outside influence and structure, with participants defining the skills and behaviors taught, within their own time frame. There has been much information gathered from mentored involved in such relationships, though not as much from mentors. Manda Rosser (2005) identifies characteristics of mentoring relationships in her study of CEOs a mentors who have been previously mentored. First, most of them recognize the value of such relationships, as many described such relationships as helpful to their current positions and professional skills. Second, most identify mentoring relationships as long-lasting, often over periods of several decades. Even when the mentoring has negative results, those studied admit that the mentoring relationships Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 are valuable learning tools. One executive talks about his own mentoring relationship as one in which he was hurt and taken advantage of. Because of the experience, he mentors with an attitude of fairness and giving. Another executive describes mentoring as “perhaps even one of the most important things that can occur in developing others. Mentoring is giving of yourself. There is no expectation of return”(Rosser, 2005, p.547). Mentoring is often confused with ‘coaching,’ though the latter is actually a more formal means of employee training with specific short term goals. Both mentoring and coaching can share some common characteristics such as collaboration, support, goal setting and information sharing. However, it is the length of time and the lack of any one goal that defines mentoring as a very different process. When an organization decides to adopt a formal mentoring program, many questions should be asked to identify reasons for the mentoring to take place. “Who participates? What do we expect of experienced employees? Will progress reporting be implemented? How often and how long do we expect participants to interact? Will participation be voluntary? and What behaviors or skills are we expecting participants to exhibit?”(D’Abate, Eddy & Tannenbaum, 2003, p.360). Overall, mentoring is viewed as a positive, ongoing process in which an individual with quite a bit of knowledge or expertise in a given field interacts with one of less experience, in order to help that individual develop necessary skills, traits or competencies required in that field. The individual may participate in the mentoring relationship to move up in rank within an organization at a later date, or may simply participate in order to cultivate desirable habits and skills. Company Benefits: Cost savings in training, development of future leadership, less employee turnover when expectations and goals are understood, enhancement of Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 corporate culture and identification of overall weaknesses within the organization. Human Resources benefit from less turnover when employees know what is expected of them and understand organizational goals. Employee Benefits: Employees who participate in mentoring, whether formal or informal, have a better understanding of their roles within the organization, are better able to identify goals both short term and long term, feel a sense of worthiness in having a mentor who gives of their time and expertise and tend to give more of themselves. Mentor Benefits: Provides a means for those who were once mentored themselves to give back to the organization or to someone less experienced in general. It allows corporate leaders or managers to identify those within the organization who are capable of filling management or executive positions when they become available. Apprenticeship Apprenticeship generally describes formal workplace training programs for those with little or no experience in a given field or job. Although apprenticeship programs vary in length, they typically cover a long enough period of time for the apprentice to become comfortable and develop a level of competency in their role. Apprenticeships differ from mentoring, coaching or other types of individualized training in that experience and knowledge are gained from those of their equal in position or role, as well as from those in management roles. Apprenticeships nearly always must be applied for, with the organization selecting one or more applicants who meet the certain guidelines. Criteria can include academic performance, prior work history, community involvement, professional referrals and aptitude tests. Within an apprenticeship there may be more or less mentoring, depending on the nature of the work and willingness of those in management roles to provide additional Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 guidance and knowledge. Learning skills can also occur in collaborative environments in which employees include interns in their organizational meetings, planning sessions and work groups. While apprentices may receive formal evaluations from managers or those supervising their progress, they may also be expected to provide feedback about the experience so that programs can be improved upon. Although apprenticeship programs are rarely offered by many American corporations outside the fields already mentioned, the U.S. Department of Labor identifies a top notch program implemented by Siemens, which is designed as a school to work transition. The Siemens Stromberg-Carlson Apprenticeship Program is two and a half years and requires applicants to complete certain high school courses while maintaining above average grades during the apprenticeship. Students spend one half of a forty hour week in the classroom and the other half in the factory. It is estimated that an unskilled electronics assembler “earns around $20,000 a year, as opposed to graduates from the apprenticeship program, who start out earning $27,000” (Armstrong & Kleiner, 1996, p. 8). The Clinton administration has praised the efforts of Siemens in developing its program as an example to other corporations. While employers carry the burden of teaching work related skills, it makes sense to adopt apprenticeship programs. They can work well for large and small businesses. Small businesses have even more to lose with improperly trained employees as there fewer employees to pick up the slack. Often managers or small businesses owners must take on additional tasks, while hoping that trainees or new employees learn quickly allow them to focus on management tasks. Company Benefits: Less time and money spent on periodic training. Less turnover, rewarded as a good corporate citizen, benefits the community or communities in which Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 the company conducts its business which, in turn, generates a positive attitude from the community toward the company. Reduces costs of managerial time spent on employee behavioral and productivity issues. Human resource benefits include clear guidelines for those administering apprenticeship programs. Employee Benefits: Feeling of pride and accomplishment, more employable, increased earning potential, increased potential for advancement, clear, concise guidelines for learning and meeting goals and sense of belonging within an organization. Both training methods offer employees and employers many benefits. Overall, costs of high turnover and recruiting are reduced. Those receiving training gain valuable experience in a given field or profession. Human resources may experience lower turnover, particularly in key hard-to-fill positions. Of course, outcomes also depend on the trainee’s willingness to learn and become an integral part of a larger mission. Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 References Armstrong, D. & Kleiner, B. (1996). Transferring Learning to the Workplace. Management Development Review, 9(1), 8. ASDA. (2004). Pilots Training Scheme. Industrial and Commercial Training, 114(4), 118. D’Abate, C., Eddy, E. & Tannenbaum, S. (2003). What’s in a name? A Literature- Based Approach to Understanding Mentoring, Coaching and Other Constructs That Describe Developmental Interaction. Human Resource Development Review, 2(4), 360. Rosser, M. (2005). Mentoring from the Top: CEO Perspectives. Advances in Developing Human Resource, 7(4), 527. United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2003). Current population summary. Retrieved May 30, 2004, from http://www.bls.gov Wanberg, C., Welsh, E., & Hezlett, S. (2003). Mentoring research: A Review and Dynamic Process Model. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 22, 39-124. Read More