A study of the training implications of developments in the work of a sample of training officers in the UK

This dissertation examines changes in the role and relationships of a sample of T.0.'s over a three year period to determine the training implications of developments in their jobs in the light of earlier research studies. The final sample comprised 79 ex-course members of the Middlesex Polytechnic Training of Training Officers (introductory) course who attended the course between 1973 and 1976: the response rate was 73.4% (58 respondents), comprising 78% full-time and 22% part-time T.O.'s from 13 industries and firm sizes ranging from 100+ to 2000+ employees.
No consistent pattern of role development emerged over the
three year period but certain trends were discernibIe. There
was an increase in the use of the counselling role illustrating
a trend, noted in this and other studies, towards an
enhanced realisation of the importance of personal relationships in training activities and the need to develop counselling and coaching roles during T.O.training. The key role of 'identifying training needs' increased in use but the basic roles of 'evaluation', 'job training analysis' and 'structuring training objectives' did not extend significantly over the three year period. The relatively low levels of support for theses central roles, and the wide variations which appeared in the activities undertaken within thses roles, in this and other researches, strongly points to the requirement for further research into our assumptions about these role areas. The findings from this study suggest that the problem is partly one of semantics stemming from idealised role expectations.
Using the results of this and other researches, it would appear feasible to postulate a broad set of common roles and activities necessary for most entrants into the training function: the survey lists 16 roles which largely coincide with those hypothesised by the Manpower Services Commission (1978). Perceptions of difficult, time-consuming and key areas generally coincided with those roles respondents accepted as necessary for the effective use of the training function. The finding that an introductory course appeared to meet most of the training needs of respondents over the three
year period is a matter of concern and suggests either
severely limited expectations f'rom both respondents and their
managers or possibly the existence of a gap between the
professional expectations of those concerned with the training
of T.O's and the actual needs of pracitioners.