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Questions Employers Ask

 

  • What do you teach my employees?
  • How much does it cost?
  • Is it worth it?
  • How long will it take?
  • Can you test all my employees so I can see "where they're at"?
  • How do I get frontline supervisors to agree to this?
  • When should we have the training?

    • What do you teach my employees?
    We focus on the essential skills necessary for your employees to survive and thrive on the job.  Essential skills are enabling skills that help your employees perform their daily work tasks, give your employees a foundation on which to build more knowledge, and improve your employees' ability to adapt to workplace change. 

    Essential skills are NOT technical skills.  They are the skills that allow employees to carry out their daily work. 

    The essential skill categories are

    • reading
    • using documents
    • writing
    • numeracy (math)
    • oral communication
    • thinking skills (problem solving, decision making, job task planning and organization, memory use, finding information)
    • working with others
    • computer use
    • continuous learning

    How much does it cost?
    Workforce Education is part of adult basic education -- the public education system.  Our programming is subsidized, in part, through state and federal monies.  However, a good workforce education education requires time and money spent outside of instructional hours, time spent assessing employee skill level and analyzing job skill requirements and time spent developing customized materials for your work site.  There is a cost for this and it depends on the scale of our programming with you.

    Is it worth it?
    Yes! 

    Employees who have improved their basic skills through employer-supported programs are

    • Less likely to quit than those who have not received training
    • Better able to use machinery and technology in the workplace.
    • Able to work effectively in teams.
    • Able to interact more effectively with supervisor and co-workers.
    • More like to participate in meetings and group work.
    • More involved in decision-making processes.
    • More motivated on the job.
    • More effective when solving existing problems and avoiding new problems.
    • More involved in the company and have a greater sense of ownership.
    • More confident on the job.

    --Interagency Coordinating Council report:  Blueprint for Change, Adult Basic Literacy Services in Pennsylvania, July 1999

    How long will it take?
    Research has proven that teaching essential skills in a specific context leads to greater transfer of learning than teaching in a general adult education classroom.  However, it still takes time to improve communication skills or improve other essential skills. 

    We often start with a 12 week pilot project, but we know companies that invest for a longer time see a greater benefit to their organization.

    Can you test all my employees so I can see "where they're at"?
    We use standardized tests for placement in classes and to track learning.  We can provide information on educational gains through these assessment, but we are not able to release an employee's individual score data. 

    Beyond standardized tests, working with an employer to build a customized assessment for a training is very valuable.

    How do I get frontline supervisors to agree to this?
    Frontline supervisors are usually impacted the most in their daily work by some of their employees being pulled off the line for training.  The job of a workforce educator is to keep communication lines open with those supervisors and to involve them in the planning and implementation of the training.  The frontline supervisors, along with the participating employees, will also experience the BENEFIT of the essential skill training with a more productive workforce.

    When should we have the training?
    An employer needs to consider many factors in deciding when to hold the trainings.

    • what employees do I want to reach -- what shifts do they work?
    • what days/times would pulling people off the line have the least impact on production?
    • what training space is available in the building and when?
    • will the training be held on company time or a mix of company time and personal time?

    As educators, we see it as ideal to hold two 1 1/2 hour trainings a week during the work day.

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