Workforce Development - A Good Investment?

Joe the Plumber's Job is Starting to Look Darned Attractive

This past week I was reading a piece that appeared in Parade magazine looking at the potential for  jobs creation due to the Green Building initiative.

The article cited a report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors says the “green economy” could create 4.2 million jobs in the next 30 years. More than 3 million would come from a switch to renewable power and alternative fuels. 

What was no big surprise to me was that it confirmed that “It’s Joe Six-Pack with a hard hat and a lunch bucket, ready to install solar panels.” It went on to prophesy that retrofitting old buildings to meet environmental standards could replace many of the 800,000 construction jobs lost recently. 

Right now, the most green jobs—including environmental lawyers, consultants, and engineers—are in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Houston.  The article points out that many of the new green jobs that are being created don’t require a college degree—only access to training programs. 

But that's soon to change, as the "hands-on" Green building takes place

Consider the change over the past 10 years where science, techology, MBA's, law and upper management were the way to make big bucks and have security.  Today it's not unusual to hear people in the trades that are sustaining 6 figure incomes, with lots of job security, and great benefits.

At a time when tech giants are offshoring any job they can, and relegating much of their US workforce to contingent staffing firms who provide workers on a project by project basis, is it any wonder that Joe the Plumber's job is starting to look more attractive than ever before?Joe the plu

Some of the brightest new workforce talent may be right under your nose...

What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a question all of us have to answer at some point. The problem is, many of us graduate high school and go to college without having a clear idea of our career aspirations. As a result, most who start college don’t complete a four-year degree and often those who do end up with majors that don’t suit their talents or ambitions in life.

One organization that helps today’s young people answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is Junior Achievement.

Junior Achievement is one of the world’s leading nonprofit economic education organizations. Provided free to schools, JA programs help kids in grades K-12 explore entrepreneurship, financial literacy and the world of work. Volunteers from the local community come into the classroom and share their work experiences with kids, getting students to seriously consider what they want to do for a career before they get to a point of choosing a major or making the decision to go straight to the workforce following high school. JA programs also help students better understand the connection between what they learn in the classroom and success in the workplace.

To learn more about getting involved in Junior Achievement, visit their website . There are JA offices across the country, and around the world. If you want to volunteer, participate or get your kid or school involved, visiting this site is a good place to start.

From Training to On the Job Skills Transfer - 5 Important Tips

In these financially difficult times more and more companies are starting to look to their training budgets as a possible area for cuts.

Stop! This is time to invest even more in training. The secret is smart investments that truly transfer to the workplace.

MaryEllen Gibson, who writes in the Work + Money area for Yahoo, recently developed a short article entitled "Five Tips for Training to Transfer to the Workplace" that has some excellent guidance, especially in light of the market-related turmoil that has upended the plans of many businesses.

In her article, she justifies why is is not only important, but downright essential NOT to cut into the training and development area.

Here's a high-level summary of her article:

1. The trainer makes a big difference.  Don't underestimate this vital point.  Lose your good trainers and youcan undermine your entire program.

2. Training must remain a key part of a consistent message from the organization.
3. In order to increase organizational commitment, you need to ask each individual’s manager, and the manager’s manager, to attend the training session with their staff.
4. There is more value and long-term results from training delivered in “chunks” that are scheduled over a period of time, versus "big bang" that has lower learner retention.
5. Focus is necessary in order to train people in skills and information that are immediately applicable on the job.

 

 

How safe are the cranes working above you?

Since I grew up in a family of engineers and steel erectors, cranes have been in my blood.  Back in the 20's and 30's my Dad told me how men working on high steel jobs would fall of the structure, or be injured or killed by crane accidents.  Back during those days there was a long line of men on the ground waiting for one of these incidents, so they could get the job that had just been "vacated"

No wonder that steel erection continues to be one of the most hazardous professions, even with safer equipment and better training.

But the problem with safe crane operations is not limited just to steel erection.  Nor is it limited just to people working around cranes.

Consider some of the crane accidents that have occurred in the recent past.

• Dec. 14, 2007, New York: A crane building a Goldman Sachs headquarters near ground zero drops seven tons of steel on a construction trailer, critically injuring an architect inside.
• Jan. 22, Port Washington, Wis.: A crane being used to lift a concrete mixer at a parking lot hits power lines. A construction worker is killed.
• Feb. 2, Pacific Junction, Iowa: A crane collapses at a gas pipeline construction site, trapping and killing a man.
• March 15, New York: A 19-story crane breaks away from an apartment tower under construction. The accident demolishes a townhouse and damages several other buildings. Six construction workers, including the crane operator, are killed, along with a tourist visiting the city for St. Patrick's Day.
• March 19, Montpelier, Iowa: A man dies after falling 60 feet from a crane at an eastern Iowa steel plant.
• March 25, Miami: A crane at a condo project falls 30 stories onto a home used in the movie "There's Something about Mary," killing two workers and injuring five.
• April 30, Parole, Md.: A construction worker dismantling a crane dies when he is pinned between two pieces of it at a shopping mall under construction.
• May 20: Adair, Iowa: A crane replacing a bridge on an interstate highway topples onto railroad tracks, killing the operator.
• May 23, Latan, Mo.: An 800-ton crane collapses near a power plant construction site. One worker is killed and three others injured.
• May 30, New York: A 200-foot crane building a condo project in Manhattan smashes into another apartment building and to the street, killing the operator and another construction worker.
• May 31, Las Vegas: A crane at the site of a Las Vegas resort crushes to death a construction worker caught between the crane track and its counterweight system.
• May 31, Wright, Wyo.: Three ironworkers are hurt when a large crane collapses as it sets a section of tubing above railroad tracks at a coal mine.

There are several factors at work, operator error, workers being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and structural failure issues.  Training is essential and although there are many excellent crane safety training schools across the country, you can never have too much of this stuff.

I discovered a website that has some good information having to do with improving safety of crane operations, rigging and lifting.  You'll find lots of good information here.

The Issue for Business - Do We Provide Education, Training or Learning?

I have always found inspiration at the Learning at Light Speed blog, where they address anything related to learning faster.

Earlier this year I came across a great article published by Steve Rosenbaum entitled, "Education vs. Training Vs. Learning"

Mr Rosenbaum points out that while the academic world is more focused on education and the corporate world is more focused on training, the process is the same - LEARNING. 

You are statements like, “the purpose of an education is to become a critical thinker and well rounded.”  “The purpose of training is change what participants will be able to do after the training is over.”  Maybe it’s the difference between knowledge acquisition and skill development. 

He illustrates how in schools, paper and pencil tests are mainstays.  Standardized tests which are mostly about knowledge acquisition and comprehension seem to be the level of measurement.  But in a corporate environment, those tests are usually meaningless.  It’s more the rule than the norm that doing well on a test indicates results on the job.

The debate continues, but the "core idea" remains.  Should we be concentrating on how people learn, regardless of whether we're talking about education or training?

Continuing Education - Business Insurance in Turbulent Times

Recently I was inspired by an article written by Edwin Joseph over at ProfitDreamer who holds a position identical to mine, namely that  "continuing education is not a choice if a business is to be successful".

He points out correctly that nothing in this world ever stays the same. The only absolute certainty is change. No business is an exception to this rule. As a matter of fact, the businesses on the internet, including RedVector change faster than just about anything you can imagine.

I have watched with amazement at how often "experienced" professionals claim that they wouldn't take continuing education of a license or certification renewal requirement didn't demand it as a condition of renewal.

Edwin identified the syndrome as ‘tunnel vision’. These people don’t look around at the business landscape and make the necessary changes that keep them visible and a player in the rapidly changing market place.

He argues that businesses themselves will naturally grow and expand if the owner or manager of the business grows and expands his/her knowledge and is willing to adapt to the inevitable changes that take place on a daily basis in business.

He asks a pointed question: Wouldn't you agree that it is simply good business to invest a minimum of 5% of your time and your income back into yourself? You ARE your business.

Mr Joseph and I have both heard the term ‘continuing education’ tossed about like it was a choice to be made.

Continuing education is not a choice if a business is to be successful. The 10% of new internet businesses that will still be around after the next 120 days will be owned or managed by people who are constantly learning new things and applying those new things to the businesses that they operate.

They attend real world seminars. They attend teleseminars and webinars. They read multiple newsletters every single day.

They learn…they grow….they adapt….they succeed. That is very easy to say but it is much harder to accomplish. However, those who do accomplish it will still be in business when most others are not.

What types of continuing education are YOU committed to?

Is Rapid eLearning Right for You?

I'm pleased to introduce you to an exciting report entitled "Rapid E-Learning: Maturing Technology Brings Balance and Possibilities"

This fact filled report created by Elizabeth West, the Editorial Director of the Custom Publishing group of the Nielsen Performance Group describes this new evolving learning paradigm:

Rapid e-Learning at a Glance

• Can be developed in 21 days or less
• Doesn't require specialist knowledge and skills or thirdparty support
• Can use subject matter experts to author directly
• Requires a low level of investment to create
• May have a short shelf-life
• May involve an element of virtual classroom delivery or be completely standalone

Sure to cause discussion, this new elearning approach is something you'll want to explore further.  Enjoy!

Workers fired for surfing the Web

A new survey I came across has found that more than a quarter of employers have fired workers for misusing e-mail and one third have fired workers for misusing the Internet on the job.

The 2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey, conducted by the American Management Association (AMA) and the ePolicy Institute, polled 304 companies of all sizes in the United States. The vast majority of bosses who fired workers for Internet misuse (84 percent) said the employee was accessing porn or other inappropriate content.

While looking at inappropriate content is an obvious no-no on company time, simply surfing the Web led to a surprising number of firings. As much as 34 percent of managers in the study said they let go of workers for excessive personal use of the Internet, according to the survey.

Here's my question... 

Are organizations keeping up and changing their policies with the many evolving ways that the internet is being used today?

Today, people use the internet is quite different ways than they did, even three years ago.  For example, as What constitutes "excessive use" today?  Is it legitimate use of sites that might have been considered "personal" in the past?  With the explosion of Web 2.0 technology, savvy users have discovered that new technologies provide easy ways to "stitch together" business solutions from technology currently available in the Web 2.0 world.

A report I was reading conducted in late 2007 by the Pew Institute, entitled "How People use the Internet, Libraries, and Government Agencies to Find Help", delves into the many different ways that people use the web today.  It illustrates how dramatically different web usage patterns are among different classes of internet users.

The ePolicy Institute also provides assistance to organizations trying to help organizations keep up with the rapidly changing profile of how people use the internet more effectively.  Their website has a free 13-page guide you can order on how to do effective e-mail management entitled "How to Implement Strategic E-Mail Rules & Policies"

Likewise, RedVector has an excellent and well-respected course on "Business Writing: E-Mail techniques" that goes a step further by helping users of email make the most of this popular communications tool.

Question to readers...  How do you see your use and colleagues use of the internet today different from 2-3 years ago?  Would today's use according to the standards and definitions of "appropriate use" be considered illegitimate?

Applications of e-Learning in Law Enforcement

My colleague Dave Boggs, CEO of SyberWorks just did a video podcast (their first one!) talking with the Arlington MA PD Chief of Police about their use of the e-Learning in their officer training programs.

The YouTube video is available on the The Boggs e-Learning Chronicle in a post entitled "First Ever SyberWorks Video Podcast - Interview with Chief Officer Frederick Ryan of the Arlington MA Police Department"

This is a great session, and should be helpful to all who are looking for innovative applications for e-Learning. 

Why e-Learning is gaining serious traction in business

A new free report has become available entitled "Rapid E-Learning: Maturing Technology Brings Balance and Possibilities"

The report discusses how rapid e-learning technology is taking on significant learning challenges and pushing the boundaries of its first-generation objectives.

According to The eLearning Guild's 2006 Rapid e-Learning Development Research Report, demand for rapid e-Learning solutions has increased from 70 percent in 2005 to a whopping 82 percent among the companies surveyed for the report.

Here's some interesting observations about e-Learning from Rapid e-Learning at a Glance:

• Can be developed in 21 days or less
• Doesn't require specialist knowledge and skills or third party support
• Can use subject matter experts to author directly
• Requires a low level of investment to create
• May have a short shelf-life
• May involve an element of virtual classroom delivery or be completely standalone

This should be compelling for all learners and businesses alike, as it represents a "tsunami" of change in the way people learn.

New Sources of eLearning Wisdom

Jenna Sweeney has one of my favorite blogs, the Corporate Training and eLearning blog, that delivers lots of new perspectives relating to eLearning.
On her site, she has a great collection of eLearning resources that Id like to pass along.  Given that eLearning is growing by the minutes as an effective mechanism for delivering information to learners, thought you'd find this set of reference links useful to you!  Enjoy!

• eLearningPulse.com
• mLearning-World.com
• E-Learning Place Blog
• Training Magazine
• eLearningpost
• American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)
• Learningcircuits (from ASTD)
• The eLearning Guild
• T&D Blog
• brandon-hall.com
• The Masie Center
• e-Learning Terms & Acronyms Glossary
• e-Learning Guru
• e-Learning Centre
• elearnspace
• Workflow Institute
• Unbounded

Why the 90/90 Rule of Project Management Still Exists

Project managers are often their own worst enemies and say things to avoid conflict and make people happy that to lead disaster. Here are few of the classics, according to a colleague, Dick Billows, PMP.

1. I understand this is priority #1.Sure we can start immediately,plan as we go and finish it by October 1st.
2. Gee, everybody was happy with the project plan, they approved it in 3 minutes.
3. I've scheduled every detail. The plan weighs a ton!
4. No, you are wrong, that was never part of the scope! It's clearly a scope expansion.

We've all heard renditions of the above.  In fact that's why the "ancient 90-90 rule of project schedules" still applies today: The first 90 percent of the project takes 90 percent of the allotted time. The last 10 percent takes the other 90 percent of the time.

Of course, it doesn't need to be that way.  And from a business sense, shouldn't be that way.

Untrained project managers lack the necessary skills required to lead cross-departmental work efforts. They often don't know which of the project management techniques or tools to use or how to motivate people who are not directly accountable to the project manager.  Remember, one of the top skillsets of an effective project manager is "influence management"

Have you ever asked yourself the question: What problems do I  encounter which affected the success of my projects, (and how should project grading be adjusted to account for these mitigating factors)?

Project management is hard. It isn’t rocket science, although the formal discipline of project management as we know it today began as a tool necessary to make rocket science effective in the space program.

If you view project management from a purely technical perspective, it looks easy. There are only a few core ideas, each of which is conceptually quite simple and can be learned in a matter of hours. They include:

The idea of “project” as an activity with a beginning, a middle and an end. The idea of breaking up a large project into a set of smaller and independent tasks. The idea of defining the relationships among the tasks in terms of precedence, which tasks must be completed before others can be started and the description of theses relationships by means of critical path diagrams. The twin concepts of milestones and deliverables, allowing project managers to track and assess the progress of a project.

Still, a majority of all projects fail. Why? There are two basic reasons: untrained project managers and lack of historical data about costs and levels of effort.

As to what can be done, there is a lot.  And it extends beyond just knowing how to prepare a project schedule and budget.

Good PMs must like working with people, have good communication skills (70-90% of your time will be spent communicating), able to develop strong working relationships, able to influence others, sell the benefits of your project, motivate and lead others, enthusiastic & energetic, trustworthy, respectful, organized, must be able to deal with ambiguity, have the confidence to ask questions, and listen to what others are saying.

So "soft skills" are of critical importance.  You must also like organizational planning, vision, getting people focused in the same direction, and have excellent business skills.

It is extremely easy today to find quality accredited Project management training today, utilizing learner paced e-Learning methods.  I did a scan on the RedVector site and found 48 accredited courses on Project Management, averaging $25-30 per course credit hour.  Seems an affordable way to acquire or update the PM skills that are needed.

                                                                                               

CPM   Scheduling for Florida Contractors

CPM   Scheduling Part I

CPM   Scheduling Part II

Developing   & Managing a Project Budget

Financial   Management 1: Negotiating Contracts

Financial   Management 2 & 3: Pricing for Profits, Generating Cash and Getting Paid

Financial   Management 4: Accounting & Cash

Financial   Management 5: Strategic Planning & Budgeting

Financial   Management 6 & 7: Financial Controls, Monitoring & Project Budgeting

Financial   Management 8: Controlling Labor Costs

Financial   Management 9: Purchasing

From   Project Manager to Principal 1: Foundations of Management

From   Project Manager to Principal 2: Marketing Your Services

From   Project Manager to Principal 3: Negotiation Outcomes & Strategies

From   Project Manager to Principal 4 & 5: Manpower & Quality

From   Project Manager to Principal 6: Financial Management

Productive   Project Meeting Methodology for Architects and Engineers

Project   Decision Making with Case Studies

Project   Management Basics

Project   Management for Florida Contractors

Project   Management Trends

Project   Management: Professional Techniques

Project   Risk Management

Project   Team Management

CPM Scheduling

The   Art & Science of Delegation

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 01: The Changing PM Role

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 02: Managing the Proposal

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 03: The Agreement

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 04: The Project Management Plan

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 05: The Project Schedule

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 06: The Project Budget

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 07: Managing The Project Team

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 08: Managing The Client

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 09: The Project Start-Up

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 10: Managing Your Time

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 11: Managing Project Studies & Reports

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 12: Managing Design & Construction   Phases

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 13: Managing Quality

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 14: Managing Risk

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 15: Financial Management

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 16: Project Management Technology

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 17: Controlling Project Budgets &   Schedules

The   Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 18: Project Close-Out

Winning   Proposals 1: Preliminary Steps & Planning Strategies

Winning   Proposals 2: Effective Design & Development

Winning   Proposals 3: Components of a Successful Proposal

Winning   Proposals 4 & 5: Final Considerations & Evaluations

If you are a Project Management Professional (PMP) or are seeking to get your PMP certification, or just increase your project management skills, you may want to look into these offerings.

So is there a alternative to the 90/90 legacy?  You bet?

How Interns figure into the picture

For many firms, interns may represent serious untapped potential.

An internship, provides training for those who are interested in a career in process technology or a related field, as well as providing skill/knowledge enhancement for those who seek to further their training in the process industry.  It also provides an opportunity for a real-world work experience.

Have you employed interns previously?  You may want to consider this resource, which is highly relevant today.

We all know that a significant labor shortage has been predicted, and knowledgeable entry-level technicians and craftspersons with some experience in the work environment are preferred by employers.

Internships benefit the Company in a number of ways.  Internships allow the company to invest in the community, and  Interns can be evaluated prior to hire - those you choose to hire tend to contribute to lower recruiting and turnover costs.  These Intern employees are partially trained when you bring them on-board and can be productive to the organization sooner.

They also bring the latest theories, ideas, and classroom training to their job to share with incumbent employees.  Accordingly, they also re-energize the work force with their enthusiasm, positive attitudes and work ethic.

Don't have an Internship program currently?  Watch this space for a future discussion on how you can begin one - and make it work for you.

Nontraditional Teachers Lining Up

One of the great educational challenges we face today is the shortage of individuals want to teach and who can teach our youth what they will need to know to cut it in our rapidly changing world.

Why does this article resonate with me?

For one thing, the teachers "in the system" are in many cases struggling just to maintain their existing teaching load, and are themselves challenged by school district bureaucracies and policies.  Where are the "real world" perspectives to come from, amidst a rapidly changing jobs landscape.

For example, how many teachers and guidance counselors are introducing our youth to careers in construction, where the pay, benefits and job security are above average?  Do the current faculty see construction as much more than the "summer job" that they may have held before, where they were little more than job site general labor?  Does such an attitude dissuade them from encouraging youth to learn about jobs in this industry? 

Do our current cadre of teachers and guidance counselors have an awareness of the types of match, science, or communications skills that these youth will need to be able to enter the field at the "skilled worker" level?  Are these teaching professionals even aware that people without a degree with just a few years of experience with these skills are being actively sought after and snagging annual pay in the high five and low six figures? 

Yet because of youth making misinformed academic choices they often end up competing after graduation for "commodity" jobs that are often not fulfilling.  If they had chosen a path that enabled them to grasp basic math/algebra/geometry skills, they would likely find themselves in  a better bargaining position for jobs.

So it boils down to how to get people from the professions to step into the teaching profession to expose our youth to some of these possibilities.

Check out this story about a St. Paul schools program, designed to find candidates for hard-to-fill jobs by making teachers out of professionals coming from other fields.

read more | digg story

Who says that online learning can't be fun?

Have you ever taken a really dry and boring online course?

Most of us have at one time or another...

However the days where online learning choices are limited to boring and static "page turner" type of experiences. 

Take a look at some of the methods that leading eLearning course developers are putting into learner-paced instruction in order to more actively engage the learner in the process (not to mention helping reinforce important teaching points):

Flip book:

Matching:

Hangman:

Active Listening Techniques

Crossword

Learning Wheel

So if you're still learning the "old fashioned" ebook way, you may want to consider that there's a more engaging and fun way to learn "out there"

Make sense?

 

 

U.S. Department of Labor Proposes Rules To Align Apprenticeship With The 21st Century Economy

WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed rules to align the national apprenticeship system with the tools and flexibility needed for the 21st century global economy.

"Apprenticeship is a proven model of training that has been expanded beyond its traditional origins in industries such as construction to high growth industries and sectors," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. "We have proposed new regulations to reflect the 21st century global economy and the changes that have occurred in apprenticeship programs over the past 30 years."

The proposed rules would set up a more flexible and user-friendly approach for apprentices and employers, and make updates and changes affecting state apprenticeship agencies and the U.S. Department of Labor. The revisions would expand the ways that individuals can advance through apprenticeships. The types of training would expand from one to the following three approaches:

• Competency-based approach, which requires the apprentice to demonstrate competency in the defined subject areas and does not require any specific hours of On-the-Job Training (OJT) or Related Technical Instruction (RTI).
• Traditional, time-based approach, which requires the apprentice to complete a specific number of OJT and RTI hours.
• Hybrid approach, which requires the apprentice to complete a minimum number of OJT and RTI hours and demonstrate competency in the defined subject areas.

Electronic media would be added to the definition of Related Technical Instruction and, as a result, establish technology-based and distance learning as part of an apprentice's instruction.

The proposed changes provide for interim credential certificates, so that active apprentices can demonstrate their proficiency in particular required skills and competencies to employers. Provisions also feature reciprocity, which would allow programs to cross state lines, so long as the host state's applicable laws are followed. Program performance and accountability standards would be enhanced, while guidance and technical assistance would continue to give apprenticeship programs the best prospects for success.

Engineers Week - Coming Soon

"America's First Engineer" – Words that have been used to describe our nation's founding father and first president. 

Held annually—and very appropriately around the time of George Washington's birthday—Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce. 

Aiming to encourage interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and to promote pre-college literacy in math and science, EWeek is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts. What’s more, the alliance works hard to raise public understanding and appreciation of engineering contributions to society.

Started in 1951, EWeek has spread its coalition to 75 engineering, professional and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies. As a strong supporter, we encourage our members to take an active part in Engineers Week.

To learn more about future EWeek events or to see what's been happening in the past, go to: www.eweek.org

Do We Understand How to Get to the Truth?

So many significant decisions are made in the workplace based on majority opinion or by the highest ranking person in the room.  Does this mean that the decisions are correct, or that the arguments presented are based on fact, or truth?

For that matter, where does one turn for education or guidance on how ethical decisions can be arrived at?

I recently reviewed, "The Fallibility Principle" author by T. Edward Damer, (the author of an earlier work entitled "Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-free Arguments").

It is a relatively new  publication that seems to provide this type of guidance.   This book is written in such a way to give the reader the knowledge and insight to put forth good arguments as well as point out how to identify flaws in others.

Of particular interest is the author's focus on the quest for the truth, or as he puts it the most defensible position. While the techniques laid out in this book can be used to 'win' arguments, the focus in primarily on helping stakeholders find the truth.

Some leading education firms, like RedVector, specializing in the education needs of the Design and Construction industry, obviously think this is important.  They have several courses in their online catalog that stresses the importance of finding the truth and arriving at ethical business decisions:

• Ethics for Professional Architects Part I and II
• Ethical Decision Making for Engineers (3 part program)
• Ethics for Surveyors and Mappers
• 15 Hour Petroleum Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Mechanical Engineer Package #1
• 15 Hour Highway Engineering Package with Ethics
• 30 hour Business and Professional Development Package
• 8 hour Bridge Design Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Civil Engineering Package with Ethics
• 15 Hour Structural Engineering Package with Ethics

I feel that in today's world, the truth of the matter is too often overshadowed by necessity or convenience.  Readers, what do you think?  Is additional education in ethical decision making a priority for you?

If Online Tutors Could Improve the Quality of e-Learning, Why Wouldn't You Use Them

Dave Boggs over at Syberworks, one of my esteemed colleagues, recently posted a tantalizing article entitled "Can Online Tutors Improve the Quality of e-Learning?"

Incidentally, I personally like the idea of online tutors, having spent many years in the classroom environment, and having seen how the human interaction element can improve the learning experience.  But also, as a practitioner in the e-Learning industry, can see some of the issues such tutoring assistance presents to providers.

My question to my readers is simply this:  Why aren't there more Distance Learning formats and providers providing this type of ancillary assistance to learners?

The "Second Generation" of E-Learning - What to Expect

The International Journal of eLearning is an excellent source of knowledge about what's happening in the e-Learning marketspace.  A recent review, entitled "Second Generation" E-Learning: Characteristics and Design Principles for Supporting Management Soft-Skills Development", discusses  the concept of "second generation" e-learning as a new paradigm for designing online learning environments.

The authors Jean Adams and Morgan Gareth argue that an absolutely new thinking about online learning compared to "first generation e-learning" is necessary and that is the reason why they called their research project "NewMindsets".

The research method represents an action learning methodology and evolved through the stages:

1. conceptualization,
2. rapid prototyping,
3. pilot implementation and
4. continuing refinenment and consolidation.

The results of the research is at first the distinction between "first" and "second generation" E-Learning:- "First Generation" E-Learning is ideal for:technical skill development,routinized learning for tasks where conformance is needed, e. g. following a safety procedure, installing a piece of software procedures where deviation can be illegal or lethal,memory based learning/preparing to pass information-based tests.-

"Second Generation" E-Learning is ideal for:

• soft-skill development
• personal,
• reflective learning, e. g., to do one's job more effectively,
• engage in critical thinking,
• cope with ambiguity,
• leadership development,
• innovation and performance-based learning, and
• addressing complex issues

The authors further explained 6 key characteristics and design principles of "Second Generation e-Learning" as a further research outcome:

1. Technology-driven versus pedagogy driven e-learning.  It sounds simple but it seems to be a major issue in the e-learning field. The "second generation e-learning" strives to create the potential for learning to become an inherently self-organisating process. Within the context of soft-skills development, it emphasizes on the need to consider the most important pedagogical drivers:- Learning styles: second generation systems can support a variety of learning preferences by tapping the nonlinear open-endedness of the web medium- Context-based learning: encouraging learners to exercise their abilities to judge the relevance of what they are learning- The importance of informal learning: advancing context-specific, unplanned, just-in-time performance-based learning- The importance of provoking new insights to open up possibilities: second generation approaches use provocation-based content as opposed to purely instructional content to invite and engage learning by opening up think-ing and enabling learners to decide for themselves what actions are most appropriate in their own situation.- The need for accelerated learning and performance improvement: Since time resources are always a constraint "second generation" approaches try to solve it by giving learnes the control of their own learning.
2. A linear-sequential logic with the instructor-in-control versus learner-in-control: The "second generation" puts emphasis on learner-in-control pedagogy understood as a highly learner-centered approach which is particularly relevant for developing soft skills where context-specific solutions requiring management judgment.
3. Evaluation based on repetitive practice and passing test versus self-assessment, reflective practice, and successful application in second generation approaches.
4. Engagement through visual animation versus engagement through provocation: content-based provocations generate deeply engaging learning that can provoke new insights and stimulate new knowledge sharing. The overall aim is to create "space" for learners to get involved.
5. Separation of theory and practice versus integration of theory and practice in real-time by using work issues, or other potential applications, supporting action learning as opposed to just conceptual learning.
6. Separate systems for learning and knowledge capture and dissemination versus integrated learning, knowledge creation, and knowledge sharing.

Overall, the research findings provide a convincing set of design principles for "second generation" e-learning approaches.

This insightful report on the future of e-Learning is available from the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.
P.O. Box 1545, Chesapeake, VA 23327-1545.
Tel: 757-366-5606; Fax: 703-997-8760;
e-mail: info@aace.org;
Web site: http://www.aace.org

Will Learning Simulations Be Our Future?

An IDC survey stated that "by 2008 the use of simulations will quadruple....

Simulations provide a parallel universe in which employees hone their skills... Innovative companies have realized this, and others will follow."

Since the early 50’s the use of gaming/simulation has become increasingly important to training and decision-making processes in academic, business, military, and social settings.  Yet it has been only in the last few years that technology has been able to advance the state-of-the-art with more automated simulations technology.

A simulation is a construct that offers a more comprehensive learning experience by providing:

• Uncertainty
• Unpredictability
• A continuum of options to select
• Instant feedback for learners’ actions
• Instant view of learners’ actions
• Influences of the external environment
• An opportunity to review decisions, and alter them
• High levels of interactivity
• An opportunity to practice skills
• An practical view of the conceptual learning
• High level of engagement, allowing learners to replay it many times

This approach to Adult Learning offers many advantages over traditional approaches to teaching:

• Questioning over answering
• Examine assumptions and implications that underlie various decisions
• Exposing the nature of problems and possible solution paths

Learning Simulation also provides a more fertile learning environment, especially in areas of:

• Discovery learning
• Skills in communication
• Role-playing problem solving
• Leadership
• Decision making

Simulations provide a practical way to see the possible effect that decisions and policies have on artificial cultures and environments. 

The benefits to learners include:

• Greater motivation and interest
• Higher concept retention rate
• Better understanding of relationships
• Focus is on learning rather than the final outcome

Unlike other forms of "conventional learning" these simulations

• Affect participants at an emotional level
• Experience is “real” and often deeply moving for learners
• Characters or entities are personified

Many firms I have interviewed indicate that learning simulations are the most productive training approaches that have, and that it is often difficult to get learners away from the game at the end of the day.  Talk about learner engagement !

Where to Find Women Building Bridges

Responding to the London 2012 Olympics and the push to get women into Construction, members of the WorcNet Women’s network, based in Skipton, hosted a “Women Into Construction” seminar at the Craven College Construction Launch event on Monday 5 June.

The seminar included presentations from two women ambassadors from the Construction Industry Training Board. Vicky Belton works as a Civil Engineer and Helen Dickinson as a Quantity Surveyor, they each presented on their journey and experiences as women in the construction industry. Attique Barlas told the audience of a scheme to introduce minority groups and women into construction, offering a four week placement and a guaranteed interview which could lead to a job and further training. Mary Kelly gave a very inspiring talk on the work of the Walter Segal Trust which supports people who are interested in self build opportunities, and Keith and Jane Barber from SHE Build UK told of their business which employs and trains women construction workers for their property management and development company in Bradford.

Members of the North Northumberland and Cumbrian Women’s Networks who travelled down to the Launch event are taking back information to their own networks and local colleges in a bid to establish a similar project in their own areas.

Following the formal launch event, some of the WorcNet members who are currently undertaking a 10 week starter course in construction, hosted an evening dinner at the Rendezvous Hotel for the speakers and the guests from other networks, where they talked about their experiences on the course and their hopes for the future.

WorcNet Co-ordinator Debi Hawkins said “We are really pleased that 11 of our members have taken part in this first Women In Construction course and we are working with the College to progress women into more specialized courses later on in the year. We hope to be running another Women In Construction course from September. We will be having a Women In Construction taster day in September which will include presentations, workshops and hands on activities.”

For more information on WorcNet, the courses or the taster day please contact Debi, Kath or Karen on 01756 692788 or worcnet@craven-college.ac.uk

Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee

 

Reminder!  Register by Thursday, Nov. 8th A 21st-Century Vision for Opportunity and Innovation Launch of the Skills2Compete Campaign A National Webinar Monday, November 12, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. EST To register, email carlam@workforcealliance.or Learn About the Research Harry J. Holzer Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown University Visiting Fellow, Urban Institute will talk about the campaign report, America's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs by Holzer and Robert Lerman.. Hear from Representatives of Endorsing Organizations National Association of Manufacturers Phyllis Eisen, Vice President, The Manufacturing Institute & Executive Director, Center for Workforce Success International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President Kentucky Community and Technical College System Dr. Keith Bird, Chancellor Training, Inc. National Elsa Bengel, Vice President, Boston YMCA Education & Training The Workforce Alliance Andy Van Kleunen, Executive Director See the Resources Launch of www.Skills2Compete.org with resources for advancing a 21st-century skill guarantee. Register now for the national launch of the Skills2Compete campaign by emailing carlam@workforcealliance.org. Those who register will receive dial-in information one prior to the event.  Learn more about the campaign and endorse at our temporary campaign website at www.workforcealliance.org/endorseS2C.           The Skills2Compete Vision: Every U.S. worker should have access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school—leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or one's first two years of college—to be pursued at whatever point and pace makes sense for individual workers and industries. Every person must also have the opportunity to obtain the basic skills needed to pursue such education.

Visit our temporary campaign website at www.WorkforceAlliance.org/S2C

Men at Work - Gimme a Break !?!

Call it my warped sense of irony...

I was driving down the road today and saw the DOT standard "MEN AT WORK" sign, and noted that there were 3 ladies on the work crew.  I wonder how often the average passerby even considers that these are not just MEN at work?

It should not be a surprise that increasingly, smart women are looking to the construction industry as careers.  The pay and benefits in the construction industry are the best in business and industry. Pay is based on knowledge, skills and experience. Additional coursework and degrees from higher educational institutions paves the way to promotions within the industry. And there are more jobs than employees available to fill the many positions in construction. Whether your ambition is to work in an office or in the field, furthering your education is a vital step in getting ahead and staying ahead.

Many women enter the field of construction because their husbands, fathers, brothers or uncles work in construction and they encourage their wives, daughters, sisters and nieces to come into the field with them. Other women start out working in a construction office processing paperwork and then advance into the field and up the career ladder. Still others like the idea of working outdoors, using their hands to build houses, commercial buildings, bridges and highways, supervising projects and providing a good income for their families.

Women can be found working in construction offices or on-site as architects, CAD technicians, interior designers, estimators, project managers and project superintendents. Some women work on surveying crews; others work as building inspectors and plans examiners for municipalities. The possibilities are unlimited.

There are several ways to learn the construction business.

1. On-the-job training and apprenticeship programs have been the traditional route to construction jobs.
2. College programs and courses in construction management, business, drafting, estimating, surveying, civil engineering, and mathematics prepare women for both office and field positions. Some women continue their educations at the university level. Networking with management and leadership groups helps in moving up the ladder.  Many colleges offer certificates and associate degrees in Architectural Drafting, Computer Aided Drafting, Building Safety and Construction Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Surveying Technology, Construction Management and Welding. (before you laugh at welding - bear in mind that a journeyman welder with O/T can make $120-130k/yr)
3. Want to check out construction from the comfort of your living room?  There are hundreds of "continuing education grade" courses on construction available online.  For example, RedVector has a large library of "fundamentals-level" online courses that will help anyone interested become familiar with the concepts and language of construction.
4. Another resource is the Arizona State University, Del E. Webb School of Construction that offers a bachelor of science degree in Construction. Starting wages average $50,000 per year.

Looking for change and a career with a long-term future?  Check out these resources...

Interested in eLearning 2.0? Here it is...

Our colleague B.J. Schone over at eLearning Weekly can always be counted on to provide good insight and perspective.

Never to disappoint, B.J.'s recent article on eLearning 2.0 tools provides a much-needed introduction into the exciting area of  the different tools and technologies that can be used to reach this next level of learning.

He introduces Dr Tony Karrer, considered one of the top technologists in e-Learning and Performance Support, who operates 2 great blogs that you'll want to check out as well:  eLearning Technology and the Learning Circuits blog

Lots is happening in the eLearning world, and as a learner, author, or provider you need to stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies.  I think you'll find these sources helpful to you.

Looking for Expert Guidance on Online Training Content?

Dave Boggs, the editor of the Boggs eLearning journal, also has a great blog devoted to Online Training Content. Dave, a respected and knowledgeable guy, and what he says about elearning and how to deliver it is always right on point.

Check out this interesting and informative site.  You'll be glad you did!

Are Podcasts an effective learning tool?

For over 20 years, I have been a reader of the T.H.E. Journal.  It's a great publication for those interested in exploring what's going on in the education space, written in plain English, and at a level those of us, who are interested in a "practical" level of technology, can understand.  (With a circulation of over 90,000 T.H.E. is the largest circulated education technology monthly publication.)

Recently, they published a great piece called "Podcasts: Where's the Learning?" by Patricia Deubel Ph D.  In addition to her appearances in the T.H.E. Journal, she also can be found at Helge Scherlund's eLearning news blog.

This insightful article discusses whether podcasts are effective learning tools.  Clearly, podcasts are a part of the learners "toolkit", and as this article points out, we who are looking at podcasts as a learning tool, need to become aware of its strengths as well as weaknesses.

Check it out.  It's the first of a 2 part article that you'll find useful.

Does Playing Games Make You Smarter?

Games may be crucial to ensure the skilled talent pool we need now and in the years ahead...

According to a 2002 study by Gentile & Walsh, American children aged 2-7 play computer games an average of 43 min/day, children aged 8-12 play an average of 56 min/day, and children aged 13-17 play an average of 78 min/day.

Our youth are accustomed to learning through games.  In fact, games are largely responsible for the use of the computer.  According to a national survey conducted by the National Institute on Media and the Family, 92% of kids age 2-17 play video and computer games.  Michigan State University also conducted a longitudinal study of 140 low-income children and their Internet use at home; participants reported game play as their primary reason for using their computers.

For most of you, learning was chiefly considered fun during your stint in grade school when learning games were commonplace. However, once you hit junior high and then high school, learning seemed to be required and was not necessarily fun anymore. Games were no longer commonplace, long lectures, extensive reading assignments and homework became the routine.

 

No matter what your age, games are fun and naturally give people enjoyment and pleasure. Whether it’s a board game, computer game, video game or basketball game, most involve people, inspire interaction, offer challenges, stir a competitive spirit and of course, provide satisfaction. Simply put, games engage people.

 

That’s why corporate learning organizations worldwide increasingly develop and implement learning games and simulations for their employees. Learning games and simulations, much like the ones that were played during grade school, can improve learner engagement, learner participation and comprehension, retention and more.

So should we be focusing our attention on Educational Games?  Consider what's at risk.

• U.S. workforce must raise skills to compete in global labor markets
• U.S. workforce must raise skills to support an innovation based economy
• U.S. workforce must be ready for new jobs created by technological advancements
• Digital media the medium of attention for youth
• Schools must become high-performance organizations

What does this suggest to you?

Getting to the Starting Block

Many seeking employment today (in any industry) require a High School diploma or a GED.  Without this credential, more often than not, workers are relegated to the lower paid job classifications.

If an applicant hasn't completed High School with a diploma, the GED offers to the roughly 500,000 dropouts per year, a way to get back into better paying jobs in the workforce.

Depending upon how long it has been since the school days, there is increasing resistance with age to get back into self-education.  Online educational opportunities exist to help the dropout who has committed to obtaining their GED.

There's a good bit of discussion about the value and importance of the GED in today's marketplace.  MIT published Who Benefits from Obtaining a GED? Evidence from High School and beyond by Richard J. Murnane, John B. Willett, and John H. Tyler
The Review of Economics and Statistics,        Vol. 82,        No. 1 (Feb., 2000),                   pp. 23-37, a 15 page research paper on the multiple aspects of the value of the GED.  You'll find it an interesting read (I've provided a synosis here)

Leonard Williams, an e-learning instructor, recently published a great article entitled  "Planning, Perseverance and Motivation for the GED Test" that looks int this option and how e-learning can benefit the GED aspirant.  it's well thought out and Williams provides a sound proposal.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Effective E-learning - how it happens

Over time providers of e-learning solutions have learned that successful outcomes are based on several principles which guarantee the acquisition of the knowledge needed.

Making learning pleasurable
Without pleasure, there is no motivation. Without motivation, there is no learning. e-learning modules need to be mind stimulating : the learner plays an active role, the methods and solutions are not revealed immediately but discovered progressively, quizzes and exercises hold user’s attention and check their understanding, videos enhance pedagogical effectiveness by illustrating good and bad practices.

Making learning user friendly
Navigation must be extremely simple. This apparent simplicity does not prevent users from adapting the tool to their way of learning. Users need the ability to run through the whole module or take any section of particular interest to them ; some may wish to print out the screens, so that they can take notes on them, while following the module ; and others systematically use the links towards complementary resources.  Some providers, like RedVector provide the feature of printing off the lesson as a PDF document so the material can be reviewed off-line.

Proposing the correct time frame
Opinions vary on the ideal module length but it appears that the typical adult learner beyond 30-45 minutes minutes, encountered difficulty with retention, ans training regardless of form becomes increasingly difficult to fit into the day of busy professionals. Concentration is also difficult to hold beyond this timeframe. To adopt progressive learning approach, bringing together discovery, knowledge appropriation and application exercises is hardly possible in less than 20 minutes. Thus, a one hour learner paced online learning session will usually consist of a 25 – 35 minutes lesson, a 5-10 minute break, and a assessment or test.

Offering content from the best sources
Content is King!  The top e-learning providers join forces with subject matter partners as well as well-known authors, professors of leading universities, unquestionable authorities in their particular fields. Custom  made modules can also be developed if your company wants to implant company-specific corporate values, techniques, know-how into an e-learning format.

Strong and effective educational content is as important as adapting it to the different learning styles.

It starts with a plan

Today's secondary, postsecondary and career and technical education students stand poised at the center of industry trends that will benefit them enormously. The United States is embarking on a construction boom. In fact, according to a 2004 report published by Brookings Institute, more than half of the buildings that will exist in 2035 have not been built yet.

As baby boomers approach retirement age, a significant portion of the existing construction workforce will be leaving. The demand for quality skilled craft professionals will be critical, and this will create a wealth of possibilities for young people who seize that opportunity. It is critical to the future of our industry that we reach out to our young people and expand career-training opportunities.

Accordingly, the US has a vested stake in ensuring that the workforce needed to construct these buildings.  Thus, the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) has been an advocate in promoting ways for contractors to keep up with this surge.

The challenge is that the Construction industry, representing almost a trillion dollars of spending in our national economy is incredibly fragmented, and it is a monumental challenge to get the industry on the same page, with literally almost 1000 construction industry different trade groups in operation.

The NCCER has produced a document entitled the 2007 Construction Careers Planning guide, Download 2007_construction_careers_planning_guide.pdf in conjuntion with the upcoming National Careers in Construction Week (CiC Week) is a nationwide campaign designed to increase public awareness of the hard work and contributions of our nation’s craft professionals by highlighting the many career opportunities available in the Construction industry.

Is use of "Best Practices" a common practice in your firm?

The term "best practices" is commonly bandied about in business.  "We use this 'best practice' or that one" some claim.  Matt Stevens in his blog "The New Business Model of Construction" gives us some good insight on how to leverage Best Practices in a practical way.

A "Best Practice" is a management idea which asserts that there is a technique, method, process, activity, incentive or reward that is more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method, process, etc. The idea is that with proper processes, checks, and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and unforeseen complications. Best practices can also be defined as the most efficient (least amount of effort) and effective (best results) way of accomplishing a task, based on repeatable procedures that have proven themselves over time for large numbers of people.

Thus, one of the growth strategies for any successful business should be the identification and adoption of Best Practices.  There are numerous sources for these practices.  One of the challenges is finding practices that are relevant to your particular type of business. 

For example, take construction:  According to Matt Stevens of the Stevens Construction Institute, there are over 100 market sectors in the construction industry. F.W. Dodge reports in its construction permit data 30-odd categories and that is just the type of projects. Multiply that by the all the different types of contractors. The old CSI classification methodology outlines 16 divisions of work. Each division typically has several construction firm types occupying each of those.

Stevens has published over 140 best practices in the construction industry in a book entitled "Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day" that helps contractors seeking to imporove their businesses with better techniques, construction methods, business processes, activity management, workplace incentives etc.

Check out the book and Matt's blog.  Both are filled with good information for Contractors.

The Fastest Growing Top 10 Middle Class Jobs

As a person about to enter the workforce or someone who is simply trying to hang onto your job, the middle class has become a worrisome place for many. If you aren’t laid off you might soon become outdated.

If you are going to work you might as well work for the most money you can. You might not be aware of the highest paying middle class jobs and

read more | digg story

Partnership - How Education and the Construction Industry collaborate

Don Whyte, President of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) published a paper on the strategy and activities of his organization, which is focused on dealing with the formation of the craft and supervision in the large and highly specialized Construction industry.

The paper, Download building_success.pdf delves into the industry situation, challenges and some of the initiatives that are underway to address the needs of the current marketplace.  If you're interested in how the Construction industry is approaching the challenge, this is a "must read".

US corporate learning services market to reach $9.8 Billion by 2012

Research firm Ambient Insight, announced that the US Corporate learning services market will reach $9.8 Billion by 2012.  This article provides a link to a free pdf if you would like to get an overview of their research

read more | digg story

How We Learn in the 21st Century

In what is argubly one of the most pressing issues in our society, our friends over at the Bamboo Project have taken on on why the U.S. is falling behind in preparing math and science workers for the future.

Entitled "How Do We Learn in the 21st Century?" the article tackles the real "root causes" that are defining how we're trying to deal with this issue.  It's a great article, with plenty of backup information.  Check it out.

Blogging and Workforce Development

Bronwyn Mauldin, a colleague over at Workforce Developments recently produced a great piece "Podcast from the CWA blogging workshop" that gets into the "meat" of how blogs can be used effectively to enhance workforce development.  Besides the mp3 you can download (approx 1 hour play time), there are handouts and discussion materials on a linked page containing materials to help you start your blog.

Use of blogging to help spur new workforce development initiatives is just starting to take off. 
Also check out the comments foe important details including those from Michelle Martin who runs the Bamboo Project, an important initiative that I've referenced previously on this "workforce development"

Why Some Mediations Fail

The AEC Sector blog which provides timely information and news on architecture, engineering and construction topics posted an article entitled "Why Some Mediations Fail." 
While most mediations result in a settlement, some do not. A major cause of a failed mediation is that the participants approach mediation as informal, adversarial litigation. A party or attorney acting in this manner will address his or her remarks solely to the mediator, as if the mediator were a judge. Despite the mediator's efforts, the party refuses to have a dialog with the opposing party and does not make a good faith effort to engage in settlement discussions. The mediation fails because the mediation process has never actually begun.
The post cites a number of online courses available from online education provider RedVector that can help people enhance their skills in this critical area. 
At the end of the article, the author provides links to three excellent online resources:

• Construction Mediation: An Introduction - Beginner
• Construction Mediation: Participating Effectively as a Party - Intermediate
• Construction Mediation: Participating Effectively as a Party - Advanced

It's definitely important to check this out, as mediation skills are essential, not just in Construction but in ANY profession.

When Learning Occurs and When It Doesn't

The Bamboo Project does a great job educating on some of the finer points of management and organization development. 

There is a "golden nugget" contained within a recent article entitled: "Creating a Learning Climate for Nonprofit Staff" that includes an insightful excerpt:

An expectation that learning is something that happens on a daily basis on "company time."
    If learning is going to be part of an organizational culture, than it has to be woven into its fabric.Learning shouldn't be reserved for special training days. And it shouldn't be something that we expect always expect staff to do on their own time.
    My favorite organizations are those that have subscriptions to professional journals and pass them around the office with the expectation that staff will read them. My favorite bosses have always sent interesting articles my way. In a good learning organization, at the end of the day, not only should we be asking "What did you accomplish?" but we should also be wondering "What did you learn?" If the answer is "nothing," then we have a problem.

Thus selecting education sources that don't provide a way of measuring "competency" may not be the best financial or organizational option for you.  Many excellent programs are available that do this.  Here's a link you can take to an online training program provider that offers a free evaluation module.

Distance Learning Alternatives for Engineers

Staying on top of your game in Engineering today demands a multi-dimensional approach.  For licensed engineers, having sources of ongoing continuing education sources that are fresh, and relevant is essential.  Many engineers I speak with complain about having the "same old stuff" as far as curriculum through their local schools and engineering societies.

There's some new alter5natives that you should be aware of that may be helpful. 

Learnon.org looks like a good place to look for Engineering programs, especially if you're interested in distance learning programs. The courses they display run from seminars and single classes, to certification programs, to 2 and 4 year degree programs.

Another excellent source is RedVector.com, which has over 900 "fully accredited" online courses in technical areas (mostly related to architecture, construction) and "soft skills" (all disciplines) that provide cost effective learner-paced education for engineers.  It's top quality education when you want to do it, where you want to do it.

It's increasingly difficult to find time to travel to conferences and seminars.  Besides the lost billable time you may incur, consider the lost travel time to/from.  Online education is increasingly popular as a way to go.  Try it out and let me know your experiences.

Cutting Edge Research on Workforce Development

The National Study of Business Strategy and Workforce Development is a department of the Center on Aging & Work at Boston College, a research center committed to:

developing a research agenda focused on aging and work in the 21st century;

engaging the broader business community in the adoption, implementation, and utilization of flexible work options for older workers;

impacting public discussion about aging and work;

becoming the premier source of quality information about flexible work options for older workers.

e-Learning Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age

Marc Rosenberg has published e-Learning Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age
a work (circa 2000) that explains the basic principles of a comprehensive Web-based learning strategy—how to link your organization’s Web sites, Web-based training, courseware, and all the other components of online learning.

Thanks to our friend Dave Boggs over at the Boggs eLearning Journal for the tip on this book that will be helpful to anyone new to eLearning that is attempting to get a better handle on navigating the eLearning sea.

Are the "three R's" still "foundation skills"?

It seems these days, especially with most Americans having access to computers, that the traditional "three R's (Reading wRiting, aRithmetic) have been recast into "Reading, Writing, Rebooting".

At a time when due to the "talent wars", that it appears that employers are willing to consider anyone that can "fog a mirror", you have to ask yourself if the following areas that employers want, should be "non-negotiables" for job applicants:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Math

Bear in mind that we are talking about "skilled" versus general labor.

The Test of Adult Basic Education test (TABE), is designed to test your ability to learn.  It basically         checks to make sure you have a minimum competency level to protect the integrity of the testing process.        

In other words, it's more about your ability to learn and process new information than what you know.  This is good news for those willing to work hard, because it boils down to a very simple strategy:

With information changing so rapidly and the ability to access new information quickly, is it more important to you as an employer to determine if a worker can remember a set of information about a particular subject, or to deduce what information is relevant and useful to their job.  TABE provides a means to make such a determination.

Additionally, new skills are appearing in each "traditional" area.  For example, what employer would not want to increase the skills of their workforce that can write with confidence, communicate message professionally in a useable and readable fashion, and avoid common writing mistakes that distract from the message?  Ans save training dollars at the same time?

An online program by RedVector called Quick Writing Tips authored by Edward P. Shanahan helps people develop a new writing style that's particularly useful for workers in business. We know that effective business writing is a vital professional skill. Successfully getting your message across is fundamental whether you are simply writing short memos and letters, or multi-page reports and proposals. Written communication is often used to convey information to coordinate operations, perform tasks, answer questions, make decisions, or solve problems. To communicate effectively, a writer must know the intended audience and write specifically to that person or group.

So there you have it.  New approaches to testing adult ability to learn, and a new twist on how your people can learn a new style of business writing.  How does that sound for a new start?

How Workforce Conflict Can Be Better Managed

Few would disagree with the importance of motivation and positive communication.  By understanding that our basic human needs form the basis of all motivation (positive and negative) we discover the benefits of reward, growth and challenge as motivational factors.  Nothing moves without motivation and this course assists you in creating and maintaining positive and productive motivation. We naturally want to keep our teams happy and productive...and out of trouble.

An innovative program has been developed by Mrs. Donna Kobylarczyk, entitled Team Building IV: Conflict Management.

Mrs. Kobylarczyk has over 20 years of experience as a Team Leader for the finance department of AT&T and the Director and/or President of various non-profit organizations such as the Autistic/Handicapped Children of Central Florida, Inc, and ia an author for the online education provider RedVector.

Since we all deal with conflict perhaps having a better understanding of it might be in order, wouldn't you think?  Conflict is common and normal and has been around for as long as we have had humans in toe workplace.  An ancient Zen Proverb states, “Life will always have conflict.  The idea is not to live life without conflict.  The idea is to deal with conflict gracefully.”      

Conflict exists whenever one or more individuals desire a certain goal and perceive that one or more other individuals are preventing them from attaining it.  Many of us have experienced some form of conflict in the workplace which may not have been resolved successfully.  Although many feel comfortable addressing conflict in other areas of life, sports, politics, car buying, vacation planning, etc…    We generally do not address and resolve conflicts in the workplace conflicts. Why is that?

Check out this program, it will help answer some of these questions and provide a means of reducing the disruptive effects of this phenomenon.

 

Exciting news regarding the Hispanic Workforce

A new self-paced learning program is now available to help the home building industry’s 2.5 million Hispanic workers learn English.  Sed de Saber™-Construction Edition, sponsored by Lowe’s, was custom-created by the Home Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), to address job site communication challenges presented by the language barrier.

Thanks to Dave Seitter over at the Midwest Construction Law blog for putting us onto this.  Dave is a highly regarded legal professional who stays on top of the most pressing issues in construction as evidenced by his article entitled "HBI, NAHB and Lowe’s Unveil Sed de Saber™-Construction Edition at the International Builders’ Show"

The implications of this program are very significant and any contractor looking to find an increase in productivity and efficiency will likely benefit from this program.

Inter-generational and inter-cultural communications are the two big management challenges contractors struggle with today.  This is definitely a step in the right direction.

The Key to Keeping Learners Interested

Our friend Dave Boggs over at the Boggs eLearning Chronicle just added a new article that you won't want to miss out on.

For you see, although much is written about reasons why students drop out of online courses, little is said about what makes them stay.  He's referenced a new work that addresses this point.  Itr's called Surviving the shipwreck: what makes online students stay online and learn? by Johannes C. Cronjé, Debbie E. Adendorff, Salome M. Meyer, and Linda van Ryneveld

The eternal challenge in todays workforce development business is Keeping Learners Interested.  You don't want to miss the unique approach and a couple of surprising twists within.

Happy Learning!

The Boggs e-Learning Chronicle: Basic Information on Competencies

Dave has come across a source that provides some foundational information on competencies, "Competency-Based Talent Management System Design for Beginners" by Burke Powers that may be helpful for those just starting out in e-learning and competency management.

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Attention, please. Distracted workers often fail to produce

The average employee’s attention span is, at most, 12 minutes. The average worker switches to a different task every three minutes and gets interrupted every two minutes, says Gloria Mark, a professor at the University of California-Irvine who studies the effects of multitasking on workers. She reported her findings to Ergonomics Today.

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Tipping Point - What Happens When Delegation Doesn't Happen?

The mastery of delegation is the highest form of personal leverage and the ultimate time management tool.  Tim O'Brien, is a expert in this area with an M.S. (Instructional Systems and Human Performance, FSU), and is a Fellow with The American Institute of Stress, and director of The Institute for Stress Management & Performance Improvement.

He has produced an online 3-hour interactive course entitled "The Art & Science of Delegation" that defines delegation, explains its benefits, and guides the student through the process of delegating tasks and projects. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, for professionals needing CE credit for certain types of professional license renewal.

Another great resource is the Society for Design Administration who has workshop courses helping people address the problems of delegation.  From time to time, their chapters provide a seminar entitled "Making Chaos Work for You: Keys to Small Firm Management".  This session is based upon the recognition that unpredictability is a fact of life for small architectural firms. The author of this program Rena Klein, AIA, is principal of RM Klein Consulting, a Seattle firm offering meeting facilitation, business planning services and management education and coaching to architects in firms nationwide.

Small firm owners must cope with constantly shifting workloads, respond quickly to promising opportunities and deal immediately with unexpected challenges.  The only certainty is the uncertainty that small firms face.

Operational problems are often the result of this unpredictability.   Examples of operational problems in small firms include low productivity coupled with deadline-generated crisis, inadequate human resources management resulting in low job satisfaction and poor delegation, with too much information in the hands of too few people.   Many of these problems relate directly to a firm's ability to handle an environment of unrelenting change.

This is not a new problem, nor is it one that will go away in our lifetime - thus the need for ongoing education to address generation after generation of new leaders that struggle with the issue.   

Workforce Development Ideas - Digineer

An exciting new blog by David Brown, a highly knowledgeable consultant and construction industry expert, explores the elements of recruiting and retaining engineers in todays "digital workplace".  Titled "Workforce Development Ideas - Digineer" it provides some sound ideas to help employers maximize this important resource - engineering talent.  David knows what he's talking about, having many years of "hands-on" expertise.  You'll come back to this article and his blog often!