Types of Training (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Business)

Revision Note

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Written by: Danielle Maguire

Reviewed by: Steve Vorster

The Importance of Training to a Business

Training is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of the workforce to enable them to perform their jobs effectively
Businesses need to make sure that new and existing staff are trained and developed appropriately
- Training is the teaching of new skills E.g. a learning a new process or how to use new equipment
- Development is the improvement of existing skills E.g. a refresher course for an existing piece of software used

Reasons why firms train & develop their employees

A well-trained workforce is important for several reasons
- Well-trained staff are likely to be more productive
- Staff may feel valued if a business invests in training and development
- Staff are more likely to be flexible and resilient in the face of change
- Training decreases errors or waste in the production process
- Improves the opportunities for internal promotion

Types of Training

There are three main types of training that a business uses

Diagram: show types of training

Diagram to show types of training — **Three common types of training that businesses put their new employees through**

Induction training

Induction training is given to new employees when they start working for a business
- It introduces them to the organisation, its culture, policies, procedures and their job roles and responsibilities
  - E.g. when new employee joins Marks & Spencer they receive induction training that covers customer service, product knowledge, store policies, and safety procedures

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Induction Training

Advantages	Disadvantages
Helps new employees to understand their job roles and responsibilities Improves employee confidence and motivation Reduces the time taken for new employees to become productive	Can be time-consuming and expensive to organise May not cover all aspects of the job role May not be effective in all cases, leading to employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates

On-the-job training

A type of training that takes place while employees are working in their job roles
- It allows employees to learn new skills and knowledge from colleagues while performing their job duties
- For example, a sous chef at The Ivy Restaurant in York receives on-the-job training from the Head Chef to learn how to prepare new dishes, use equipment or improve cooking techniques

The Advantages & Disadvantages of On-the-Job Training

Advantages	Disadvantages
Employees learn new skills and knowledge while performing their job duties Training is tailored to the employee's specific job role and responsibilities Training is often more practical and relevant to the employee's job duties Can be cost-effective as it takes place during working hours	Employees may make mistakes while learning or trainers could pass on bad habits which may impact productivity and quality Can be disruptive to the workplace as it requires the trainer to devote time to training the employee May not be effective in all cases, leading to employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates

Off-the-job training

A type of training that takes place outside of the workplace
- It can be in the form of workshops, seminars, conferences or online courses
  - For example, teachers attend exam board training days at which they learn how to deliver the syllabus and help their students to prepare for exams

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Off-the-Job Training

Advantages	Disadvantages
Employees learn new skills and knowledge outside of the workplace, which can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the workplace Training can be tailored to the employee's specific needs and interests Training can be used as a reward or incentive for high-performing employees Can be cost-effective if training is provided online or through webinars	Can be expensive to organise, especially if travel and accommodation are required Employees may miss work while attending training, which can impact productivity The training may not be directly applicable to the employee's job role or the needs of the firm

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Different types of training are required for different job roles. You may need to evaluate a particular type of training or recommend one to a business. Think about the nature of the role and whether on or off-the-job training would be the most appropriate.

E.g. On-the-job training may be suitable for a hotel porter who has many hands on aspects to the role and needs to learn quickly. In comparison, employees that need training in a new software may need training sessions from an expert so show step by step how to use it in their role

Last updated: 23 October 2024

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