In “Transfer of Training,” John Newstrom writes that 40% of skills learned in training are transferred immediately, 25% remain after six months, and only 15% remain a year later.
Roughly 20% of the critical skills needed to do a job are provided by training programs; 80% are learned on the job. Effective assimilation or transfer of training is, therefore, highly important.
Transfer of training can be increased through:
- using realistic examples of how the skill might be used
- giving learners meaningful contexts for the application of concepts rather than presenting theory without a useful association
- using rich analogies to heighten retention of information
- presenting skills in a conceptual context before asking learners to use them
- including practice of skills in the design of the learning event
- presenting new concepts in several different ways; transfer of training is more likely to occur when concepts appear in several different training contexts
- using clear and effective visual aids
- consider the use of pre-training assignments
- keeping concepts and skills as close as possible to the work generally done by participants in their everyday jobs
- building in post-training follow-up with participants
- encouraging the organization(s) to develop supportive environments for the continued learning in the workplace after training has taken place
Source: Caravaglia, Paul L. “How to Ensure Transfer of Training.” Training and Development.October 1993, pp. 63-68