Transfer of training

Transfer of training is the carry-over from what was learned in a learning situation to the real work. Positive transfer means the behaviour also appears outside the training; with negative transfer, what was learned works against the person, for instance when the rig used for practice differs from the real installation.

This is the only criterion that ultimately matters. A training with excellent ratings and high test scores that changes no behaviour has cost money and delivered nothing.

Three factors decide most of the transfer, and none of them sits inside the module. The first is resemblance: the closer the practice situation is to the real installation, the better it carries over. The second is the supervisor; if they never ask about it, it drains away within weeks. The third is opportunity: anybody who does not meet the situation for three months after the training has lost it. That is why a short module with follow-up works better than a thorough training without.