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Training Needs Assessment
Per Departmental Regulations, all Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) organizations must conduct annual Training Needs Assessments. ETS will assist DOE and NNSA organizations in completing these assessments, which will serve as a tool to identify required competency gaps. The results will guide the organization in the selection of educational/training courses or activities to meet their needs.
The objective of the training needs assessment is to identify existing competency gaps that impede organizations from achieving their missions efficiently and effectively. Results of the Needs Assessments will recommend strategies to eliminate these gaps through training events and programs.
Benefits to the Organization
The information collected during the training needs assessment will be beneficial to the organization, by:
- Aiding in the selection of training that improves work performance and development;
- Allowing the organization to direct resources to areas of greatest need;
- Ensuring that training contributes to meeting the organization’s strategic goals; and
- Allowing managers, subject matter experts, and the ETS to evaluate the organization’s training needs and make informed decisions about training.
The information gathered during the training needs assessment provides the foundation for the development of an organizational training plan.
Requirements for Training Needs Assessment and Training Plan
According to DOE Order 360.1B, Federal Employee Training and DOE Manual 360.1-1B, Federal Employee Training Manual, each organization must identify its critical training needs through a needs assessment process. These documents also require that each organization must have a training plan. In addition, each organization must identify training resources in budget submissions, prioritize training needs, and allocate resources in accordance with the priorities established in the training plan. ETS is committed to help organizations meet these requirements.
Training Needs Assessment Process
The ETS will assist the organizations in the process of identifying competency gaps or training needs within their organization. Competency needs identified should be closely related to fulfilling the organization’s mission, goals, and services. The best business approach to conducting a training needs assessment is based on the identification of the organization’s mission needs, critical occupational and individual performance requirements. ETS has adopted a systematic training needs assessment process that includes the collection of data from three levels of assessment:
- Organizational assessment
- Occupational assessment
- Individual assessment
Training Needs Assessment Techniques
The training needs assessment can range from informal to formal, based on the organizations needs and the availability of resources. For organizations that have a mature training needs assessment process, the ETS has adopted data collection tools to perform the needs assessment. To get a true picture, it is more effective to rely on more than one method. It is important to get a complete picture from as many sources and viewpoints as possible.
There is a number of training needs assessment methods that will be utilized. For the
FY 2008 training needs assessment. ETS training consultants will use a combination of some of the following methods, as appropriate:
Tools Used |
Procedures |
| Questionnaires or Interviews |
Ask questions chosen specifically for each organization |
| Training Program Matrix |
Collect training needs information that the organization needs electronically or with the assistance of the organization’s training consultant |
| Consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge |
Gather input from a group of stakeholders identified in advance by the organization |
| Review of relevant literature, reports, existing data, etc. |
Assess a copy of their previous year’s needs assessment report, IDP rollup, training plans, etc. |
A training needs assessment report will be generated based on the analysis of the data that has been collected. An analysis of the data is designed to provide information that will meet the needs indicated in the organizational training plan.
Each organization will receive a copy of the data collected and will be asked to validate the information provided.
Integration into the Training Plan
Once the training needs assessment is complete and the results have been validated and prioritized, the organization can complete its training plan with the support of its ETS training consultant. The training plan defines objectives, sets priorities, plans resource allocations and ensures funds are appropriately budgeted. It is a blueprint of the organization’s program direction for training activities and resources for the upcoming fiscal year as well as out years. The training plan should be based on the strategic goals of the organization. By developing and implementing a training plan, the organization can ensure it has a competent and skilled workforce, accurate budget forecasting, and projections for current and future training needs.
Needs Assessment Briefing Package
To view the briefing package used to educate organizations on ETS' Needs Assessment Process, click here.
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