Every company has their own method of training employees. On-the-job training tends to be the most popular type of job training. Supervisors and managers are normally in charge of training the employees and making sure those employees have all the resources they need in order to complete their job duties. There are several job training methods available, they mostly vary with the company and the type of employee that is being trained.

Job training needs to not only teach an employee how to perform their job, but it should motivate them to work. Some of the various types of job training include the following:

• On-the-job training
  
• Lectures and discussions
  
• Demonstrations and seminars
  
• Case studies
  
• Role playing
  
• Panels
  
• Projects
  
• Mentoring
  
• Computer and Video training

The most popular type of job training is on-the-job training. On-the-job training is planned and provided at the location where the employee will be working. Normally the employee is taught how to do the job through trial and error. There will be a structured program that provides the employee with a breakdown of their job and the standards of the company. The employee will have a task list and a lesson plan to follow as they learn about the company and their job.

One-the-job training is perfect for the employee that needs to learn how to run machinery and specialized equipment. Employees will learn the company morale and the company expectations. What is beneficial about on-the-job training is the ability to make the training specific to the needs of each individual. Employees will quickly establish working relationships with their supervisor and will easily integrate into the company.

A typical on-the-job training session will last anywhere from a few days to a week. The employee will be given an estimated completion date and will be expected to start working their regular job and assignments the following day or week. Normally on-the-job training is evaluated by the supervisor or manager and the employee will be given a performance evaluation at the end of the training.

Another type of job training is lectures. Lectures are similar to classroom learning. The employee will attend lectures given by the trainer. The trainer will provide handouts and other learning materials to the employee and they will use visual aids, PowerPoint presentations or posters to aid in the lecture. Lectures are an easy way to train the employees quickly; however it is considered one of the worst training methods. One of the largest problems with lectures is that the employees tend to forget a lot of the information because it is oral and they do not write it down.

Discussions tend to be better because the employees can be active participants in the lectures. The material will be presented and employees have the opportunity to ask questions and keep notes about specific points made in the discussion. Seminars are also a great way to teach a group of new employees. Seminars usually involve group activities and allow employees to demonstrate their ability to work in groups.

Demonstration is a great job training tool because the trainer is able to teach the employee how to use equipment and perform their job duties. Generally the trainer will show the employees the equipment or other things and then have them perform the task. Demonstration is a wonderful way to learn because it is a hands-on training approach. The largest downside to demonstration is the amount of time it takes on behalf of the trainer. If the trainer does not properly demonstrate the skills to be learned, the employees may improperly perform the task being taught.

Role playing is often considered a job training aspect of demonstration. With role playing, the employees will be given different assignments and tasks and will be asked to act out certain situations. For example, a telemarketing job may have one trainee call another trainee on a phone in a separate room. The trainee will ask a series of questions that a regular customer will ask and the other trainee will need to provide the correct answers. Sales jobs often use role playing as a method to teach their new hires. Role playing is also a great way to evaluate the communication skills of the new hires. Role playing does take a lot of time, especially if you are training a large group of new hires.

Several companies use case studies in their job training program. The case studies normally consist of incorrectly handled situations and the trainees must figure out a way to correct the problem. The employees will be given a handbook and other materials and will be responsible for recommending solutions. Normally case studies are given at the beginning of the training seminar and then again at the end, to show the employee how much they have learned within the training program.

Another job training program is to assign projects to the employees. The employee will be given a project based on the type of job they will be performing. For example, a sales agent may be given a project that asks them to approach existing customers and make a new sale. Projects allow the trainers to evaluate the individual's creativity and skill level. The projects normally are geared towards improving the company in some way. Projects can be given to existing employees as a method of teaching them new skills or refreshing their memory with other skills.

Videos and computer-based training has been around for a long time. The trainee is simply placed into a room in front of a computer and they will take a series of quizzes or watch videos talking about the company. Videos and computer-based training is a great way to save the company time and it makes sure that the basic information is properly presented to each employee. If the company requires employees to use computers to complete their job duties and assignments, the computer-based training is the ideal solution. Creating the movie does take a lot of money and it normally is only done by the larger companies.

Mentoring is another job training method that is used to teach new hires. Basically a mentor is an individual that helps the new hire in their learning process. They will be there to answer questions and to help guide them through the material that needs to be learned. Mentors assist the new hires in learning the workplace behaviors and other skills they need in order to succeed with the company.

A lot of companies send their employees to conferences and training seminars to refresh their existing skills. Conferences tend to focus on communication skills, since this is the largest area where things can break down in a company. Conferences also teach the employees proper problem-solving skills and it helps to prepare them for changes within the company. Normally conferences are a series of lectures and handouts that are designed to help the employee learn or build upon their skills. Conferences can be expensive to host, especially if you are doing it for multiple locations.

A lot of conferences have panels to teach the employees about new topics that will be impacting the company in some manner. The panel will allow employees to promote opposing views and allows them to seek alternative options to existing processes. Panels do require a lot of preparation, especially if you need to fly in outside resource members to sit on the panel board.

Several companies will provide books and other materials for employees to use in their job training program. Research is a large aspect of some job training programs with some companies. The employees will be able to use the computer and online resources to help them develop their job and tailor it to their personality. Allowing employees to learn how to create their own job does take a lot of time and patience on the managers and supervisors. As the employee learns through trial and error, they will need to be evaluated by others and will be told whether or not they are being side-tracked. The nice thing about self-training is the ability to give the employee control over their job and give them a sense of ownership in the company.

The best way to determine which style of job training works best for your company is to allow the supervisors and job trainers to decide which one they like. Job training needs to suit the needs of the company, the environment the employees work in, and the actual trainees. Trainers will need a lot of creativity when they are creating the right job training program. If you aren't sure which method you like, select one and stick with it. When you change the job training program, it makes it harder to integrate the new employees with the existing staff members. Consistency is the easiest way to create a good working environment and to keep communication flowing with all the different departments in the company. Job training needs to happen at least once a year to help existing employees stay current with their job skills and other aspects of the company in order to keep the company moving forward.