Importance of training in IT Industry

Kishore C.S. (Oct 2000)

Emergence of IT industry has led to proliferation of tools and one is expected to learn and master lot of skills in short time. Organizations need to spend lot of time and money towards training. However, deadlines and customer pressures, drive managers to deploy resources with half knowledge and try to deliver products. Being used to this kind of scenario, the work force somehow manages to come up with miraculous results of delivering on time. But what suffers is quality of work and finally there is lot of re-work and customer dissatisfaction.

This situation can be avoided by ensuring the team is well trained on the skills required and then expecting the team to deliver quality work.

If a Software Project is to be compared to building of a house, would we allow a half-knowledgeable mason to build our house. We will definitely know the result would not be what we want.

Then why do we commit this common mistake in IT projects or any other knowledge oriented work. Is it not a crime to expect an untrained person to show his skill? At the same time we should also think about what is the reality. We have shortage of skills we need.

Typically skill level of an individual can be decided on the following four stages of learning. The following skill levels or learning stages is what was defined in Management concepts (I don’t know where I read this)

1. Unconscious Incompetence: We are ignorant of the fact that we don’t know the skill
2. Conscious incompetence: At this stage, we know that we don’t know the skill. This triggers a zeal to learn and improve. This stage is very frustrating as the learning starts from this stage once we are aware of our incompetence.
3. Conscious competence: At this stage, we know how to do and we are aware of using the skill. This is a stage that needs lot of practice and effort.
4. Unconscious competence: We become experts in the skill and can apply the skill without any effort.

A person in stage 1 and 2 definite needs training and can reach stage 3. The only way a person can move from Stage 3 to Stage 4 is by putting the skill to use.

So it is very important that any person in Stages 1 or 2 of a skill is not asked to put the skill to work. Then the person obviously cannot perform the way a person in Stages 3 or 4 can perform.

Assess an individual for his competence. Give the person necessary training to reach required competency stage and then deploy him on the job.

Having recently undergone couple of training programs myself, I understand importance of training. I am not just aware of what to do, I also become aware of what not to do and hence my quality work has improved a lot after the training. And I am sure all of you would agree with me.

If you have some more thoughts on this aspects do write to me.