 |
Help With
Training Plan
Designing an acceptable training plan takes
time and knowledge. Print or bookmark this page, and refer to it to help
you write a good plan.
Purpose
Qualifications
of trainee
Skills
gained
Formal
training
On-the-job
training
Sharing
home culture #purpose
Experiencing
U.S. culture
Community
service
Plan
for supervision
Gaining experience is not an acceptable purpose
for the training plan. The training plan must:
- Relate to the trainee's previous work and/or educational background,
but not be an exact repeat of previous training.
- The training site must have the ability, facilities, and supervisory
staff to provide the training, and the supervisor's work experience
and education must be appropriate for the trainee's progress toward
the stated purpose.
The training must also relate to one of the following occupational categories:
- education
- social services
- counseling or social services
- business & management
- commerce and finance
- health enhancement
- arts & culture
The trainee cannot repeat previous training.
Applicants who have participated in YMCA training programs in the past must
show that they returned home for at least six months and that they have
put the original training to use in the home country. The training site
must demonstrate that the new Training Plan is completely different from
the original training plan. Both the training site and the trainee must
show why the trainee should return for new or additional training.
Skills Gained
The skills learned must meet three tests:
- Relate to the purpose of the Training plan.
- Be new to the trainee or applied in new ways.
- Be sufficiently complex to justify the time for the training.
Formal Training
All Training Plans must contain formal training
activities. All activities should relate to the purpose of the training
plan Not all types of training activities need to be included, but some
reasonable combination is expected. Host sites may collaborate with other
organizations, such as community colleges, trade associations, YMCAs,
etc. to provide formal training activities. These activities should be
scheduled in such a way as to justify the length of the internship. A
week-long staff-training seminar followed by 12 months of practical experience
may indicate the trainee has been hired to fill a job position rather
than receive training. However, practical experience combined with other
training activities are acceptable.
On-the-job training must be justified as
a means to achieve the purpose of the training plan or the skills to be
gained. Government regulations do not recognize "gaining experience"
as an acceptable justification for on-the-job training. However, some
skills can best be acquired through actual practice. These skills should
be specified in answering this question. On-the-job training can also
be used to demonstrate competency in skills gained through formal training
activities. Trainees participating in on-the-job training should not work
independently. If a trainee has mastered a skill sufficiently to be able
to work independently, the training in this skill has been achieved
Other activities might include shadowing experts, maintaining a journal,
reviewing case studies, attending staff meetings, researching specialty
areas, etc.
The trainee should have opportunities to
share the home culture with U.S. residents. Such opportunities should
occur at the host site and in the local community. International trainees
who share their culture with colleagues and community members tend to
feel more accepted in the host community and adjust to life in the US
with less difficulty than trainees who are not given such opportunities.
As an Exchange Visitor Program, it is important
that trainees gain an appreciation of U.S culture beyond the training
site. It is often helpful if staff at the host site, or community mentors,
can introduce trainees to activities they may otherwise not find on their
own. It is especially important to find ways to include trainees in the
celebration of American holidays and traditions.
As a YMCA program, the International Career
Advancement Program requires every participant be involved in community
service during his or her stay in the U.S.. We believe the interconnection
of the individual and the community is essential to the YMCA Mission of
developing spirit, mind, and body. Host sites and trainees looking for
sources of community service activities are encouraged to contact the
local YMCA, United Way, or municipal Government for suggestions.
Ongoing supervision is a requirement of
the program. Trainees who rotate through different departments may report
to more than one person, but an over-all supervisor of the internship
should be appointed. This individual will maintain contact with the YMCA
International Career Advancement Program regarding the trainee's progress
throughout the training period.
|
