Benefits of Hand-On Training

Hands-on training means you get to use your hands and bodies to perform tasks. This training aims to make conditions as realistic as possible, but should not be confused with online training designed for practice using a software program. Although using a mouse and keyboard while interacting with a computer screen involves your hands, it doesn't offer immersion in an authentic setting. An exception is training on the job with a trainer, such as being coached while completing a sales transaction on the sales floor.

Practice

The biggest benefit of hands-on training is the opportunity for repeated practice. It doesn't matter how much natural talent a worker has, he can still improve in a skill by practicing. Training programs are more beneficial when they provide many opportunities for practicing a skill. The ultimate test is when a worker returns to his job and whether he feels confident to perform a skill learned in training.

Prevention

In some workplaces, it's necessary to provide hands-on training that approximates real work conditions while avoiding the risks associated with a novice employee's mistakes. An example is when a trainer sets up a workstation with similar equipment and procedures, but an employee can learn to perform a skill at her own pace without impeding the work tasks of co-workers or creating unsafe conditions for everyone in the workplace.

Self-Critique and Peer Review

Some jobs, such as financial advisor and customer service representative, hinge on the transaction with the client. It is helpful to offer hands-on training in a similar environment so that learners can role-play what they would say to clients in different scenarios. This training, if recorded or observed, is quite useful. If an employee's training performance is recorded, he can critique himself and get feedback from peers also watching the recording. If a trainer observes his performance, she can offer expert feedback. A learner can improve rapidly over a few days by implementing feedback from himself and others.

Learning Styles and Application

Trainers also recognize that people have different learning styles. Auditory and visual learners may learn better in a classroom or by watching an expert trainer perform a task. Kinesthetic learners do better when they can move around and perform activities. Hands-on training can meet the needs of these the styles because there are chances to watch and listen as well as performance tasks. When performance is required, learners can apply a skill.