ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS: THE CASE OF ETHIOPIAN CONSTRUCTION DESIGN AND SUPERVISION WORKS CORPORATION

Abstract

Training is the process by which employees develop their skills, knowledge, and attitude with a view to enhance organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to assess training program effectiveness of Ethiopian Construction Design and supervision Works Corporation. The study tried to assess how the training policy aligned with Corporation’s strategic business objectives, training practice of the corporation with more emphasis given to training program evaluation based on Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels Training Programs Evaluation Model that measures the reaction of trainees at the trainings, competencies gained in learning process, behavioral change occurred on the actual job as a result of training and the outcome result at organizational level as a whole. Descriptive type of research design with a mixed approach was employed. Purposive method was used. To select specific sampled employees Proportionate stratified sampling technique was applied. Among the total targeted population of 654 the sample size of the study taken as 141 employees who had taken at least one formal short term training in the recent past three years. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through questionnaire and interviews. The questionnaires were close ended with some short open ended format as to exploit additional information from the respondents. The secondary data such as training policy and training documents of the corporation have been used. The quantitative data has been organized and tabulated by using descriptive statics (SPSS version 20). Qualitative data obtained using interviews from the managers have been triangulated together with quantitative data. The study shows that the corporation’s training policy alignment with its strategic business objectives were implemented in a moderate way. On the other hand, the corporation’s training practices such as training need analyses, training design, training delivery scored low aggregate mean value. Among the four training program evaluation criteria, the reaction of trainees at the trainings reported moderately whereas the learning, behavior and result evaluation revealed that trainings were not effective to address the overall goals and objectives of the Corporation. Among others, the researcher recommends that the Corporation better to apply the four levels of the above stated model on regular basis instead of only evaluate the immediate reaction of trainees. The paper ends by offering suggestions to the corporation’s management to be properly reviewed and manage its training program.