Positive Effects of Training, Experience, and Feedback

Abstract

Educational training of a select group of construction workers on a nuclear power plant demonstrates the value of both training and experience. Training classes were given to three groups of workers involved in the installation of surface‐mounted plates. These workers were then given an exam that covered the topics presented in the training sessions. Each of the three groups differed in some respect, notably the time delay between the training sessions and the examinations and the amount of experience the workers had in installing the surface‐mounted plates. Scores are highest for workers who took the examination shortly after the training session was given. Among the experienced workers, the workers with more work experience have higher scores. It is noted that experienced workers differed from the inexperienced workers in the answers given for different types of questions. Furthermore, the experienced workers perform better on those exam questions that related to issues encountered in the workplace on a regular basis. Results also show that workers understand their work better when they are regularly informed about the reasons for work items being rejected.