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Education vs. Training
– Each category has a certain value. While some degree
of overlap is often present, there is a useful
distinction, especially for purposes of planning and
education and training program. Here is how we
distinguish them:
Education –
in this context we consider education to refer to
content and course material that is intended to:
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Enlarge perception
– to alter a person’s grasp of abstract concepts so they
perceive things a little differently, sometimes a LOT
differently – a real “paradigm” shift.
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Example:
Concept of work that does not add value to a product.
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Benefit:
Once grasped, the learner “sees” processes
differently, sees opportunity for improvements
by eliminating activities that do not add value. |
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Improve
understanding – to improve
mental “vision” so a more detailed grasp of an abstract
concept results.
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Example:
Internal logic of Material Requirements Planning
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Benefit:
Understanding what
is going on in what appears to be a complex
software process; can now quickly develop
alternate strategies, plans, resolve problems,
rather than just work by rote. |
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Training –
In this context, we refer to course material that is
intended to:
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Build skill
proficiency – this may be
mental (entirely in one’s mind), involve physical
dexterity, or involve the use of a tool or technique.
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Example:
Statistical Process Control (aka 6 Sigma).
This method has been well-established as a
widely-proven Best Practice.
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Benefit:
Becomes able to
apply this technique to a variety of situations,
especially variations in a production process,
to improve quality, and reduce rejected product. |
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Perform an
established Procedure or process
– learn a new method, procedure or process that has been
proven to create certain results in other, similar
situations and companies.
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Example:
Setup and operate a Cycle Counting program for
inventory accuracy, a process that has been well
established for many years; considered a
standard Best Practice.
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Benefit:
Take a proven
method, put it into use immediately, gain the
benefit of accomplishing the procedure or
process right away, in this case, improved
inventory accuracy. |
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A comparison example would include:
Education –
understanding various scheduling concepts (forward,
backward, mid-point, compressed, critical path,
constraint-based, etc.)
Training –
learning how to use these scheduling concepts with a
particular ERP system’s functionality to achieve best
operational results.
In this example, quite common, we have
found that a great deal of confusion and extra works
when a program intended to provide Training, is applied
to groups who have not had Education in the concepts
embodied in the way the software works. This problem
has become particularly epidemic in recent years. The
result is people using a powerful, sophisticated
software system by rote – who have no idea what is going
on in the software, and so are not able to properly,
effectively use it.
This problem is compounded by
implementation projects where the key focus is on
reducing the COST of the implementation project,
inevitably resulting in a “pay me later” result – like
deferred maintenance. |
