| Millions of dollars are spent each year to train public employees, however little empirical evidence can be found to demonstrate the transfer of training into workplaces and communities. This qualitative study represents a case study in which a model for the transfer of training knowledge, the Knowledge Transfer Action Plan, is examined. The study was prompted by an interest in the transfer of training and perceived gaps in the literature and research in the field.Theoretical analysis and multiple data collection methods were used to answer questions regarding the training process and the utilization of training knowledge for nine months following the program. Interviews, observations, document collection, and a number of participant questionnaires were utilized to collect a rich data set.The most interesting finding was that the Knowledge Transfer Action Plan is a highly effective method for making sure that training knowledge is taken back into workplaces and communities and subsequently utilized. This suggests that in the future, theory and practice should embrace the concept of action planning as a useful tool for transferring learning.In addition, it was found that transfer is further enhanced by personal persistence the ability to effectively seek out, acquire, and utilize new and existing resources organizational support for training efforts and ongoing training. It was also found that factors which impede the transfer of training are most often not related to the training program itself, but rather, are products of the organizational and community environments in which transfer is expected to occur.An additional finding of interest was that the training environment studied, the Arizona Regional Community Policing Institute, is making a difference in the lives and workplaces of its participants, and that participants feel encouraged to make use of what they learn. This suggests that the Institute itself is a tool for training transfer and that future training efforts can play this role as well.The conclusions drawn as a result of this study address the importance of a holistic, systems oriented focus on the training and transfer process by trainees, managers, and training organizations. In addition, the conclusions establish strong evidence for continued research and evaluation of the training process to further knowledge in the field. |
