TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT
 

9.1. Education and Training

9.11. In the earlier chapters, the terms 'education' and 'training' have been used synonymously to denote the total process of preparing students for technician functions' In a strict sense, education means a relatively open-ended process: it produces a state. of mind in which further development can occur. Training is a relatively closed process in the sense that it has a definite end at a given level of skills. To be clear about these distinctions, the terms 'education' and 'training' are being used in this chapter to comprise the two parts of the total process of technician education.

9.2. Training Needs of Technician Education

9.21. Any type of education implies some training. The relative proportion and type of training in the overall education depends on the type and level of education.

9.22. It is obvious that in any education intended for a profession or a vocation, the training content will normally be greater than in liberal or general education'. The amount and kind, of training will also depend on whether the kinds of skills to be imparted are manual, mental, conceptual or creative. To arrive at the quantum and kind of training needed in the education of a technician, one has to take into account the nature and level of his work.

9.23. It is the job of a technician to interpret and work out the details of plans, designs or programmes, to determine the techniques to be used and to choose the tools, machines, processes and procedures best suited for the job. In doing so, he is required to exercise judgment in the sense of diagnosis, appraisal and initiative.

In most cases, technicians will have to supervise the work of skilled craftsmen. Therefore, they -must be conversant with the skills and aware of the nature and problems of the work of skilled craftsmen.

9.24. The technician thus combines specialist knowledge, experience and skill with the ability to apply them. The special characteristics of his work must determine the nature of his education. Therefore, the technician courses should be so organised as to comprise the following five elements:

(i) basic and applied sciences (theory) (ii) basic and applied sciences (practical) (iii) technology (theory) (iv) technology (practical) (v) general education

Frequently, in discussion, these five elements are coalesced to form two, viz., 'academic education' and 'practical training'. Whilst the boundary between the two is not well defied, 'education' can be considered to embrace (i), (iii), (v), and commonly part of (ii), while 'training' consists of (iv) and the rest of (ii). Technology (practical) consists of institutional training backed by adequate industrial training.

9.25. Practical training is thus an integral part of the education of technicians and the success of technician education programmes will depend on the degree to which academic education is integrated with, or supplemented by, relevant practical training. It is also clear that the, training should closely reflect actual technician work.

Practical training should not be confused with the practical work that must be carried out along with the theoretical studies. Academic education is concerned essentially with providing the knowledge of why, a job-is done in certain ways; practical training is concerned with how the job is done and with the acquisition of specific industrial skills. Its main objective is to relate theoretical knowledge to actual practice in the industry.

9.26. A training programme should introduce the potential technician to a variety of operational problems obtaining in the practice of his occupation, whether these relate to the selection of operational procedures, manufacturing processes, machines, materials and methods, or to the ensuring of control of production sequences, quality and cost. It should also expose him to conditions of work involving,among other things, organisational procedure, group activities, human relations and production economics.

9.27. Practical training must aim to provide the student with an understanding and appreciation of the following:

(a) The potentialities and limitations of basic workshop processes;

(b) The properties of materials used in engineering workshops;

(c) The, role of the technician in industry, and the significance of the abilities and skills demanded of other persons engaged in the same industry;

(d) The general principles of organisation and management.

A sound practical training will inculcate a respect for the value of actual practical work. By such training the individual should come to realise his own limitations and potentialities and gain confidence by developing his interests and aptitudes. It should aid

40

41

his growth not only as a technician but also as a person, and enable him better to make his unique contribution to industrial society.

9.3. Phases and Contents of Practical Training in Industry

9.31. The specific contents of practical training schemes for technicians will vary greatly owing to the many different types of tehnicians found throughout industry. Commonly, however, any training scheme can be split up into three phases, namely, induction, basic training and secondary training.

9.32. All training should begin with a short induction period designed to give the student an introduction to an industry or establishment of the type in which he would get his further training. This should preferably be arranged in an industry or firm. Where this is not possible, the training officer can organise an induction programme in the institution itself.

9.33. Basic Training

The aim of basic training is to impart the necessary fundamental skills. such as the basic workshop skills, so as to lay the foundation for the later shop floor or field experience. Basic training should normally be provided by the Polytechnics themselves. (For this reason, basic training has been discussed under workshop practice in para. 5.46). In this context the Committee recommends that, besides strengthening the existing workshop facilities in polytechnics, wherever possible, closer links should be established between polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes. Some firms possess excellent apprenticeship centres or training workshops, and in such cases, basic training may take place in the actual factory.

9.34. Secondary Training

This phase should have as its object a broadening of technical knowledge and the gaining of insight into some of the workings and problems of industry in general. In the later stages, the training should be more specifically related to the actual work on which the technician will be engaged when he has finished his training. For example, for mechanical engineering technicians, this phase should include more advanced work on tools and workshop processes as they are related to some of the operations among Component manufacture and inspection; Assembly; Plant erection, installation and test; Operation and Maintenance; and Design, drawing and development with accent on detailing. Project work should be encouraged during the period of training. Arrangements should be made for senior staff of the industry to lecture and explain the practices.

While some aspects of secondary training, particularly design, drawing and detailing, can be organised in the institutions themselves, the major part of secondary training could only be imparted in the production shops, process control departments. testing laboratories and technical offices of industrial units and commercial firms.

In the case of sandwich courses, part-time courses, and diversified courses it will be essential to integrate and match the institutional programme and industrial training so that education and training may complement each other.

During the periods of training in the industry, it is most important that apprentices should carry out the actual operations themselves so as to extend and develop the skills and knowledge they have acquired during the basic training period, and to become aware of the procedures and practices which are part of the technician's sphere of work as well as to come into contact with problems associated with management, labour and industrial relations. The importance of making decisions, giving clear instructions. preparing reports and similar activities should also be stressed in the training.

9.4. Principles of Training

9.41. Training must be made an interesting and challenging experience and must encourage the student technicians to use their initiative and persistence in understanding and solving problems themselves. The practice of learning by observation should be kept to an absolute minimum.

9.42. Assignment of specific work involving some degree of responsibility and its proper planning and supervision should constitute the basis of practical training in any establishment. Personal or group projects or assignments should be introduced wherever possible.

9.5. Assessment and Evaluation of Training

9.51. Training must be assessed and evaluated. It should preferably have adequate weightage. in the, total evaluation. There is a need to devise adequate scientific methods to assess the results of training and evaluate the degree to which the objectives of training have been realized.

9.6. Training Facilities--Present and Future

9.61. The present position regarding training in industry is quite unsatisfactory. Training under the Stipendiary Training Scheme is available to very few students. A few other students manage to get some sort of training placement largely on their own initiative. Such training is neither planned to specifically meet the objectives of any diploma programme, nor organised and supervised properly by either the institution or the industry. Very often, the trainee is largely left to himself to move around and pick up whatever knowledge he could, so long as he does not hamper the routine activities in the industry. Certain large organisations do organise training programmes for new recruits but this training is in the nature of job-orientation, being solely governed by ,job considerations rather than by the educational objectives of technician training. It should, therefore, be the endeavour of all concerned to make arrangements to provide well- organised and supervised practical training in industry for all diploma students during vacations and/or after the completion of course. Since several departments such as industries, labour and

42

technical education are administering several kinds of training programmes an effective coordination of their efforts should be brought about.

9.62. It was brought to the notice of the Committee by representatives of industry that the facilities presently available in industry are inadequate to provide training places to all graduates and diploma holders coming out of technical institutions. The recent recession in the economy and the growing unemployment among engineers have added to the difficulty in finding training opportunities for diploma holders. The Committee notes in this context that, in countries such as Britain and West Germany, attempts are being made to provide the, much needed practical training by setting up industrial training centres with simulated production conditions. Keeping in view the important need to ensure practical training to all students in polytechnics and the practical difficulties obtaining in industry, the Committee recommends that production-cum-training centres may be set up at places wherever two or more polytechnics are situated. The facilities available at these centres should also be used for providing training during vacations or after the diploma courses. The centres could also provide practical training to students of polytechnics in rural areas where industries do not exist.

9.63. Training forms an integral part of technician education. Planning and organising suitable training programmes and coordinating them with the requirements of different technician courses in cooperation with industry, constitute an important facet of the work of polytechnics. This imposes heavy responsibilities on the polytechnics and calls for the services of a full-time training officer with considerable industrial background and contacts. Such an office would, moreover, be able to guide and assist students in finding suitable employment and help employers to recruit suitable technicians. The Committee, therefore, strongly recommends the setting up of a separate training and placement in each polytechnic manned by an experienced training and placement officer of the rank of a professor, with suitable assistance.

9.64. Finally the Committee is of the firm view that if any training scheme is to be effective, whether it be in industry, in the production-cum-training centres, or in the Industrial Training Institutes, it is absolutely necessary to set up training departments in these organisations manned by capable executives who could work in close collaboration with Principals, Heads of Departments and Training Officers of the Polytechnics.