3.22 Development of Skills and Continuous Learning
Training is continual in labour collectives and occurs in relation to every other learning component for both technical and non-technical ‘soft' skills. Training takes place in planned, professionally-led training programmes, self-assessments and reflection meetings. For example, members of the business process functional group receive training from facilitators on record keeping and other business-related processes. Training also occurs on the job through practice, as well as in broad-based training programmes. All training is reinforced through continuous reflection on one's work and feedback from professionals, facilitators, and peers.
In the beginning, dependent as the enterprise is on the technical skill levels of the collective, the focus is on technical training and refinement of their craft. At Level 1, members pass a basic skill assessment. This assessment is not reduced to a simple test form, but rather provides feedback on their technical capabilities, productivity, and quality levels. During the period of initiation, the members of the training functional group develop the capacity to assess basic skills.
At Level 2, facilitators work with both trainers and functional groups to chalk out training plans and outline learning goals. The training functional group learns to conduct basic training and assessments of new members and job workers in their group. At this level, frequent reflection meetings are held to discuss why some goals have not been met, what the members need to learn, and the value and benefits of learning. The need for training arises particularly when members see that market demands call for skill improvement.
When a group reaches Level 3, it has the competency to regularly identify training needs, find solutions, and follow up. The training functional group understands the problems and has the capacity to train others. At this point, the collectives seriously develop their training plans, articulate their needs for resource persons, and follow up on their regular practices in order to meet the targets for skill improvement set by the workers themselves. The group should be able to finance its own training at this level.
The facilitators' long-term goal is to transform the members into self-directed learners. Some members take to this easily and have taken the initiative to practice their technical skills on their own bed sheets or saris at home, bringing this work to the workplace when there was no production. However, many times, as learning has never been encouraged and education has previously been a bad experience, there was lack of interest in training, particularly in the poorest members of the collectives. Over time, however, the members have realised the relevance of skills for better and faster production and for increasing earnings and viability. Much of the training is the result of regular skill assessments, and is based on the interests of the groups.
Becoming aware of their own capability to impart learning and to make use of existing local resources, the members begin to become self-learners. They take greater control of the training process. Several groups have chosen to collect funds by sending one or two members for trainings. These members can then pass on their new skills to the other members of the collective. As they advance, the collectives receive more professional, specific and diversified training, and sharpen their skills in identifying learning needs in all different areas. Making members aware of the power of learning though self-direction will enable the groups themselves to continue their own training and learning as MAYA ORGANIC phases itself out over time.