What is a Training Needs Assessment?

A training needs assessment is a process that looks at your organization's needs, goals and objectives as compared to the knowledge base, abilities, and skill set of its employees. In simpler terms, it is a way to identify performance gaps within your organization and provide pertinent training solutions for how to fill them. Training needs assessments also help you determine whether or not there is a need for training, or if another intervention would be best based on the data.  For example, training may not be the best intervention if job positions need to be restructured or too much time is being spent in an area that no longer matches the organization's goals and objectives.

Once it is determined there is a need for training, the training needs assessment also provides detailed information on areas of need within your organization.

This process helps you clarify:

• Any gaps in the skill set and knowledge base of your current group of learners/employees
• The intended outcomes of the training
• Background information about the information and material that should be covered
• Baseline information about what your learners currently know to inform what they need to know by the end of the process
• Specific goals of the training
• Instructional priorities for your organization

Remember, as you conduct the assessment you have to consider, "Training may not be the best solution for the needs of our organization." You have to have a clear understanding of the problem so you can consider multiple solutions.

In order to collect this data and determine where the training needs exist, you can: administer a survey, review exit interviews, review employee grievances & complaints, conduct a gap analysis, perform observations, administer employment skills tests, or conduct focus groups.  This list is not exhaustive as there are many ways to measure training needs.