Running head: TRAINING PROGRAM PLAN

Training Program Plan

AJ Caiola
AET/570
April 18, 2016
Dr. Gale Cossette

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Training Program Plan

In this paper a training program for new employees at KTVB will be outlined. The
program plan will include a gap analysis where the need for the program is explored. The budget
for the program and the staff required to make the program operate. Identifying the stakeholders,
how they influence the project, and what needs to be done to gain their support. A
communication plan that will outline a schedule of meetings, who needs to attend the meetings,
and what the meetings will cover. Finally, the plan will cover how the program will be evaluated.
Description
The purpose of the training program at KTVB would be to ensure that new employees get
started at the company moving in the right direction, and then continue progressing during their
time with the company. The scope of the training program will include an initial orientation
where the new employee is guided through the common forms all employees use. Also included
will be security training and the assignment of a mentor. Some of these elements are currently in
place, or are mandated from a corporate level, other elements of this program will need to be
created. All of the elements will need to be integrated together to ensure that the training
program creates an easy to follow training continuum.
The first part of the training program, orientation, will begin with the corporate Human
Relations department (HR). HR ensures that the new employee is entered into the corporate pay
system and that the employee knows where to access HR systems such as timecards, pay stubs,
and the employee handbook. Some of this process happens on the employees first work day,
some of it is completed either when the regional HR supervisor visits KTVB, or occasionally
over Skype.

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Locally at KTVB, the employee will complete orientation that is specific to the location.
This includes building security training and assigning a mentor. Security training is conducted by
the building security director, this is a generic training session for all employees. A mentor is
assigned from the department that the employee is hired into. Assigning a mentor has benefits for
both the new employee and the experienced employee assigned as a mentor. The new employee
will have an employee that is experienced in both the job and the organization that the new
employee can ask questions of. The experienced employee will, in turn, have the opportunity to
reinforce their own knowledge by training the new employee.
The training that the mentor provides will vary between the various departments within
the organization and will not be dictated from or tracked by this training program. What will be
tracked by this training program is ensuring that the new employee has a mentor assigned and
that the mentor is engaged in the employees training.
Gap Analysis
Several months ago the staff member that was previously responsible for building
orientation and security left the company, leaving a gap in the training of new staff. Recently this
gap was realized and plans have begun to get the training program restarted.
During research to restart the training two issues were discovered. One, much of the
information the previous trainer used is out of date. This means that the training under the
previous trainer was not as effective as it could have been and that the majority of the existing
material is not useful. Two, much of the existing staff disliked the demeanor of the previous
trainer and had formed a negative opinion of the training based on the trainers delivery. Some
existing staff were even telling new staff to avoid the training because of the trainer.

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The second issue is more troubling because it means that any new program has to
overcome the negative opinions that the staff already has in order to be considered useful. This
poor opinion affects the training of both the new staff, the existing staff, and by extension the
security of the building.
Training new staff in performing their assigned job duties is another issue that several of
the existing staff have voiced concerns about. In discussions with staff there are concerns in
every department about the inability of newer staff to accomplish tasks that the existing staff
believe should have been trained for. Existing staff believe that new staff training is haphazard
and that what the new staff is trained in depends upon whatever the existing staff assigned to
train believes is important at that moment in time. Newer staff have expressed the concern that
their training was largely driven by their own line of questioning and that often the staff training
them did not know the answers. These observations are reinforced by responses during exit
interviews where several departing staff have voiced the concern that training was not a priority
at KTVB.
While these problems are separate they both have training as part of the issue, and neither
is well tracked. Implementing a more comprehensive training program will allow for better
training of new staff both by bringing the problem to the attention of the managers and by giving
them a clear road map into how to fix the issue.
Budget
Budget is often a source of why the implementation of a training problem fails. Due to
this reality, it is important that both the anticipated costs and the return on investment for those
costs be clearly outlined.
Staff

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The staff in this section are internal to KTVB, it does not include corporate staff located
outside the KTVB building. There are two sections of the training program that will depend upon
internal staff, the building orientation and the mentor.
The majority of the building orientation will be covered during the building security
training, this is an existing training sessions that will be integrated into this more comprehensive
training program. The prior existence of this training negates the need for additional staff to
complete this training, this means there will be no additional cost to the organization for this part
of the training program.
The mentor part of the training program will require a staff member from the department
the new staff member is assigned to. Since the mentor needs to be familiar with both the
organization and the job responsibilities that the new staff will be performing the mentor will be
a current employee, and will pose no additional cost to the organization.
External Staff
External staff for this program consists of the corporate Human Resources supervisor
based out of Sacramento. Once again, this part of the training program already exists but needs to
be integrated into the new training program. The Human Resources supervisor already makes
schedules trips to KTVB to attend to Human Resources issues so no new expenses would be
added to integrate this training into the comprehensive training program.
Materials
Materials for the first two segments of the training program consist primarily of a training
space, computer network connection, and a monitor to display the information being presented.
The Human Recourses supervisors presentation is primarily computer based, and the building
orientation has significant portions that are also computer based. Both of the conference rooms at

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KTVB have the proper materials available and will be sufficient for the first two sections of the
training program.
Technical Support
Due to much of the training being computer access dependent primary technical support
will be provided by the KTVB Information Technology (IT) support staff. KTVB IT will also
coordinate with corporate IT for any corporate IT issues or access that is not covered by Human
Resources.
Equipment
The equipment required for this training program will primarily consist of the computer
that is already in place in either of the KTVB conference rooms, or a laptop the trainer has been
given as part of their own job duties. Network access within the conference rooms is already in
place. Equipment required for specific job functions will be provided by the new staffs
department.
Travel
Only the Human Resources supervisor will need to travel on a regular basis. The
supervisor will travel to KTVB approximately once a quarter.
Facilities
Training will take place within the KTVB building. Human Resources and building
orientation training will take place in one of the KTVB conference rooms. Departmental training
will happen in and around the KTVB building dependent upon each departments requirements.
Supplies

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No additional supplies will be required other than a desktop or laptop the trainer will
provide for Human Resources and building orientation. Supplies required for specific job
functions will be provided by the new staffs department.
Income
Funding for this training program will originate primarily from within KTVB for both the
building orientation and the new staffs primary job. These costs are considered normal for hiring
a new staff member and will not require new or additional funding. Corporate headquarters will
provide the funds for the Human Resources supervisors travel, this is also considered normal
and not a new expenditure.
Staffing Plan
The staff for this training program will fill three different categories, corporate, local
orientation, and departmental training. Corporate will include the Human Resources tasks, local
orientation will include building security, and departmental training will include the assignment
of a mentor and the overview of what a mentor will accomplish.
Human Resources is administered at the corporate level, which means that KTVB has no
control over who performs this function or what their qualifications are. Generally speaking the
Human Resources supervisor will have a university degree in Human Resources and be familiar
with how the corporate systems work.
The building orientation and security trainer is assigned by the Director of Technology
and Operations. The trainer will need to be familiar with all aspects of the building security
system and will ideally have a training background preferably possessing a degree in the subject.
The trainer should have a minimum of three years of experience at KTVB. There would need to

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be a minimum of two staff members trained to fill this position. This last requirement is to ensure
that there is always a trainer available if one of the trainers leaves KTVB.
Department assigned mentors will have the most contact with the new staff, for this
reason they mentor must be chosen carefully. Time requirements for how long a mentor should
have been employed at KTVB and the qualifications of the mentor is up to each department to
determine. Generally, an assigned mentor needs to have been at KTVB long enough to be both
familiar with how KTVB accomplishes the job he is mentoring, and to be stable enough that the
manager believes the mentor will continue long enough at KTVB to properly mentor the new
staff. The mentor should be a recognized subject matter expert in his job, and be familiar with
new or developing practices in the job field. It is recommended that each mentor only have one
new staff they are training at any given time, this means that different departments will have
different requirements for how many staff members they will identify as potential mentors.
While the assignment of a mentor will allow the direct manager to focus on other aspects
of their own job, the manager must still monitor the new staffs progress periodically. KTVB has
a policy in most job positions where the new staff is evaluated after a three month probationary
period to ensure the new hire is a good fit at the company. In the new training program periodic
evaluations would continue quarterly until the completion of the new staffs first year, when they
will fall under the annual evaluations all staff under.

Stakeholders and Goals

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Stakeholders

Partnership goal

Ways to build support

Director of Technology and

Operations (DOT)

The DOT is responsible for

building security as well as having
a department they manage. Gaining
this persons support is essential to
getting the program started and
brought to the GM. The DOT
would be the sponsor of the
program.

Demonstrate the need to maintain

building security and how the
mentor program can benefit both
the new staff and the experienced
staff.

General Manager

The GM is the person that must

approve starting the training
program and then direct the other
department heads to assist in
implementation.

Demonstrate the benefits of having

better trained staff. Staff will be
more efficient, achieve higher
quality, and have fewer mistakes
that might cause a loss of revenue.

Other Department Heads

Even when the GM approves the

program and directs the department
heads to assist in implementing the
program if the department heads do
not understand and assist they can
potentially be enough of a
roadblock to cause the program to
fail.

Demonstrate the need to maintain

building security and how the
mentor program can benefit both
the new staff and the experienced
staff.

Engineering Staff (additional

trainer)

The engineering staff, part of the

technology and Operations
department, has responsibility for
maintaining the security system
therefor it is logical that members
train other staff about this system.
If the engineering staff is not
committed to training well the
program will suffer.

Demonstrate that becoming a

trainer gives staff more
responsibility and will decrease the
amount of time spent responding to
false alarms caused by uniformed
users.

KTVB Staff

Without good mentors that section

of the program will fail, or be
essentially worthless. Ideally much
of the experienced would strive to
be mentors to new staff.

Demonstrate that becoming a

mentor gives staff more
responsibility and helps re-inforce
their own skills.

Communication Plan

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The communication plan helps to delineate guidelines for when the Project Manager,
sponsors, stakeholders, and team members meet to discuss how the project is proceeding (Gray
& Larson, 2011). The meetings cover all aspects of planning and implementing the program.
These aspects would include what needs to be included in the program, how to implement the
program, potential issues, and solutions for identified issues. The plan also outlines when
meetings should be held, who should attend the meetings, what should be covered in the
meetings, and how the findings of the meetings are communicated. An effective communication
plan allows the stakeholders a method for ensuring that problems are identified and addressed
and that there is an outlet to provide ideas to keep the program moving forward.
The communication plan matrix in Appendix A outlines meetings, who should attend
them, and the purpose of the meeting is listed. This is intended to use as a scheduling guide. All
of the stakeholders are in residence at KTVB so all meetings will be held face to face, with
updates and summaries disseminated by email.
The initial meeting takes place after the meetings with the DOT and then the GM, when
both of their support has been given. It is intended to gather the major stakeholders to inform
them of the goal of the program. This meeting is both for information gathering and to gain the
buy in of the department heads.
Distribution of the program plan consists of sending the plan to each of the major
stakeholders for feedback. This is the opportunity for the stakeholders to ensure that their desires
for the program are included and to propose changes or additions before the program launch.
Pre-program start is when the final plan is presented to the major stakeholders. In this
meeting the major stakeholders have a final opportunity to ask questions and give input on the
program before implementation.

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Manager progress checks are intended to provide a time for the managers to meet with
the individual mentors and the new staff separately. These meetings are important because it
ensures that the program is working as intended. Based on the findings of the meetings the
department heads can tell the program designer what works and what does not work.
Status reports give the department heads an opportunity to report to the GM on the status
of the training program and how it is working. The program designer can also receive feedback
on what works, and what needs to be adjusted. Status reports can be conducted in a group if
schedules permit, or individually with one department head and the GM.
Marketing Message
The marketing message in Appendix B is intended to introduce the program to the staff. It
contains an outline of what the program is intended to accomplish as well as the benefits of the
program and how it works.
Program Evaluation
In order to determine if the training program is effective it is necessary to evaluate it on a
regular basis. This can be accomplished with the use of several tools including interviews and
surveys. For this program the primary method of evaluation will be surveys for the building
orientation and security section and interviews for the mentor part of the program.
In the building orientation and security section of the program evaluation will be
accomplished by the trainer through end of course surveys, direct observation, discussions with
other staff, and a student assessment. The assessment is in Appendix D, students should be able
to answer correctly 90% of the questions or greater to demonstrate understanding and
effectiveness of instruction.

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Throughout the history of the previous security training program staff tasked with access
control noted the circumstances under which the alarm system was inadvertently triggered by
staff mistakes, or when staff did not know a procedure associated with the alarm system or
building security. Those issues were passed onto the security trainer and sometimes added into
the training syllabus, but not always. While that method of evaluation is useful, it is not as
reliable as end of course surveys. The end of course survey for the building orientation and
security section of the program is attached in Appendix C.
For the mentor portion of the program the evaluation straightforward but is made more
complicated due to the nature of how this part of the program works. Each job position that will
have a mentor assigned will need its own evaluation form. These evaluations will be conducted
during the monthly manager progress checks with the new staff. The evaluations can also be
used by the mentors to check the progress and comprehension of the new staff they are
mentoring.

Appendix A
Communication Plan Matrix

What

Who

Purpose

Frequency

Type

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Initial Meeting

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GM, department heads, and

Gather information about

Before project start

program designer

program goals and

date

Face to face meeting

objectives

Distribute

GM, department heads, and

Distribute program plan for

Before project start

Document distributed

Program Plan

program designer

approval

Pre-program Start

GM, department heads, and

Ensure attendees

Near project start

program designer

understand responsibilities

date

Manager progress

Department heads, individual

Review progress of

Monthly

Face to face meeting

checks

mentors, and new staff

program and new staff

Status Reports

GM, department heads, and

Update stakeholders on

Quarterly

Face to face meeting

program designer

progress and take feedback

electronically

Face to face meeting

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Appendix B
Marketing Message

To: KTVB Employees

From: General Manager
Subj: NEW EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM

Many of you have voiced concerns over how we here at KTVB train new
employees after they are hired. After hearing these concerns, and talking with
Human Resources and your department heads we have decided to start a program
to address those concerns.
Here at KTVB there will be two sections to the program, the initial building
orientation and security training you have all gone through, and a mentor program.
You all know how important building security is, because of the world climate we
live in and the fact that we are a media outlet. Security is important to all our
safety, please support the trainers and the training.
The mentor program is the other section of the new employee training that
we will do here. Who knows how to do your job better than you? So many of you will
have the opportunity to pass that knowledge on to the new employees that are
learning to do that same job. This is good for the new employee because they will
get to shadow an experienced person, and it is good for you.
Some of you will be asking why this is good for you, and there are many
reasons. As a mentor you will get the extra responsibility of training a new
employee. In that training you will get to practice your own skills and perhaps
remember some of the things that you have not had to use in some time. Above all,
you will be able to ensure that the new employee gets the training that many of you
were concerned they were not getting.

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I hope that you are all as excited about this new program as I am. There will
be more direction about how mentors will be chosen and how you can volunteer, as
we get closer to launching the program.

Appendix C
Building Orientation and Security End of Course Survey
1. Did you attend training within 30 days of hire date? If not why?
2. Have you discovered, through personal experience or through interaction with other staff,
anything about building security you think should be added to training?
3. Do you believe that the training was helpful in learning about the security procedures?
4. What do you believe was the most helpful aspect of the course?

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Appendix D
Security Plan Assessment
1. The purpose of security training is to educate new and established employees of what is
expected of them so that they will not be the weakest link in the security chain.
a. True
b. False

2. After hours is when the Front desk is not staffed. The system is armed and is monitored
by Master Control or Newsroom staff.
a. True
b. False

3. Service workers (vending, HVAC, etc.) wearing their companys uniform/logos do not need to
get a green pass and do not need to be escorted while working in the building.
a. True
b. False

4. SITUATION: After hours, the newsroom doorbell rings. You are expecting a pizza delivery.
Assuming its your delivery, you go directly to the door instead of using the intercom first. What
could go wrong?

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a. It is your pizza. As you write a check, you are propping the door open with your foot, causing
the alarm to go off after 30 seconds.
b. Its not your pizza. Its a person who you could have talked to on the intercom and told to
come back during business hours. Now you have to talk to them while holding the door open.
c. Seeing only one person outside the door, you open it and then several people overpower you
and rush into the building.
d. All of the above you should always use the intercom first (during business or after hours)

5. A blue strobe light with a shrill-sounding audible alarm activates in the middle of the
newsroom ceiling and over the fountain near the restrooms. What does this mean?
a. Its payday popcorn time!
b. Must be a malfunction of some sort.
c. The receptionist has hit the panic alarm. All employees who are willing & able should
respond to the lobby to help.
d. The receptionist has hit the panic alarm; the police are responding red light & siren; employees
are to be cautious and should not respond to the lobby.

6. The #1 reason for after-hours alarms are from employees holding exterior doors open more
than 30 seconds.
a. True
b. False

7. As you enter the building you notice that the door is not locking. What should you do?
a. Nothing, continue on.
b. Notify your department manager via email.

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c. Notify the building security guard.

d. Immediately notify the front desk during business hours or Master Control or engineering after
business hours.

8. What is the proper procedure when you leave your computer unattended?

9. If there is a fire in the building it most likely would start in electrical/computer equipment. As
a result, all but two fire extinguishers are Halon which is intended for these types of fires.
a. True
b. False

10. SITUATION: While exiting the building you notice a non-employee hanging around the
parking lot. What should you do?
a. Nothing, the person doesnt look suspicious to me.
b. After getting in your car send an email to the KTVB Helpdesk.
c. Since all employees are expected to have a high degree of suspicion (this person might be
trying to break into vehicles or be lying in wait for an employee), re-enter the building or use
your cell phone to report the person to the front desk during business hours or Master Control
after hours.
d. Call the police.

11. The fire extinguisher in the employee breakroom can be used anywhere in the building?
a. True
b. False

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12. Why did you pick the answer for the above question?

13. Explain what to do if you receive a bomb threat.

14. What is the purpose of the red over-ride buttons and where are they located on the exit doors?
Please be specific.

15. What are the incorrect answers?

a. I should place any KTVB identifying information on my card or key ring where my fob is
secured
b. If I misplace my card/fob, I should report it to the Business office so that it can be temporarily
deactivated until I locate it.
c. If I cannot locate it I need to pay for a new one.
d. My card/fob is mine to keep after I am no longer employed by KTVB.
16. SITUATION: As you are about to enter the building, you notice a box placed against the
building.
a. You ask your co-workers and they tell you that they also saw it there. You also ignore it.
b. You pick it up to find out who it is for.
c. You open it up.
d. Knowing that you should have a high degree of suspicion, you immediately report it to the
Front desk during business hours or Master Control after hours.

17. It is permissible to bring a gun into the building if you have a Concealed Weapons License
a. True

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b. False

18. How often are you required to change your network password?

19. A non-employee may be able to sneak into the building while the exterior door is closing
behind you as you are entering or exiting the building.
a. True
b. False

20. You hear the page over the intercom system A.D. Thomas, contact the Front Desk
a. The receptionist must be looking for that new employee, A.D. Thomas.
b. The receptionist needs employees to respond to the lobby for a person who is causing him/her
discomfort by his/her actions. Since I am not willing or able, I ignore the page.
c. I know what the page means, I am not willing or able but I quickly notify my coworkers to
go to the lobby since they may have forgotten what the page means, or because they didnt hear.
d. I forgot what the page means since it has been a while since my last security training.

21. You receive an e-mail with an attachment from a person you do not know. What do you do?

22. You work afterhours and notice somebody who you do not know in the building. What do
you do?
a. I assume the person is an employee.
b. I do not want to bother the person.
c. I ask other coworkers who that person might be. If nobody knows, I will find out.

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d. I do nothing. If the person is an employee, he or she should have introduced themselves to me.

23. As you are approaching the newsroom door, you notice that the bay door is open. Since no
employees are in sight, you detour and enter the building that way. Finding no employee in the
area, you should shut and lock the door, then immediately report this major violation of station
security to the front desk during business hours or Master Control after hours.
a. True
b. False

24. During a fire alarm all doors automatically unlock. This allows employees to exit any door
and the fire department to enter any door.
a. True
b. False

25. Parking in front of the building on the sidewalk side

a. Is only permitted as a last resort if there are no other spots available.
b. Is allowed if vehicles are parked 1/3 on the sidewalk. And not past the east end of the flower
bed.
c. Both A and B
d. There are no restriction on parking along that sidewalk.

26. If you forget your key fob it is fine to just have another employee let you in the building?
a. True
b. False

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27. What should you do if you lose or misplace your key fob?
a. Dont be concerned, it will show up.
b. Report the loss immediately.
c. Nothing.
d. Send an e-mail asking if anyone has seen it.

28. What was your reasoning for the answer above?

29. If the fire alarm goes off what are the procedures that should be followed?

30. What do you do differently if the fire alarm goes off during a newscast?

Reference

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Gray, C. F., & Larson, E. W. (2011). Project management: The managerial

process (5th ed.).

New York: McGraw-Hill.

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