AN ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE IN MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess Training and Development Practice in Ministry of National Defense. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, a cross sectional survey design was used. The sample of the study consisted of 328 employees from 7 different training and development institutions of Ministry of National Defense. Both leaders and their subordinates were participated in the study. This study used questionnaire and document review as instrument of data collection. Stratified sampling method was used to select samples from the target population and uses convenience sampling to distribute questioners. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviations were used to analyze the data. The result revealed that the overall training and development practice is not conducted properly in Ministry of National Defense. Training and development policies are not implemented properly; the training and development objectives are not aligned with organizational objectives, the training and development programs are not designed and developed based on the analysis of employee’s skill, knowledge and attitude gaps, task analyses are not conducted to identify the gap on skill, knowledge, and ability and leaders are not committed to encourage employees for education and provide the necessary material to improve the quality of training and development program. They are also not dedicated to examine individuals’ performance appraisal report to evaluate the impact of training and Development program on individual performance and organizational performance. Finally, the study recommended that the existence of training and development policy and strategy by itself doesn’t assure the effectiveness of the training and development program hence leaders should be committed to implement the training and development policy. Training and development programs should be designed and developed based on task analysis the analysis of employee’s skill, knowledge and attitude gaps. Ministry of National Defense should develop new structure and system, conduct training and development assessment based on task analysis and performance report and individual interest in order to identify the skill, knowledge and ability to have effective training development.