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The manufacturing industry is a well-known source of interventions adapted to solve problems in the construction industry. The use of Training-Within-Industry (TWI) is one such intervention adopted in the construction industry to solve the construction problem relating to occupational health and safety (OHS). The objectives of TWI are to help the industry to transfer knowledge and skills from management to the employees. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to investigate whether TWI can reduce OHS problems by promoting “learning by doing” on construction sites.

A case-based-research method was used to investigate the reported OHS problems in the construction industry in South Africa. The data were quantitative and qualitative in nature; the questionnaire survey, semi-structured interview and focus group interview techniques were used to collect data in the study.

The findings provide a better understanding of the human contributions influencing the behaviour of people causing accidents on construction sites. The data show that construction project leaders struggle to promote “learning by doing” because of inappropriate behaviour, lack of communication and inadequate training provided to new workers on construction sites. Also, there is significant scope for TWI deployment in construction because of the inability of supervisors or management to promote “learning by doing” on construction sites.

Based on the research findings, it is discovered that OHS is a serious concern in the construction industry. Therefore, the adoption of learning by doing on a construction site would help to improve OHS outcome.

The study highlights the need to introduce TWI on construction sites to reduce human failure causing accidents. TWI could lead to improving the knowledge- and skills-transfer programmes for construction workers in favour of better safety performance.

The Historical Perspective: Post‐war industrial training policy in Britain had been characterised by a laissez‐faire approach involving minimal government intervention, until the report of the Carr Committee in 1958. Although some ad hoc provision existed (Government Training Centres, Training Within Industry etc) the prevailing attitude was encapsulated in this report when it stated that the responsibility of industrial training should rest firmly with industry.

Economists have known for some time that increases in the amounts of capital and labour cannot explain all of the growth of output (Kendrick, 1961, 1976). Schultz showed the potential importance of human resource development in explaining this residual when he made estimates of investments in education for the period 1900 to 1957. He stated that educational capital was clearly an important element in production and that it had risen at a much faster rate than reproducible non‐human wealth (Schultz, 1960, 1962).

The purpose of this paper is to support total productive maintenance implementers by providing a roadmap for autonomous maintenance (AM) preparation phase.

The authors use the axiomatic design (AD) methodology with lean philosophy as a paradigm.

This is an exploratory research to find the most important factors in AM preparation phase. A decoupled AD design ensures an effective usage of training within industry (TWI) and the introduction of standardized work (SW). TWI provides value in importance it assigns to leaders, with its “train the trainers” approach and in preparing a training program. Besides being an effective training method, TWI job instruction (TWI JI) provides needed information infrastructure to front load operators SW and equipment trainings.

Although AD, TWI and lean artifacts are generally field proven, the research is limited due to the lack of an industrial application.

In many real-life projects, companies do not know where to start and how to proceed, which leads to costly iterations. The proposed roadmap minimizes iterations and increases the chance of project success.

The authors apply AD for the first time to AM preparation phase despite it is used in the analysis of lean manufacturing. AD permits to structure holistically the most relevant lean manufacturing solutions to obtain a risk free roadmap. TWI has emerged as a training infrastructure; TWI JI-based operator SW training and the adaptation of JI structure to equipment training are original additions.

Management training and development is currently in vogue. There appears to be a growing belief in the benefits of investment in training and development. When a market is buoyant is the time to consider and anticipate the consequences of a future downturn in demand. Such a downturn in demand may demonstrate increasing pressure to “justify” investment in training and development. There is a long established academic body of knowledge on the subject of evaluating training and development. From research evidence and the authors′ experience, the sponsors and the providers of training and development pay scant attention to systematic evaluation of these activities and investments. It is the authors′ contention that when the market′s critical assessment of the value of training and development increases there will be an increasing interest in evaluation. An overview of the history of evaluation traditions is provided and the state of play is commented upon. It is noted that there is a shortfall between theory and practice. It is argued that evaluation is a worthwhile and important activity and ways through the evaluation literature maze and the underpinnings of the activity are demonstrated, especially to management. Similarly the literature on evaluation techniques is reviewed. Tables are provided which demonstrate areas of major activity and identify relatively uncharted waters. This monograph provides a resource whereby practitioners can choose techniques which are appropriate to the activity on which they are engaged. It highlights the process which should be undertaken to make that choice in order that needs of the major stakeholders in the exercise are fully met.

Among the many problems posed by the Industrial Training Act is that of the status of those directly concerned with its day‐to‐day implementation in the nation's workshops, offices, and laboratories — the training officers. Is their occupation merely a job of work, like clerking or cleaning? Or is it something worthy of the honourable title of ‘Profession’?

The Employment and Training Act 1973 requires the Manpower Services Commission ‘to make such arrangements as it considers appropriate for assisting people to select, train for, obtain and retain employment and for assisting employers to obtain suitable employees’. The services for which the Commission is responsible will be provided by two agencies—the Training Services Agency and the Employment Services Agency. The TSA was established and came under the direction of the Commission on 1 April. The ESA, at present still in the Department of Employment, will move to the Commission on 1 October. The TSA has prepared a five year plan for training policies and programmes financed from public funds through grant‐in‐aid to the Commission. The Commission is now examining the plan in discussion with the Agency. The article which follows is an edited version of the plan. ‘Training Services Agency — a five year plan’ is obtainable from HMSO, price 61p. ISBN 1 11 361054 8.

DO you recall the June Editorial wherein we asked you to write to your MP protesting about the increased postal rates? And we, for our part, sent out over 600 copies of “Work Study” to MPs containing the Leader in question. So you might think some sort of action would be generated.

The Manpower Services Commission (MSC) has recently issued a consultative document in which it sets down the three propositions or aims for its new initiative on training. The document attempts not to be too controversial and gives all points of view, but it does stress that the three objectives:

The main purpose of this article is to describe some of the ways in which Walsall College of Technology is approaching the teaching of new technology. The approach and methodologies adopted at the college for the course described here are not considered to be the definitive solution to the daunting task of retraining and educating staff to teach the new technology disciplines. They are described here mainly to act as a catalyst for other colleges and to open up communication between colleges, industry and commerce. The need to offer courses relevant to the wants of industry and commerce increases as the technology rapidly changes. Because the methods adopted by teachers and the curriculum are dependent upon the needs of the students, their needs are discussed. As the methods are so dependent also upon equipment availability resource management is discussed. The views expressed here are mine and are not intended to represent the views held by other members of the college staff. I welcome constructive criticism on the approach and methodology described and would also like to communicate with other colleges that are involved with similar courses.