Types of Training

Exam code: 7115

Written by: Ashika|Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll|Updated 2 July 2026

The importance of training to a business

Training is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of the workforce to enable them to perform their jobs effectively
Businesses need to make sure that new and existing staff are trained and developed appropriately
- Training is the teaching of new skills E.g., learning a new process or how to use new equipment
- Development is the improvement of existing skills E.g., a refresher course for an existing piece of software used

Induction training is given to new employees when they start working for a business
- It introduces them to the organisation, its culture, policies, procedures and their job roles and responsibilities
  - E.g. when new employee joins Marks & Spencer they receive induction training that covers customer service, product knowledge, store policies, and safety procedures

Advantages	Disadvantages
Helps new employees to understand their job roles and responsibilities Improves employee confidence and motivation Reduces the time taken for new employees to become productive	Can be time-consuming and expensive to organise May not cover all aspects of the job role May not be effective in all cases, leading to employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates

A type of training that takes place while employees are working in their job roles
- It allows employees to learn new skills and knowledge from colleagues while performing their job duties
- For example, a sous chef at The Ivy Restaurant in York receives on-the-job training from the Head Chef to learn how to prepare new dishes, use equipment or improve cooking techniques

Advantages	Disadvantages
Employees learn new skills and knowledge while performing their job duties Training is tailored to the employee's specific job role and responsibilities Training is often more practical and relevant to the employee's job duties Can be cost-effective as it takes place during working hours	Employees may make mistakes while learning or trainers could pass on bad habits which may impact productivity and quality Can be disruptive to the workplace as it requires the trainer to devote time to training the employee May not be effective in all cases, leading to employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates

A type of training that takes place outside of the workplace
- It can be in the form of workshops, seminars, conferences or online courses
  - For example, teachers attend exam board training days at which they learn how to deliver the syllabus and help their students to prepare for exams

Advantages	Disadvantages
Employees learn new skills and knowledge outside of the workplace, which can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the workplace Training can be tailored to the employee's specific needs and interests Training can be used as a reward or incentive for high-performing employees Can be cost-effective if training is provided online or through webinars	Can be expensive to organise, especially if travel and accommodation are required Employees may miss work while attending training, which can impact productivity The training may not be directly applicable to the employee's job role or the needs of the firm