As we saw in Section 1, there are several ways a person can learn, and formal training is just one of them. Many of the skills a worker develops are acquired over time through their day-to-day work. This also applies to the knowledge and understanding they gradually build up through their on-the-job experience.

When a trainer helps the worker to make the most of these less formal learning experiences, they are performing the role of facilitator rather than instructor or teacher.

That is, they are guiding the worker to make the most of workplace opportunities for developing their skills, and helping them to understand how it all fits into the big picture of their career development.

In a nutshell, it is helping the worker to learn how to learn.

When you facilitate learning in the workplace, you should try to involve the learner as much as possible in defining the outcomes you plan to achieve.

This assists them to become 'co-directors' in their own learning process, and to develop the skills of goal-setting and taking the initiative. You should also look to their supervisor and workmates for extra help, whenever it is appropriate, so that they can learn to draw on the knowledge and expertise of their more experienced colleagues.