The Transfer Partnership
The responsibility and assurance of the transfer of learning does not fall on any one person’s shoulders!
It is a shared responsibility referred to as a Transfer Partnership and this partnership includes:
- the trainer
- the trainee
- the director/administrator
It is a great thing to learn that not everything falls on your shoulders. But, as the trainer, you still hold the responsibility of making sure everyone understands their role in this partnership and supporting them in their role. The support you offer will pave the way for you to forge a true working partnership between participants, directors/administrators and yourself.
Watch this fun video of a trainer, trainee and director discussing their roles in the transfer of learning process.
Click on the boxes below each statement of responsibility to learn the role of each person in The Transfer Partnership, and write the statements next to the correct people in the Transfer Partnership diagram on page 3 in your Transfer of Training ?handout.
Check Your Knowledge
Consider each question, then click to reveal the correct answer.
Who recognizes the need for new information?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is the trainee. Although the director and trainer might recognize the need, until the trainee recognizes this need, transfer is less likely to take hold.
Who manages the transfer of learning?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is the trainer. This may be a little statement, but it has big responsibilities attached to it for the trainer. ‘Manages’ is the key word and involves many things.
Who supports learning on the job?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is the director. The director is in a position to identify training opportunities, share them with staff and provide the learning opportunities that best benefit each staff person.
Who provides on-the-job support/encouragement to trainees?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is both the trainer and director. The director & trainer are in positions to provide support and encouragement as identified/needed by the trainee. This is guided by the trainer, as the more informed the director is, the better support the director can provide.
Who develops and/or delivers the learning experiences?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is the trainer. The trainer is responsible for developing and delivering active learning workshop experiences that are content focused, sequenced and concrete.
Who commits to putting new skills into practice?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is the trainee. The trainee is responsible for committing to a plan for implementation and a time-line with check-points to evaluate their own progress.
Whose responsibility is it to stay in communication with each other?
A) Trainer
B) Trainee
C) Director
The correct answer is that it is the responsibility of all. It almost goes without saying, but we must emphasize that without on-going, post-training communication between trainer ↔ director, director ↔ trainee, and trainee ↔ trainer, there is strong evidence that the transfer of learning has little success. Ongoing communication is key and the responsibility of maintaining this communication falls on all three partners; managed by the trainer, implemented by the trainee and supported by the director.