Using Expert Employees to Train on the Job

The problem and the solution. The importance of on-the-job training (OJT) for enhancing workforce knowledge and skills is undisputed. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of OJT varies widely due to unstructured approaches and unprepared trainers. A critical component of effective OJT is the development of experts as effective trainers. This article reviews the nature of employee expertise in terms of its importance for instructional effectiveness and discusses the value of using employees to pass along what they know and can do directly to others. Training principles and strategies for better preparing content experts to be effective on-the-job trainers are presented.