What is a Training Needs Assessment Report?

A training needs assessment report is a simple document designed to provide a clear analysis or assessment of a particular job training checklist program and to clarify some major points such as why is there a need to conduct the training, who is involved in the training, how can the performance deficiency be fixed, what is the optimal method to perform, and when will the training take place.  This is a beneficial report which outlines the benefits of conducting the training program, the appropriate parties involved in the deficiency, the specific skill deficiency to be fixed during the training remedy, the job performance standards, and the right timing to deliver the training program. Also, it is an effective tool in measuring the effectiveness of training.

Based on a report, 68% of employees say that training and development is the most important policy that’s why more and more employees place a premium on their skills and prefer to continue strengthening the ones they already have and obtaining new ones. In turn, the business firms and organizations who nurture that professional growth acquire a competitive advantage. Thus, all types of team managers, project leaders, trainers, and other professionals in various fields should create a clear and well-detailed training needs assessment report to further the professional growth and development of their employees.

Different Types of Training Needs Assessment Reports

For your company or organization to survive in society, training contract is one of the key elements that you should prioritize so that you can effectively train your people. And to make your training efficient, it is fundamental to identify the training needs of your people, as well as the necessary and relevant issues for systematic planning and effective implementation. However, there are different types of training needs assessment reports out there. In this section, you will learn and understand about the different types of training needs assessment reports. We will introduce and explain to you about them below:

1. Industry Training Needs Assessment Report

There are many corporate products and services in different kinds of industries that need support for a particular type of product. Conducting a training needs assessment is not just for individuals but the findings coming from the needs assessment will be utilized in the evaluation of a particular product as it provides a standard to solve the question on what specific degree does the product satisfy the identified training need. Corporate marketers need to develop an industry training needs risk assessment report for the proper development of their products. This method will also assist them in designing and implementing a process that addresses specific, clearly-stated information needs that change over the product life cycle. For instance, the process of training needs assessment can determine new training products and how to position those products in the marketplace.

2. Situational Analysis and Training Needs Assessment Report

The book The Fundamentals of Public Personnel Management stated that situational analysis is one of the three planning steps that can be identified during training plans and needs assessments that exist inside the public personnel management and other kinds of management. When you are designing a training course, all the aspects that can influence the proposed training programme, as well as the extent to which they may do so are the contents of the course. The most critical point in a situational analysis is that it is educational. Take note that the knowledge and practices should portray educational significance. So, make sure that the learning objectives of the training course must coincide with the objectives of the department. Thus, creating a situational analysis and training needs assessment report is fundamental in ensuring people in your management to carry out advanced management tasks, and assisting them who have the desire and the potential to develop. 

3. Livestock Sector Training Needs Assessment Report

To facilitate economic growth and development while addressing the rapid changes in biophysical, socio-cultural, technological and the policy environments of the agricultural innovation systems in some developing and developed countries, it is important to conduct an effective assessment of livestock capacity requirements or a needs assessment study focused on reflecting the priorities for strengthening their capacities. The essential thing that you need to do if you belong in the livestock sector is identify the common priorities in your area. For example, there is a training needs writing assessment report conducted in several South Asian countries to determine their capacity in developing their livestock industry, as well as to assess their capacity development needs and priorities when it comes to meeting future challenges and catering the emerging needs of the livestock sector.

4. Urban Training Needs Assessment Report

To be successful in managing urban development changes due to rapid growth rates in numerous cities around the world, a training budget needs assessment is significant to allow various institutions in developing the capacities of their respective cities in their countries or regions. Millions of dollars are spent on training each year for a wide array of capacity development activities. Sadly, financial resources are wasted on training that is not relevant and provides no verifiable outcomes. In order to avoid spending enormous amounts of time and resources on training that does not improve the work of various companies and organizations being trained, it is crucial to engage in training needs assessment and training outcome evaluation to contribute efficiently to a sustainable urban development. Constructing an urban training needs assessment report is a great way to aim on training for effective capacity development in urban cities.

5. Community Training Needs Assessment Report

Needs assessments in different communities can help improve the quality of the decisions of key individuals or leaders in their designated communities. These intership assessments may lead to further improvements in performance and the achievement of desired outcomes. Exerting great efforts for improvement in your community as a leader or motivator in your area can bring about worthwhile effects for your organization, as well as changing the lives of many people in your community. Improving the performance of the people in your organization can also lead to heightened job satisfaction, longer retention, enhanced quality of life for employees and other people, minimized stress, new social networks, retained knowledge, innovative thinking, and many other benefits that greatly influence the people who make up in your organization. Doing systematic and continual efforts ensures success in your organization and your community as well

Basic Elements of a Training Needs Assessment Report

In this section, you will learn how to construct a remarkably written and comprehensive training needs assessment report. However, a training needs assessment report has different parts. Include the following elements for you to create an excellent document:

Title: One of the primary elements of a training needs assessment report is the title. It is a simple introductory statement line of the document which demonstrates the main topic, or subject of the training needs assessment, as well as to get the attention of the training evaluator effectively. It is typically set in a size larger than other remaining text elements in the page.Executive Summary: This is the primary content of your training needs assessment report. It provides a structured and brief overview Executive Summary concerning the training issues and needs, the design of the training needs assessment, the methods of data collection, the methods of analyzing the collected data, and other crucial elements. Another aspect to incorporate in this section is the significance, and implications of the training needs assessment.Training Needs Analysis and Feedback: There are different kinds of training needs analysis such as performance analysis or gap analysis, feasibility analysis, needs versus wants analysis, goal analysis, job/task analysis, target group analysis, and contextual analysis. Include what type of training needs analysis that you utilized in your training needs assessment for your company or organization and explain why you used them. Provide an accurate and precise feedback of your training needs assessment in the report, Accuracy and Brevity: Write your training needs assessment report accurately with the proper application of both short words and short sentences. Highlight the integral pieces of information for in-depth needs assessment and decision making. Keep it as brief and specific as possible. Eliminate ambiguous words that are irrelevant to your training needs assessment report. We suggest that you point out the notable objectives and desired outcomes of your company or organization’s training program. Develop recommendations according to the training needs assessment questions. Then, submit the training needs assessment to the management or executive heads.

How to Write a Training Needs Assessment Report

According to the article released by the Huffington Post, 24% higher profit margins can be the result of companies who invest in training. Thus, to prevent employees from leaving your company or organization, it is fundamental to set up and facilitate a strong training program.  Also, you need to investigate how personal characteristics, input, output, consequences, and feedback relate to performance and learning in the company or organization. Below are some easy-to-follow tips that indicate how to design and create a professional training needs assessment report:

Step 1: Define the Training Issue and Needs in Your Company or Organization

Conduct an efficient performance analysis or gap analysis so that you are able to observe the current working performance of the people in your company or organization based on their assigned roles and responsibilities. It is crucial to define the organizational context or the training issue and needs that exist in your company or organization such as policy, goal, roles, and responsibilities.

Step 2: Illustrate the Design of Training Needs Analysis

The second step is to illustrate the design of training needs analysis by identifying the target groups to be trained in your organizations such as the interviewees, survey methods, survey plan, training needs analysis schedule and key persons in charge of training needs analysis. A training course designer must either develop a new training course, determine an existing one that can fulfill the need, or acquire one externally. Use different types of surveys such as structured interview, semi-structured interview, questionnaire survey, focus group discussion, and many others to define the target group of the training and select the interviewees.

Step 3: Collect and Analyze the Data 

Consider reviewing the documents on the current training and collect additional information concerning the training program so that you are able to understand and utilize the current knowledge and experiences on the areas of the reform in the training program.

Step 4: Show Honest Feedback

After collecting and analyzing the data, show your feedback on the analysis that you conducted. Be honest and considerate while explaining your comments and suggestions about the training program to be assessed in your company or organization. Providing an honest feedback in feedback forms concerning the overall training will help your organization and the people there to gain further growth and development in their professional work.

Step 5: Proofread and Revise the Report If Necessary

Double-check your overall training needs assessment from time to time. Write all the important elements in your training needs assessment report. If you notice that you overlook some sections that require additional points, we recommend that you proofread and revise the document in a systematic manner.

Step 6: Prepare the Final Training Needs Assessment Report

After the proofreading and revision process, you can now prepare the final training needs assessment report. Include some notes and other important advice and other instructions you want to convey to the training course designer or developer on the last part of the training needs analysis report. Skim your report for final evaluation and quality check.

FAQs

What are some examples of training needs assessment reports?

Some examples of training needs assessment reports are training needs assessment analysis report, industry training needs assessment report, situational analysis and training needs assessment report, livestock sector training needs assessment report, urban training needs assessment report, community training needs assessment report, training needs assessment strategy and recommendation report, coastal training programs needs assessment report, needs assessment checklist, training needs assessment final report, formal training needs assessment report, and more.

What is the purpose of a training needs assessment report?

The purpose of a training needs assessment report is to assess the skills, competencies and performance of key people in a company or organization, as well as measuring the overall performance of a training program. This is essential in developing proper decisions and constructing standardized plans for the employees to be successful in their professional career.

What are the essential steps in writing a training needs assessment report?

The essential steps in writing a training needs assessment report for the company profiles are defining the training issue and needs in your company or organization, illustrating the design of training needs analysis, writing the executive summary, showing honest feedback,  proofreading and revising the report if necessary, and preparing the final training needs assessment report.  

Why is a training needs assessment essential?

A training needs assessment is essential because it is a precursor to effective decision making in a company or organization. It is an effective document that guides managers and executives to assess gaps between current results and desired results and then implement the information provided in the needs assessment to formulate the proper decisions for training employees, reforming policies, and many others.

Therefore, writing a clear and effective training needs assessment report in a company or organization is an essential process in assessing the professional learning experience of the employees inside the organization. Plus, this needs assessment report serves as a guide to develop, analyze, interpret, and communicate results to the employees, clients, and organizations. Training consultants and practitioners commonly use this document to determine the needs of the people in improving their professional skills and competencies so that they can be effective in their assigned roles and responsibilities. So, here are some of our downloadable and printable training needs assessment report samples available in different kinds of formats. Simply click the training needs assessment report templates in this article and start downloading now!