Trainee Profiles

Dr. Alexander George, Professor, CTI, Mannuthy

The trainer often has little say in deciding who will be deputed for training.   Hence when trainees report for training the trainer no other option but to understand the personality of the Trainee and choose the appropriate stimulus to get the desired behaviour as outcome.   It can be useful for the trainer to understand the broad categories under which trainees may be classified.   The masculine pronoun has been used for convenience and there is no gender discrepancy in the categorization.

1.   Keen Learner:  He has sincerely come to learn.  Whether benefited or not he considers it a privilege to attend the training.   The trainer must assume that all trainees belong to this category while that may not be the reality.

2.      Resource & Guide:  He may be a knowledgeable and experienced farmer.  The trainer should exploit his presence and appreciate his contribution. However beware of the trainee who only  pretends to be a Resource & Guide.   This person may keep smiling and nodding his head only to convey the message to the trainer:  Please do not disturb me.

3.      Born Superior has no quarrel with the trainer, but wants to tell colleagues that he is more than equal.   He tends to interrupt frequently – an urge that seems from the craving need for recognition.   Usually other trainees can handle him once his interruptions become a nuisance.

4.   Grudging Admirer:  This person has a grudge (may be he was senior to the trainer in college, but has now to sit under his junior’s tutelage or may be he too had applied for the same post as the trainer but somehow didn’t get through the interview).  Despite his grudge, this trainee also had an admiration for the trainers’ competency or ability.   In such cases it is always better for the trainer to acknowledge the Grudging Admirer in order to avoid aggressive behaviour.

5.   Circus Audience:   A certain percentage to trainees deputed come for training only because they had no other option.   They may be either disinterested or may have come with some hidden       agenda:  their native place was close to the training venue, or some work had to be followed up       at the Head Quarters or some work had to be avoided at the base office.   For such trainees, the       alternative agenda, the trainee still goes back in some way benefited in Knowledge, Attitude and       Skill.

6.  Jealous Opponent:   Unlike the Grudging Admirer, he has no admiration.   His is basically an  ego problem that stems from an inferiority complex.  He asks questions to prove the trainer wrong.  If not handled properly, interactions with him may lead to tense situations resulting in a total breakdown of training ambience.

Guidelines for the Conduct of Training Programmes

1. The Course Fee is calculated as estimated expenditure plus 20% institutional overheads. In some cases, where the Course Fee per participant has already been determined, the expenditure will be limited to 80 % of the Course Fee actually received.

2. Sanction Orders for the conduct of a training programme will issued after receipt of the course fee and the remittance particulars have been communicated to the Central Training Institute, Mannuthy.

3. The Course Director may propose a mutually convenient date for the conduct of the training programme. However, the Course Director may make changes in the dates of conduct of the training programme in concurrence with the sponsoring agency and the Central Training Institute, Mannuthy if the situation so warrants.

4. A Email Training Needs Analysis (E-TNA) may be done with the sponsoring agency and deputed participants so as to determine their specific training needs and on receipt of this feedback, the schedule of the training programme may be suitably modified and the concern Resource Persons appraised so that they may be in a position to address the specific issues raised by the participants during the sessions.

5. Purchase of equipment if necessary for the effective conduct of the training may be included in the training proposal.

6. Total anticipated expenditure for transportation utilising vehicles outside the Kerala Agricultural University pool may be included under POL charges.

7. A minimum of Rs.1000 per day may be levied as rent for physical facilities, power and logistics.

8. Based on the sanction order an advance may be drawn and disbursed to the Course Director directly or the funds will be placed at the disposal of the Head of the Institution concerned who can obtain the same from the Comptroller by sending demand.

9. Leave availed by the trainees during training period has to be reported to the sponsoring agency.  No leave other than medical leave should be granted to the trainees during the training period.

10. Based on the evaluation, a certificate duly signed by the Course Director, Dean/Head of the Institution concerned and Director of Extension will be issued to the candidates who have successfully completed the course.  Blank certificates can be obtained from the Central Training Institute by a responsible person only on submitting a request with list of trainees for whom the certificates are to be issued. The certificate number issued to each trainee should be recorded.

                                                                                                                 Sd/-

Mannuthy                                                                                       Director of Extension

Proposal Format for Training Programmes

Category of Training Proposal: Tick option A, B or C

A. Sponsored Training: Actual expenditure plus 20% institution overheads would have to be borne by the sponsoring Agency/Department.

B. Vocational Training: Training Expenditure will be limited to 80% of the course fee received. The overhead charges need to be remitted to Comptroller’s Account.

C. Stipendiary Training: In cases where the KAU stands to benefit from the services of the trainees a stipend from university funds is paid to the trainees.  Sufficient funds should be available with the institution proposing stipendiary training under the head of account 842 Stipend.

1. Title of the Training Programme:
2. Category of personnel to be trained:
3. No. of batches:
4. No. of trainees per batch:
5. Duration:
6. Proposed Period:
7. Venue:
8. Course Director: Name and Designation: 
9. Cell No:
10. Residence Land Line:
11. Email ID:
12. No. of lecture sessions:       
13. No. of practical sessions:       
14. Expenditure:

• Honorarium:
• TA and DA for Resource  Persons
• Teaching aids & Stationery
• Physical Facilities, Equipment and Logistics
• Publicity and Documentation  
• POL charges, if any
• Other items (to be specified)
• Total:
• 20% Over Head Charges:
• Course Fee for the entire  training:
• Course Fee per participant (In case of Vocational Training):

     15.   Source /Remittance details of Course Fee:

Practical Utility and Training Syllabus should be attached herewith

Signature:

                                                                             

Date :                                                                          Name:

Station:                                                                       Designation:

The Director of Extension, KAU writes:

Training is about knowing where you stand (no matter how good or bad the current situation looks) at present, and where you will be after some point of time.   Training is a learning process that involves the acquisition of knowledge, sharpening of skills, concepts, rules, or changing of attitudes and behaviour to enhance the performance of employees.

The Central Training Institute, Mannuthy is a subsystem of the Kerala Agricultural University.  It ensures that randomness is reduced and training takes place in structured format.   The principal objective of training is to make sure the availability of a skilled and willing workforce.   In addition to that, there are four other objectives:  Individual, Organizational, Functional and Societal.

Individual Objectives – help employees in achieving their personal goals, which in turn, enhances the individual contribution to an organization.

Organizational Objectives – assist the organization with its primary objective by bringing individual effectiveness.

Functional Objectives – maintain the department’s contribution at a level suitable to the organization’s needs.

Societal Objectives – ensure that an organization is ethically and socially responsible to the needs and challenges of the society.

The Central Training institute, Mannuthy has been striving to ensure that all these objectives are met through it multifaceted approach to training.

Word from the Vice Chancellor

Over the years there has been substantial increase in the volume of training activity taken up by the Kerala Agricultural University.  More and more organizations at the State and National level have started realizing and accepting the training capabilities of the University in the Agriculture and allied sectors.   Being the premium institution with R&D functions in these areas the depth and spread of KAU’s intellectual and technological resources is unparalleled and largely unutilized.  The scope for further broad basing of its training services therefore is huge.  The well established statewide network of campuses and research institutions is an added strength for the KAU in this line.   Of late the University has embarked on an ambitious programme to offer customized training programmes to prospective clients from outside the nation, especially ASEAN and Third World countries.   An easy to access procedure has already been streamlined and put in place to facilitate this.  Matching training infrastructure also as to be developed concurrently.   Proposals are on for the establishment of an international research and development institute for Human Resources in Farm Sciences at the Kerala Agricultural University. Another area vying for immediate attention is in-house HRD.  An imaginative programme to balance the physical, emotional, Intellectual and spiritual needs of the University’s valued manpower has to be conceived and pursued without further delay to maintain them in a state of alert and anticipated preparedness to meet emerging challenges.

Organizations are facing great pressure to change these days – to facilitate and encourage wholeperson development and fulfillment – beyond traditional training and I am very happy to note that the Central Training Institute, Mannuthy has risen to the challenge by fine tuning its training delivery.

Best Course Director Award

The Best Course Director Award was instituted in the year 2002-03. A committee constituted by the Hon. Vice Chancellor selects the Best Course Director from applications received based on the following criteria:

1. Number of training courses proposed
2. Number of training courses actually conducted: New and Old
3. Duration
4. Overhead charges; Revenue generated
5. Number of classes handled by the Course Director - theory or practical
6. Training notes/resource material, etc
7. National or State level training
8. Feedback of the participants - Utility of the training, Conduct of training, Effectiveness of the training,Subject matter coverage, Timeliness of the training, Future scope for development
9. Presentation of bill settlement of advance
10. A score of 5 is given for international training programmes conducted

Riders: The following persons do not come within the purview of this award: 

1. Those who work at the Central Training Institute, Mannuthy
2. Those who are attached to schemes the primary function of which is to conduct training programmes
3. Those who conduct training programmes that are part of a project 
4. Those who serve in Training Units like the Training Service Scheme/KVKs

The Award shall consist of a certificate and a book.

Teachers may apply by forwarding their claim to the Professor and Head, Central Training Institute, Mannuthy.