Many professions use just-in-time training as a teaching method. It may teach a variety of topics, but the underlying philosophy is that employees should be trained for certain types of work right before they perform it. Training that is done “just in case” or in the distant past is likely to be forgotten at least in part, necessitating a refresher or relearning. Instead, just-in-time training reduces the likelihood of forgetting what has been learned, and an employee does not have to exert effort to remember very detailed work applications learned in a just-in-case training session.
Just-in-time training is used in a variety of fields, and employees can put it into practice right away. New software or operating system changes may prompt employers to provide just-in-time training to employees so that the changes are understood and do not obstruct work. Following an outbreak of a specific disease, such as H1N1 in 2009 and 2010, many medical facilities and individual doctors’ offices were forced to undergo rapid training in order to recognize the disease and follow treatment and handling protocols. Accountants who have recently acquired an out-of-state account may instruct their employees on the state’s tax laws, which can then be applied directly to the new account’s tax reports.
Just-in-time training can also be used to control inventory and save money on storage costs, which is particularly useful in manufacturing. Companies may be forced to keep stock on hand that they won’t use for years due to just-in-case training on various manufacturing skills, and providing that storage is costly. Employees can receive the training they need right before they need it, and storage costs of unused equipment or material are reduced when items needed to perform a job don’t arrive until just before they’re needed. Alternatively, “just-in-time manufacturing” may refer to keeping only the bare minimum of supplies on hand, such as spare parts, to reduce inventory storage costs.
Just-in-time training can be implemented in a number of different ways. Training can take the form of a lecture with accompanying written material, but it’s more likely to include Powerpoint® presentations, videos or DVDs, and easily accessible computer programs with ways to test knowledge. When computers are used, it is not always necessary for all employees to meet at the same time, giving employees more freedom in their training.
Some businesses specialize in providing training in particular fields or interests. When companies buy items that will be used every day, such as computer hardware or software, various types of machinery, or vehicles, the companies that make these items may include or charge for just-in-time training. Companies can also develop their own just-in-time education programs to meet current or future learning requirements.