Training of trainers in the Caribbean Basin Water Management Project.

This article discusses the Caribbean Basin Water Management Project, a joint venture of 10 Caribbean countries, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Government of the Netherlands, and PAHO. In 1977 an assessment of the project revealed that though training activities were carried out, most of them were designed for engineers and technicians-a small percentage of all employees-who did not pass on their knowledge to their coworkers. The training of trainers program was initiated to encourage improved communication among staff members. The fundamental precept of this program is that training should be a basic component of management activities. The article outlines the criteria for selecting participants for the training workshops, stressing that the prospective candidates should be in supervisory positions where training is part of their job. Instructors should also be carefully selected, and, as in the case of the participants, should have a long-term commitment to the water utility. At the end of the workshop series, the trainees should be able to make a task analysis, write and evaluate performance objectives, demonstrate communication techniques, use training aids, develop and implement an instructional sequence, and apply evaluation mechanisms. The article summarizes the benefits of the program, such as increased productivity of the supervisors, better communication between supervisors and the staff, and improved attitudes on the part of the staff toward their work.