Abstract
To carry out their roles, first responders need to have appropriate skills. It is important to identify and train in key skills appropriate for the tasks that first responders will perform. Once these skills have been acquired, they need to be maintained otherwise they will decay to the point where performance of the skill is no longer acceptable. This means that emergency services organisations need programs that appropriately maintain the skills of their volunteers and employees. To deliver cost-effective training, these organisations need a good understanding of what key skills are required for tasks that are regularly performed, why and how quickly these skills decay and how these skills can be maintained. To help emergency services organisations better understand these important concepts, this paper reviews relevant literature on skill decay and skill maintenance. Task decomposition methods and training needs analysis are introduced to assist organisations determine what key skills they require. This provides information to make sound, evidence-based decisions about recurrent training programs that can maintain the skills required by first responders and retain efficacy in the organisation.
Highlights
The acquisition and maintenance of personnel skills is a critical element in the effective performance of any organisation
The lack of skill maintenance opportunities and the resulting skill decay is a particular challenge when people are not able to practise skills on a regular basis, as is the case for many volunteers (Hughes et al 2020, Vlasblom et al 2020). This issue has become more evident since the arrival of COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic restrictions that have reduced the opportunities for personnel to undertake recurrent training
Examining current literature can help organisations improve their understanding of what the key skills are for tasks that are regularly performed, why and how quickly these skills decay and how these skills can be maintained
Summary
The acquisition and maintenance of personnel skills is a critical element in the effective performance of any organisation. The lack of skill maintenance opportunities and the resulting skill decay is a particular challenge when people are not able to practise skills on a regular basis, as is the case for many volunteers (Hughes et al 2020, Vlasblom et al 2020). This issue has become more evident since the arrival of COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic restrictions that have reduced the opportunities for personnel to undertake recurrent training. Examining current literature can help organisations improve their understanding of what the key skills are for tasks that are regularly performed, why and how quickly these skills decay and how these skills can be maintained
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
