Principles of skills training

The know-how corresponds to so-called procedural knowledge, i.e. the ability to solve a concrete problem, such as unblocking a machine or successfully negotiating. Training in know-how is therefore different from theoretical learning, which gives rise to impersonal knowledge known as declarative knowledge (e.g. 1+1=2). Working on know-how implies a personalised approach, as each individual will build up his or her own skills through action. The master-apprentice interaction is a good example of this process, and this pairing was the basis for learning know-how. Today, the method has been improved to provide workers with a more effective on-the-job training framework.

The approach comprises 4 successive and complementary phases:

• Concrete experimentation, during which the learner is placed in a work situation with a specific educational objective;
• Analysis, during which the learner steps back from the experience and reflects on its meaning;
• Conceptualisation, the generalisation phase where the learner draws out the properties relevant to the learning;
• Active experimentation, where the concepts or hypotheses formed will be verified in a new active situation.

These steps are necessary to achieve experiential learning, but each learner can focus on one phase or another depending on his or her own way of proceeding. In this context, the situation requires individualised support to ensure that all the stages are completed. The action of skills training can be extended by the wiki, i.e. the constitution of an encyclopaedic corpus. This practice allows learners to formalise their learning, and thus to finalise their conceptualisation.

Fifty, the know-how training action with digital application

Experiential training responds to a concrete need within the company. It therefore targets specific skills. This method is particularly interesting for the acquisition of human skills known as "soft skills", which correspond to a more flexible and productive behaviour.

Fifty, a digital platform for On-the-Job Training (OJT), offers an experiential learning programme. This action of skills training This action is aimed at employees in companies who wish to improve their skills. The method used on the platform is based on the Nudge approach, which consists of initiating an effective change in behaviour without resorting to coercion. This approach, combined with the experiential learning method, leads to a high level of commitment and concrete results.

Concerning the situation of the learners, Fifty proposes a list of daily micro-actions to be carried out in order to improve the skills of each learner. Artificial intelligence is then used to build a personalised course. The method includes the different phases of action training, ensuring rapid development of the employees who participate. Moreover, the changes are quantifiable at individual and organisational level, in real time.