Based on a review of the training plans, documentation, and evaluation of trends in the records, it may be necessary to re- adjust a training plan. Key issues include determining whether there are any safety concerns and progress towards the goal. Programs which are very work intensive for the staff or require many resources may not be cost effective. After reviewing the documentation for trends over time (evaluation), training plans are then fine-tuned (i.e., readjusted) and the cycle continues (setting new goals, developing revised plans, implementing new training, etc.).
On a broader scale, we recommend that animal caretakers and managers routinely review and assess an area’s training program. Some good questions for such a review include:
- What are our specific training goals?
- Which of these goals have been achieved?
- Which have not been achieved?
- For those goals that have been achieved, what has been the key to success?
- Are there any commonly occurring roadblocks to success?
Area supervisors are critical to the success of the training program. Managers who believe in the value of training as an animal management tool and have a clear understanding of the technical skills required are key to the success of a husbandry training program.
The result of using this framework is a program that is proactive and holistic. The process is cyclical, facilitates sustainability of the program over time, and allows the program to evolve. This framework can work for any institution, regardless of size, but the specific methods of how a particular element is achieved may differ.
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