The Difference Between Education and Training and Impact on Procedure

When we solve problems in the wrong way, we end up creating bigger problems. One of the biggest of these stems from the differences between education and training and how we try to address education deficiencies (real or perceived) in the procedure.

• Training: The primary goal of training is to develop specific skills and behaviors that improve performance and productivity in a particular job or task. It is practical and hands-on, focusing on applying knowledge to perform specific tasks effectively. For example, training might involve learning how to use a particular software or operate machinery.
• Education: Education aims to provide a broader understanding of concepts, theories, and principles. It is more about acquiring knowledge and developing critical thinking, reasoning, and judgment. Education prepares individuals for future roles and helps them understand the broader context of their work.

For example, in writing a procedure on good documentation practices (GDocP), we might include a requirement to show the work on all calculations except simple. Knowledge of the broader principles of mathematics is education, and a simple calculation is a fundamental building block of mathematics. We now have two choices. We can proceduralize a definition and provide examples of simple calculations, or a basic understanding of mathematics is a prerequisite for doing the work, part of the core competencies.

This example may seem minor, but it quickly builds up. Every time we add an item that should be education to a procedure, we increase the difficulty of using and training on the document. Good documentation practices are a great example because we take some basic ALCOA+ concepts and then give possible permutations, many of which rely on education premises.