Method and apparatus for managing training activities

• US 6,409,514 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bull, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clayton, Sheila
• Application Number:
  US08/951,903
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 434/219, 434/218, 434/350, 434/362, 434/351-353, 434/118, 434/322, 434/323
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing training activities are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention is a method including scheduling the worker for a selected class in response to user input, tracking an available class the worker might attend; electronically determining whether the available class is the selected class; querying the worker about attending the available class if the available class is the selected class; receiving the worker'"'"'s reply to the query; and enrolling the worker in the available class responsive to the reply. In another embodiment, the invention is a method including tracking a worker'"'"'s training information; tracking information regarding a class available for the worker to attend; comparing the training information with the available class information; and automatically electronically contacting the worker regarding attending the available class responsive to the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for managing worker training activities, the method comprising:

tracking training information associated with a plurality of workers;

tracking information regarding one or more available classes for the plurality of workers to attend;

comparing the training information for one or more of the plurality of workers with the available classes information; and

automatically electronically contacting the one or more workers regarding attending at least one of the one or more available classes in response to the act of comparing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of tracking the training information of a plurality of workers includes at least one of the following acts:

maintaining a list of classes attended by at least one of the workers;

scheduling at least one of the workers for a first selected class in response to user input;

assigning at least one of the workers to attend a predetermined plurality of core classes including at least one of the available classes; and

assigning at least one of the workers to attend a second available class that has not previously been offered.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the act of permitting at least one of the workers to attend at least one of the available classes upon request of the at least one worker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of tracking the one or more available classes includes at least one of the following acts:

scheduling at least one of the available classes;

scheduling a plurality of course sections for at least one of the at least one available classes; and

recording the enrollment of the at least one of available classes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of comparing the training information with the available classes information includes at least one of the following acts:

comparing the at least one available classes with a list of classes previously attended by at least one of the workers;

comparing the available class information with a list of classes at least one of the workers is scheduled to attend; and

comparing identifying information about at least one of the available classes with identifying information about a specified class.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of automatically electronically contacting the one or more workers includes at least one of generating a phone message and generating an electronic mail message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of automatically electronically contacting the one or more workers includes contacting the one or more workers over at lest one of an intranet, a local area network, the Internet, a wide area network, and a telephone system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reply from at least one of the workers responsive to the act of automatically electronically contacting;

enrolling the at least one responding worker in the at least one available classes responsive to the reply; and

tracking a performance of the at least one responding worker in the enrolled class.

9. A program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, implement a method for managing worker training activities, the method comprising:

tracking training information associated with a plurality of workers;

tracking information regarding one or more available classes for the plurality of workers to attend;

comparing the training information for one or more of the plurality of workers with the available classes information; and

automatically electronically contacting the one or more of the plurality of workers regarding attending at least one of the one or more available classes in response to the act of comparing.

10. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for tracking the training information of a plurality of workers include instructions for performing at least one of the following acts:

maintaining a list of classes attended by at least one of the plurality of workers;

scheduling at least one of the plurality of workers for a first selected class in response to user input;

assigning at least one of the plurality of workers to attend a predetermined plurality of core classes including at least one of the available classes; and

assigning at least one of the plurality of workers to attend a second available class that has not previously been offered.

11. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for permitting at least one of the plurality of workers to attend at least one of the available classes upon request of the at least one worker.

12. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for tracking the one or more available classes include instructions for scheduling at least one of the available classes;

scheduling a plurality of course sections for at least one of the at least one available classes; and

recording the enrollment of the at least one of the at least one available classes.

13. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions for comparing the training information with the available classes information includes instructions for performing at least one of the following acts:

comparing the at least one available classes with a list of classes previously attended by at least one of the plurality of workers;

comparing the available class information with a list of classes at least one of the plurality of workers is scheduled to attend; and

comparing identifying information about at least one of the available classes with identifying information about a specified class.

14. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the act of automatically electronically contacting the one or more workers includes instructions for generating at least one of the following types of messages:

phone and electronic mail.

15. The program storage device of claim 14, wherein the act of automatically electronically contacting the one or more workers includes instructions for generating a message includes instructions to use at least one of an intranet, a local area network, the Internet, a wide area network, and a telephone system.

16. The program storage device of claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

receiving a reply from at least one of the workers responsive to the act of automatically electronically contacting;

enrolling the at least one responding worker in the at least one available classes responsive to the reply; and

tracking a performance of the at least one responding worker in the enrolled class.

17. A method to manage training activities for a plurality of workers, the method comprising:

assigning a worker to one or more classes based on a specified criteria;

determining if the worker has yet to attend the assigned one or more classes, those assigned and unattended classes referred to as needed classes;

identifying a plurality of available classes;

identifying those classes that are both needed and available as goal classes;

transmitting a signal to query the worker about attending the goal classes;

receiving a reply from the worker in response to the query signal; and

enrolling the worker in the goal classes responsive to the reply signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of assigning uses a criteria based on at least one of the following:

determining if the a job requirement for the worker requires a specified one or more classes;

identifying one or more core classes;

determining if the worker is a new employee;

determining if the worker requests a specified one or more classes; and

determining if a trainer assigns the worker to a specified one or more classes.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving and storing an indication of how well the worker performs in one or more of the enrolled courses.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising electronically notifying the worker of the stored performance indication.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of identifying a plurality of available class includes at least one of:

scheduling at least one of the plurality of available classes and recording an enrollment of the at least one scheduled class; and

scheduling a plurality of class sections for at least one of the plurality of available classes and recording an enrollment of the at least one scheduled class.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of transmitting a query signal comprises transmitting an electronic mail message to the worker.

23. A program storage device, readable by a computer, comprising stored instructions for causing the computer to:

assign a worker to one or more classes based on a specified criteria;

determine if the worker has yet to attend the assigned one or more classes, those assigned and unattended classes referred to as needed classes;

identify a plurality of available classes;

identify those classes that are both needed and available as goal classes;

transmit a signal to query the worker about attending the goal classes;

receive a reply from the worker in response to the query signal; and

enroll the worker in the goal classes responsive to the reply signal.

24. The program storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions to assign use a criteria based on at least one of the following:

determine if the a job requirement for the worker requires a specified one or more classes;

identify one or more core classes;

determine if the worker is a new employee;

determine if the worker requests a specified one or more classes; and

determine if a trainer assigns the worker to a specified one or more classes.

25. The program storage device of claim 23, further comprising instructions to receive and store an indication of how well the worker performs in one or more of the enrolled courses.

26. The program storage device of claim 25, further comprising instructions to electronically notify the worker of the stored performance indication.

27. The program storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions to identify a plurality of available classes includes instructions to perform at least one of:

schedule at least one of the plurality of available classes and recording an enrollment of the at least one scheduled class; and

schedule a plurality of class sections for at least one of the plurality of available classes and recording an enrollment of the at least one scheduled class.

28. The program storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions to transmit a query signal comprise instructions to transmit an electronic mail message to the worker.