Training and training needs of women workers : a critical review

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to study training and training needs of women workers in the food, textile, and garment industries in Thailand. The analysis consisted of quantitative and qualitative sections. The quantitative analysis was based on the interview of 270 women workers from nine factories. The qualitative analysis was based on in depth interview of 27 women workers and 9 factory managers fom those factories. From the study, most women workers had only six years of school. To support their families, they migrateed to Bangkok and became wage-earners in factories, working conditions of today workers consume time and affect health with out much opportunity for career development. Besides on-the-job training, the opportunities for furthurdevelopment of workers' skills and abilities, exited only in factories that invested in human capital. The research found that, in the factories, production techniques, division of labor, and personnel management policies are interrelated and affect the training and qualifications of women workers. The factories which employ Tayloristic production techniques and provide minimal on the job training, require unskilled women workers. When comparing Taloristic tecniques to Post-Tylorists production techniques, the latter invest more in human capital and therefore require more 'highly skilled and qualified product market, will further increase needs for highly qualified women workers in every industries. Besides those institutional factors, the analysis also finds that working experience in factories. One more year of working experience entitles the worker to only three days of training which is inadequate. Furthermore, the study found that one more day of training increased 19.79 Baht of women's earnings. In order to develop women workers skills and abilities, and prepare the higher skilled workers for the labor market in the near future, an effective training systems, for example, the dual system should be considered. Cooperation between apprenticeship schemes in industry and government training conters is necessary. In this new training system, training program have to meet employer' needs and also workers needs. Further-more, training system require processes to increase workers' abilities in real life working situation, both in the workplace and in training centers. for example, women workers should have opportunities to discuss problems, plan for the future and make decisions.