Training Development
California State University, Long Beach Bookstore
Long Beach, CA
My team and I partnered with the California State University, Long Beach Bookstore to develop a four-module orientation program for incoming employees. Below is an overview of the project, including background information on the organization, the training development process, and a personal reflection. The project deliverables, summary report, trainer manual, and trainee manual are also included below.
Background
The CSULB Bookstore is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the campus community by providing textbooks, course materials, supplies, apparel, and other essential student resources. It plays a vital role in supporting students’ academic success through accessible and convenient services. Its mission is to enhance student achievement by reinvesting all proceeds into scholarships, educational tools, and campus programs.
With the help of our professor, my team and I connected with the directors of the Bob Murphy Access Center (BMAC) and the CSULB Bookstore. They voiced that they wanted to redesign their orientation to better accommodate the diverse needs of students, including those with disabilities. The goal was to create a universally designed experience that provided all students with equal access to information about the bookstore’s services, departments, and products.This project gave us the chance to apply Universal Design principles, making the training accessible and engaging for all learners.
Training Development
Training development is the process of designing, creating, and implementing learning experiences to improve employees' skills, knowledge, and performance. It is important because it helps organizations build a competent workforce, adapt to changes, and achieve their goals more effectively. Well-developed training programs also boost employee confidence, satisfaction, and retention.
Process: Needs Analysis
A needs assessment is essential for designing effective training programs as it identifies gaps between employees' current skills and those needed to meet organizational goals (Goldstein & Ford, 2001). The needs assessment is important for the CSULB bookstore orientation, as it helps tailor the training to address specific knowledge gaps and ensures new employees acquire the essential skills for their roles.
Training Objectives
The following training objectives were finalized as a result of the needs assessment and after receiving feedback from our site partner:
By completion of the training course, employees will be able to respond to customer inquiries with clarity and professionalism, using appropriate language to ensure customer understanding.
1
By the end of the training course, employees will be able to clearly identify the key functions and services of each department at the university bookstore, including textbooks, merchandise, and customer service, in order to assist customers effectively.
2
By completion of the training course, employees will be able to respond to customer inquiries with clarity and professionalism, using appropriate language to ensure customer understanding.
3
Training Design
For this training, our team recommends the trainer allocate 15 minutes per module across four modules; there is an icebreaker, role-playing activity, matching game, and a closing activity within the orientation. The design of these activities was driven by the learning objectives and grounded in principles from learning theories and active training strategies. The full session is designed to take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, allowing time for content delivery, interaction, and reflection. Below is the breakdown of the training design of the CSULB Bookstore orientation.
Icebreaker
Pull a Question From a Hat
Module 1
All About Us
Module 2
Services of the Bookstore and Beach Shop
Module 3
Roles and Responsibilities of a Bookstore Employee
Matching Activity
Match the correct card with services or departments at the CSULB Bookstore
Module 4
General Information on
Textbooks
Role- Play Activity
Role play customer service scenarios as customer or employee
Closing Activity
Take a group photo at the end
Evaluation: Kirkpatrick Model
level 1: rEACTION
Measures how trainees feel about the training. This is measured through our post-test survey on trainees' reactions.
level 2: Learning
It assesses what the trainees learned, through activities such as the matching game, true or false questions, and pre- and post-training surveys.
Level 3: behavior
Measures if trainees can apply their knowledge from the training on the job. This is measured through a behavioral rating scale at 30 days, 60 days, and 5 months.
Level 4:
RESULTS
To assess the impact of the training on the organization, the number of customer complaints and customer service ratings at the bookstore is measured.
Reflection
What I Learned:
This training project focused on developing a universally designed orientation for the CSULB Campus Bookstore. It deepened my understanding of how small changes can enhance accessibility and support diverse learning needs. Working with my team, we created inclusive, easy-to-follow content aligned with the bookstore’s mission of supporting student success. This experience strengthened my commitment to building inclusive environments.
Future Considerations:
For future considerations, my team and I would have liked to incorporate more feedback from the CSULB Bookstore employees throughout the development of the orientation slides and activities. Conducting additional focus groups could have provided meaningful feedback and helped us refine the content. Their firsthand insights would have allowed us to better align the orientation with their daily responsibilities. Involving them more closely could have also fostered a greater sense of ownership and engagement with the final product.