Workforce Development Techniques

Workforce development techniques are obviously varied, but they include training, mentorship, coaching, job-sharing, shadowing, apprenticeships, and platforms for self- education such as distance learning and e-based education. It’s useful to familiarize yourself with the terminology of standard adult education theory and practice.

Although it often takes years to develop effective training programs, you can assist in the process by working to facilitate internship programs so that students can work on films or at area production or post-production companies. You may even want to develop an internship program in your office. Job fairs, mentorship programs or film camps are also ways to help students interested in production to make the transition into professional production work. This is not to negate the way crew has been trained over the past 100 years – in a formal or informal mentoring program. Traditionally, crew members have learned their craft from their higher-ups. Whether thought as mentoring or not, every department head and second are training those who work beneath them, every single day they are on a set. The word “best boy,” as in Best Boy Grip or Best Boy Electric, comes from the old days when fathers literally passed down their knowledge and skills to their sons. Hands-on learning is always the most effective and should be the ultimate goal of any training.