Why most on-the-job training fails (and how to fix it)

Learning on the job is probably the oldest form of career development. Long before classrooms, learning management systems, or digital training platforms, people learned their trade by working alongside someone more experienced.

Despite major advances in professional education, on-the-job training (OJT) remains the most widely used training method across almost every sector. From health and social care to manufacturing, retail, and customer service, organisations rely on hands-on training to build competence quickly and cost-effectively.

Yet there is a growing problem. Most organisations use on-the-job training, but very few design it properly. Too often, OJT is informal, inconsistent, and undocumented. In regulated or safety-critical environments, this creates real risks: variable competence, weak assurance, and uncomfortable questions during inspections or audits.

In this blog, Dr Richard Dune explores what effective on-the-job training really looks like, where it works best, and how to design a hands-on training programme that builds genuine competence while standing up to scrutiny.

What is on-the-job training?

On-the-job training happens when a trainee learns new skills while performing real work under normal working conditions alongside a more experienced colleague.

Unlike classroom-based or e-learning approaches, OJT embeds learning directly into day-to-day operations. The trainee observes, practises, receives feedback, and gradually develops confidence and independence.

When done well, on-the-job training allows people to:

• Learn skills in a real context

• Apply knowledge immediately

• Understand organisational culture and expectations

• Build confidence through supervised practice. 

When done poorly, it becomes little more than shadowing, guesswork, and "picking things up as you go". The difference lies not in the method, but in the structure and governance behind it.

Structured vs unstructured on-the-job training

On-the-job training can be delivered in very different ways. Understanding the difference between structured and unstructured approaches is critical in regulated environments:

Unstructured on-the-job training

Unstructured OJT is informal and free-flowing. The trainer acts as a guide or mentor, explaining tasks as they arise and offering feedback throughout the working day.

This approach can work in low-risk environments where tasks are simple, and the trainer is highly experienced and communicative. However, unstructured training depends heavily on the individual trainer. Without clear standards, it often leads to:

• Inconsistent practice

• Knowledge gaps

• Transfer of bad habits rather than best practices

• Little or no evidence of competence. 

In regulated sectors, this lack of structure is a common inspection weakness.

Structured on-the-job training

Structured on-the-job training still takes place in the workplace, but it is planned, documented, and assessed. It typically includes:

• Defined learning objectives

• Task-based checklists and standards

• Demonstration and supervised practice

• Observation and feedback

• Formal sign-off of competence. 

Structured OJT reduces risk, improves consistency, and allows organisations to demonstrate that training has been effective, not just delivered. In most professional and regulated environments, structured OJT should be the default.

Why on-the-job training is still so effective

When designed properly, on-the-job training offers several advantages that other training methods struggle to match.

Immediate application

People learn best by doing. OJT allows trainees to apply new skills straight away, reinforcing learning and improving retention.

Cost-effective delivery

Compared with classroom courses, simulations, or off-site training, OJT is relatively inexpensive. It uses existing people, equipment, and environments.

Faster cultural integration

New starters quickly understand not just how to do the job, but how things are done here; expectations, behaviours, and ways of working.

Flexible and adaptable

OJT can be tailored to individual learners, roles, and contexts without redesigning an entire training programme. However, these benefits only materialise when OJT is treated as a system rather than an informal favour.

When on-the-job training works best

Hands-on, workplace-based training is particularly effective for:

• Frontline and operational roles

• Customer service, retail, and sales

• Manufacturing and logistics

• Care, support, and supervisory roles

• Equipment use and procedural tasks

• Succession planning and role transitions. 

OJT is especially valuable where competence is practical and behavioural, rather than purely theoretical. It is less effective when used alone in highly conceptual or specialist roles, such as advanced IT or strategy functions. In these cases, OJT should complement, not replace, other learning methods.

The hidden risk of poorly designed OJT

Many organisations assume that on-the-job training is inherently safe because it happens under supervision. In reality, poorly designed OJT introduces significant risk.

Common problems include:

• Trainers passing on outdated or unsafe practices

• Trainees being signed off too early

• No consistent assessment of competence

• Knowledge dilution as training cascades informally

• No clear audit trail of who was trained, how, or to what standard. 

These weaknesses often surface during inspections, complaints, or incidents, long after the training took place.

How to develop an effective hands-on training programme

Designing robust on-the-job training is not complicated, but it must be intentional. The following steps form a practical, defensible framework.

Step 1: Define the role and scope clearly

Start by identifying:

• The role being trained

• Core responsibilities

• High-risk or safety-critical tasks

• Frequency and complexity of activities. 

Effective OJT is built around tasks, not vague job descriptions.

Step 2: Break tasks into observable standards

Each task should be broken down into:

• What must be done

• How it must be done

• What “good” looks like

• What errors must be avoided?

If competence cannot be observed, it cannot be reliably assessed.

Step 3: Select and prepare workplace trainers

Not everyone who is good at a job is good at training others. Effective on-the-job trainers should:

• Be competent and current in the task

• Communicate clearly and patiently

• Understand professional boundaries

• Be willing to be observed and reviewed. 

Crucially, trainers often need support in how to train, not just what to demonstrate.

Step 4: Use structured OJT checklists

For each task, create a simple checklist covering:

• Safety and preparation

• Key steps

• Quality indicators

• Common mistakes

• Space for feedback and sign-off. 

Checklists promote consistency and protect both learners and organisations.

Step 5: Apply the prepare-present-apply-inspect model

A simple but effective structure for OJT sessions is:

1. Prepare - Explain what will be learned and why it matters

2. Present - Demonstrate the task or process clearly

3. Apply - Allow the trainee to perform the task under supervision

4. Inspect - Observe performance and provide feedback.

This cycle should repeat until competence is demonstrated consistently.

Step 6: Observe and assess competence

Competence must be:

• Observed in real working conditions

• Assessed against predefined standards

• Confirmed by an authorised trainer or supervisor. 

Time spent training is not evidence of competence. Observation is.

Step 7: Record, review, and improve

Every on-the-job training programme should leave an evidence trail:

• Who trained whom

• On which tasks

• To what standard

• On what date.

This information should feed into supervision, appraisal, and ongoing development.

A practical example of on-the-job training

Imagine a new sales representative joining an experienced team. Rather than relying on informal shadowing, the organisation defines clear objectives: prospecting, client engagement, product knowledge, and closing techniques.

The trainee observes experienced practice, then gradually takes the lead while being observed. Feedback is given after each interaction, focusing on strengths, risks, and areas for improvement. Responsibility increases only when competence is demonstrated and recorded. The result is not just confidence, but consistency and accountability.

Making on-the-job training defensible and inspection-ready

Modern organisations are expected to demonstrate not only that training took place, but that it was effective. Well-designed on-the-job training:

• Builds real competence

• Reduces operational risk

• Improves workforce confidence

• Supports governance and assurance

• Stands up to inspection and audit. 

OJT should never be left to chance.

Final thoughts

On-the-job training remains one of the most powerful tools for developing people. But it only works when it is designed with structure, supervision, and accountability. The organisations that get OJT right treat it as:

• A competence-building system

• A leadership responsibility

• A governance control.

Those who don’t often discover the weaknesses when it is already too late.

Strengthening on-the-job training through skilled trainers

Effective on-the-job training depends on one critical factor: the trainer's capability. At The Mandatory Training Group, we support organisations in professionalising and strengthening hands-on training through our Train the Trainer programmes, all accredited by the CPD Certification Service.

Our programmes help trainers develop:

• Practical training and facilitation skills

• Competence-based assessment techniques

• Confidence to supervise and sign off on learning

• A consistent, defensible approach to workplace training.

Whether you are developing in-house trainers, scaling on-the-job training across teams, or strengthening governance in regulated environments, our CPD-accredited Train the Trainer programmes, supported by ComplyPlus™, provide a strong foundation for hands-on training that works in practice.