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BVP 02 – Human Resources: Training Manager

In this fast-changing global world, everything is moving.
To make a successful business, it’s not enough just to
follow yesterday’s trend. Companies and people need to
constantly acquire new skills to succeed in tomorrow’s
marketplace. This means driving new training initiatives
to enhance performance. However, not all training is
equally successful. To ensure training effectiveness, it’s
important to track results and to have standard criteria
for measuring outcomes.

In this podcast, we’ll listen to Andrea, a training

manager, describing her role and responsibilities.
Afterwards, we’ll study some key vocabulary. Then we’ll
practice what we’ve learned.

Listening Questions
1) What kind of training programs does Andrea run?
2) Does Andrea work with vendors? What for?
3) What do the five letters in SMART stand for?

Vocabulary
Execution: To execute is to complete or carry out, for example, a plan. Execution is
the noun form. (This word can also refer to killing a prisoner.) “The most
challenging stage of any project is execution.”
Entail: Involve, need, require. “Working at a large company entails getting along
with a lot of different kinds of people.”
To drive training initiatives: To drive means to push forward or encourage. An
initiative is a plan, program or action to get something done. So to drive training
initiatives means to push forward plans and programs to get training done. We can
also drive other initiatives, such as marketing initiatives, growth initiatives and so
on. “One of our key goals for the next five years is to drive a major growth initiative
in overseas markets.”
To design and implement training programs: Design and implement both typically
collocate with training program. Design, of course, means to make, and implement
means to put into action. A training program can be any course or plan to improve
employees’ knowledge. “While designing a training program, it’s important keep
always to keep in mind how that program will be implemented.”
Standard process: This is another common word partnership. Standard refers to
normal, and process is a way (a series of steps) for doing something. As with
training program, we can also design a process. “We need to design a standard
process to address this issue.”

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

To enhance performance: Enhance means to improve, and it often goes together

with performance. “I have a few suggestions about how we can enhance
performance.”
“You name it.” This phrase is used at the end of a list or in response to a question
to indicate that there are many possibilities or choices – as many as can be possibly
imagined by the person you are talking to. “A: How many cities have you traveled
to? B: I’ve been almost everywhere – Lisbon, Shanghai, Capetown – you name it.”
To run the full gamut: The full gamut means the entire range. So to run the full
gamut means to cover the entire range. Literally, gamut refers to all the possible
tones that can be produced by musical instruments or all the possible colors that
can be reproduced by, for example, a computer monitor. “The range of food
products available in most supermarkets runs the full gamut from frozen pizza to
fresh vegetables.”
Quality control: Quality control – often referred to simply as QC – refers to policies
and measures taken to make sure that quality remains high. “For any
manufacturer, effective quality control is a major priority.”
To formulate and review course outlines: A course outline is a list of topics and
content to be covered during a course or training program. Formulate means to
create or design (both of which verbs can also collocate with outline). Review, or
course, means to check. “For many courses, my staff formulate the outlines, then I
review them.”
To evaluate and recommend vendor programs: Vendors are outside companies that
do work or give supplies to another company. Training programs supplied by
vendors can be called vendor programs. Evaluate means to measure the
effectiveness of something. Both evaluate and recommend are something we can
do to a program. “I have recommended a program to fill this training need. After
the program’s completion, we will need to evaluate its effectiveness.”
To track and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs: To track means to
keep track of, that is, to keep a record of something over time. Evaluate, as we
seen before, is to measure something and to decide whether it is good or bad. Both
verbs can collocate with effectiveness, which refers to how effective or successful
something is. “It’s not enough just to deliver training to employees; we must also
track the effectiveness of these programs over time.”
SMART criteria/goal setting: Criteria refers to standards. (singular = criterion.)
SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and
timely. “SMART goal setting enables us to effectiveness of our training programs.”
To measure training outcomes: Outcomes refers to the results of a training. It often
collocates with measure. “An essential part of any training program is how to
measure outcomes.”
To drive the long-term success of the company: Long-term means for a long time in
the future. To drive means to encourage or push forward. It often goes together
with success.
To have a strategic overview of sth.: An overview (sometimes called “the big
picture” or the “long view”) is the view of something at a distance. Strategic refers
to matters of strategy or long-term planning. “As a high-level manager, it’s
important to have a strategic overview of where the company is headed.”

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

Dialog

Interviewer: So Andrea, tell us a little bit about your job as a training manager.

Andrea: Well, basically, I am responsible for the effective planning and

execution of training and development programs for the whole company.

Interviewer: Uh huh, and what exactly does that entail?

Andrea: Quite a lot actually. Let’s see. I assess developmental needs to drive
training initiatives. I also identify and arrange suitable training solutions for
employees. This means I need to design and implement all our training
programs to educate people on standard processes and to enhance
performance according to the needs of the company…

Interviewer: And what kind of programs do you run?

Andrea: They run the full gamut, really. Quality control, work measurement,
human resources, manufacturing methods, development of supervisors… you name
it.

Interview: Okay, and can you tell us more about some of your specific duties.

Andrea: Sure. For example, I need to oversee the development of training content,
including formulating and reviewing course outlines.

Interview: How about working with vendors?

Andrea: Yes, that too. I evaluate and recommend vendor programs to meet
training objectives.

Interviewer: What else do you work on?

Andrea: I need to coordinate the development of training materials appropriate to

specific program objectives. And I establish SMART criteria for tracking and
evaluating the effectiveness of our training programs.

Interviewer: SMART – that’s sounds like an acronym – what does it mean?

Andrea: SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and

timely. These are standard criteria for setting goals and measuring training
outcomes.

Interviewer: I see. And can I ask what the most interesting part of your job is?

Andrea: For me, it’s being able to help drive the long-term success of the
company by having… a strategic overview….

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

Debrief

Now let’s review some key vocabulary that we heard Andrea use to describe her job.

We’ll be focusing on collocations or word partnerships, for example, verbs plus

nouns or nouns plus adjectives. Learning how words go together or collocate makes
your English more natural and fluent: Collocations enable you easily to assemble
whole phrases and to put together words in the same way native speakers do.

We’ll be playing segments of Andrea’s interview. After each part, we’ll pick out
some useful language and give you a definition followed by an example sentence or
two. Sometimes the vocabulary is already familiar, but it’s still useful to focus on
how the words are collocated. Let’s begin.

Andrea: … Let’s see. I assess developmental needs to drive training initiatives.

1. To drive training initiatives:

To drive means to push forward or encourage. An initiative is a plan, program or
action to get something done. So to drive training initiatives means to push forward
plans and programs to get training done. We can also drive other initiatives, such
as marketing initiatives, growth initiatives and so on.
 One of our key goals for the next five years is to drive a major growth initiative
to increase our market share.

Andrea: This means I need to design and implement all our training
programs to educate people on standard processes and to enhance
performance according to the needs of the company…

2. To design and implement training programs:

Design and implement both typically collocate with training program. Design, of
course, means to make, and implement means to put into action. A training
program can be any course or plan to improve employees’ knowledge.
 When designing a training program, it’s important to always keep in mind how
that program will be implemented.

3. Standard processes
This is another common word partnership. Standard refers to normal, and process
is a way, or a series of steps, for doing something. As with training program, we
can also design a process. Listen:
 We need to design a standard process to address this issue.

4. To enhance performance
Enhance means to improve, and it often goes together with performance.
 I have a few suggestions about how we can enhance performance.

Now, let’s return to the interview.

Interviewer: And what kind of programs do you run?

Andrea: They run the full gamut, really. Quality control, work measurement,
human resources, manufacturing methods, development of supervisors… you name it.

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

5. To run the full gamut

The full gamut means the entire range. So to run the full gamut means to cover the
entire range. (Literally, gamut refers to all the possible tones that can be produced
by musical instruments or all the possible colors that can be reproduced by, for
example, a computer monitor.)
 The range of food products available in most supermarkets runs the full gamut
from frozen pizza to fresh vegetables.

6. Quality control
Quality control – often referred to simply as QC – refers to policies and measures
taken to make sure that quality remains high.
 For any manufacturer, effective quality control is a major priority.

Now, let’s get back to Andrea again.

Interview: Okay, and can you tell us more about some of your specific duties.

Andrea: Sure. For example, I need to oversee the development of training content,
including formulating and reviewing course outlines.

7. To formulate and review course outlines

A course outline is a list of topics and content to be covered during a course or
training program. Formulate means to create or design (both of these verbs can
also collocate with outline). To review, of course, means to check.
 For many courses, my staff formulate the outlines, then I review them.

What happens next in the dialog?

Interview: How about working with vendors?

Andrea: Yes, that too. I evaluate and recommend vendor programs to meet
training objectives.

8. To evaluate and recommend vendor programs:

Vendors are outside companies that do work or give supplies to another company.
In this case, Andrea is saying that vendor companies supply her organization with
training programs. She calls these vendor programs. Evaluate means to measure
the effectiveness of something. Both evaluate and recommend are something we
can do to a program.
 I have recommended a series of programs to fulfill this training need.
 After the program’s completion, we will need to evaluate its effectiveness.

What else does Andrea work on?

Andrea: I need to coordinate the development of training materials appropriate to

specific program objectives. And I establish SMART criteria for tracking and
evaluating the effectiveness of our training programs.

9. To track and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs

To track means to keep track of, that is, to keep a record of something over time.
Evaluate, as we seen before, is to measure something and to decide whether it is

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

good or bad. Both verbs can collocate with effectiveness, which refers to how
effective or successful something is.
 It’s not enough just to deliver training to employees; we must also track the
effectiveness of these programs over time.
 To evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, it’s necessary to track the
results.

10. SMART criteria

Criteria is the plural of criterion, which means a standard with which something is
measured.

As the interviewer guesses, SMART is an acronym, that is, it is word in which each
letter stands for another word. What does each letter mean?

Andrea: SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

In the context of SMART criteria, specific means that a goal is targeted and easy to
understand. Measurable means the results can be measured. Attainable describes
something that can be done. Realistic means that the plan we devise to reach the
goal can be carried out. Timely means that reaching the goal should have a
timeframe.

Let’s listen to another example in which a SMART criteria are discussed.

 SMART goal setting enables us to raise the success rate of our training
programs.
 In SMART goal setting, we use the criteria that are: specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic and timely.

How does Andrea further describe SMART goal setting?

Andrea: These are standard criteria for setting goals and measuring training
outcomes.

11. To measure training outcomes

Outcomes refers to the results of a training. It often collocates with measure. Let’s
listen to an example.
 An essential part of any training program is how to measure outcomes.

Finally, at the end of the dialog, what does Andrea say the most interesting part of
her job is?

Andrea: For me, it’s being able to help drive the long-term success of the company
by taking… a strategic view….

12. To drive the long-term success of the company

Long-term means for a long time in the future. To drive means to encourage or push
forward. It often goes together with success. Let’s take a look at another example.
 Businesses should not only be interested in how to get short-term results, but
should also be focused on how to drive long-term success.

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

Now, let’s practice what we’ve learned today. We’re going to review the vocabulary
that we have covered. You’ll hear a series of sentences. In each sentence, one word
is blanked out with a beep. Repeat the sentence but say the missing word. For
example, if you hear, “We need to do our best to <beep> growth initiatives,”
You’ll say, “We need to do our best to drive growth initiatives,” This is a great way
to revise collocations. Let’s give it a try.

Cue 1: We need to design a <beep> process to address this issue.

Learner 1:

Cue 2: I have a few suggestions about how we can <beep> performance.

Learner 2:

Cue 3: The range of food products available in most supermarkets runs the full
<beep> from frozen pizza to fresh vegetables.
Learner 3:

Cue 4: For any manufacturer, effective <beep> control is a major priority.

Learner 4:

Cue 5: An essential part of any training program is how to <beep> outcomes.

Learner 5:

Cue 6: Businesses should not only be interested in how to get short-term results,
but should also be focused on how to <beep> long-term success.
Learner 6:

Answer 1: We need to design a standard process to address this issue.

Answer 2: I have a few suggestions about how we can enhance performance.
Answer 3: The range of food products available in most supermarkets runs the full
gamut from frozen pizza to fresh vegetables.
Answer 4: For any manufacturer, effective quality control is a major priority.
Answer 5: An essential part of any training program is how to measure outcomes.
Answer 6: Businesses should not only be interested in how to get short-term
results, but should also be focused on how to drive long-term success.

That’s all for this episode. By listening to Andrea talking about her job as a training
manager, we’ve covered a variety of vocabulary and collocations that will be useful
to us across a wide range of business situations.

Don’t forget to check out the study notes for this and other episodes at
www.businessenglishpod.com.

Thanks for listening.

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

Language Review
I. Collocations
Unscramble the sentences to review key collocations.

1. process we design need to a to issue address this standard

2. suggestions I how can have a few about performance we enhance

3. from his gamut ran the full anger happiness to reaction

4. manufacturer any priority effective for quality control is a major

5. an part essential of program training is measure how to outcomes any

6. term should be focused success on businesses how to drive long-

II. Useful Language

To review useful language covered in this episode, fill in the blanks with words from
the box. (If necessary change the tense of verbs to fit the context, i.e., to past or
future tense.)

key initiative evaluate specific formulate

review attainable deliver implement track

1. One of our goals for the next five years is to drive a major growth
to increase our market share.
2. While designing a training program, it’s important keep always to keep in mind
how that program will be .
3. For many courses, my staff the outlines, then I them.
4. After the program’s completion, we will need to its effectiveness.
5. It’s not enough just to training to employees; we must also track
the effectiveness of these programs over time.
6. To evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, it’s necessary to the results.
7. In SMART goal setting, we use the criteria of , measurable, ,
realistic and timely.

Study Strategy
What do you do when you learn new vocabulary? Many learners find that a great
way to help them remember new words is to write them down in a vocabulary
notebook. You can use a paper notebook that you put in your bag or an e-notebook
on your computer or laptop. Remember: Focus on learning words in groups. Look
up words in a good dictionary with example sentences. Make examples of your own
and review them periodically to help you remember. Learn by using.

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BVP 02: Hu man Resources: Train ing Manager

Answers

Listening Questions
1) As Andrea says, they “run the full gamut,” that is, span the full range from
quality control and work measurement to manufacturing methods and
development of supervisors.
2) Yes, she does. Andrea says she evaluates and recommends outside vendors to
supply training programs.
3) The five letters in SMART stand for the following five criteria for designing an
effective training: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Language review
I. Collocations
Unscramble the sentences to review key collocations.
1. We need to design a standard process to address this issue.
2. I have a few suggestions about how we can enhance performance.
3. His reaction ran the full gamut from happiness to anger.
4. For any manufacturer, effective quality control is a major priority.
5. An essential part of any training program is how to measure outcomes.
6. Businesses should be focused on how to drive long-term success.

II. Useful Language

1. One of our key goals for the next five years is to drive a major growth
initiative to increase our market share.
2. While designing a training program, it’s important keep always to keep in
mind how that program will be implemented.
3. For many courses, my staff formulate the outlines, then I review them.
4. After the program’s completion, we will need to evaluate its effectiveness.
5. It’s not enough just to deliver training to employees; we must also track the
effectiveness of these programs over time.
6. To evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, it’s necessary to track
the results.
7. In SMART goal setting, we use the criteria of specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic and timely.

Links (click a link to open the exercise)

Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Listening Quiz
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Gap-fill Exercise
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Dialog & Vocabulary Definitions
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Reordering Collocations
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Useful Language
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Sentence Matching
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Vocabulary Review
Business Vocabulary – HR Manager – Flashcards

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