As part of the ongoing develoPPP project “Capacity building for local technicians on the construction, maintenance and safe handling of biogas plants in the Philippines”, 10 selected local biogas technicians and personnel dealing with onboarding and mentoring biogas plant staff were trained to effectively share and convey their knowledge as trainers.
The 4-day online training was designed to equip participants with pedagogical skills needed to successfully and independently train new plant personnel and other persons interested or exposed to biogas operations.
Participants learned about the characteristics and roles of an effective trainer and to understand and use Adult Learning Theory and learner motivations in preparing training activities.
“I learned the 4-step method,” says Michelle Almendrala, Assistant Professor at Mapua University. The 4-step method is especially suitable for hands-on training in the workplace. The four steps are preparation and demonstration by the teacher, application by the trainee, and evaluation of the task performed by the teacher. This cycle of observation of a task, actual doing by the trainee, and the immediate feedback for the job done allows trainees to learn on the job and grasp knowledge in an applicable way.
Based on their field of expertise and potential training environment, the workshop participants had to develop learning objectives, identify engagement methods to effectively deliver training content, and design and develop a learning outline. The workshop concluded with a training simulation.
"This training provided a new perspective on the art and science of knowledge transfer," concluded Heherson Cabrera, one of the attendees.
It is envisioned, that this pool of trainers will support the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) to replicate the biogas training on a regular basis. The interest in the topic of biogas, especially given the current urgency to find renewable energy sources, was also visible during GPCCI’s online forum “Going Big with Biogas” in June, attended by close to 90 participants from the industry, relevant government bodies, and the academe.
The trainer training was part of a develoPPP project initiated by the German tank producer LIPP GmbH and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development (BMZ).