Abstract
Many companies have career advancement training programs. As an employee gains knowledge and improves skill expertise, there is opportunity for that employee to grow within the company.
As trainers, we set a minimum passing score or requirement for the student to gain certification. Students often see the minimum score as what they need to achieve; sometimes students will ask the day before a final exam, "what is the minimum grade I need on the final exam to pass the course?" That minimum score then becomes the goal of the student. As trainers we would like to see the best from the student, not the minimum.
Whether this attitude comes from a lack of confidence or from a lack of effort, the results are the same. How much assurance can we have in a workforce that just meets the minimum requirements? We need to motivate each and every student to do their best. Enhancing the knowledge and skill expertise of the student will improve their overall job performance.
This paper focuses on motivating, inspiring, and encouraging students to strive for their best. Recently several personal award programs were implemented which provide instant student recognition for outstanding work or achievements. Excellence is rewarded not only in the class, but also acknowledged at the workplace. Because of this improvements have been seen in individual efforts. Furthermore, increases in percentage of students passing courses have been documented. The results with case histories are detailed in this paper.
