Training needs assessment in tanzania public service: a case of the ministry of president office, public service management and ministry of energy and minerals

Training needs assessments have been considered the significant phase of training process. The phase prevents quick fix approach to organization performance problems by allowing detailed study of the organization to find the proper remedy to perceived existing performance challenges. TNA determine where training is the answer to performance problems in the organization and where it is not. This study examines training needs assessment process in two Tanzania government ministries; Ministry of Public Service Management and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. The data were gathered with a triangulation approach that permits the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques including questionnaires, interviews and documentary reviews. The finding revealed that TNA is not conducted systematically in ministries due to shortage of knowledge among people entrusted with the activity, over reliance in OPRAS and seniority method in the determination of training needs and little involvement of employee in the process. The study further noted, TNA in public service have been done half way, with concentration on individual analysis, other strategic phases were found often ignored. Also employee were observed little involved in the process since all training decision rest on the supervisor and ministry top management which resulted in to most training programs in public service to fail to achieve their anticipated objectives. Therefore, for public service to conduct a thorough TNA, the study recommend that, the process to be conducted in reflection to three tier model; Organizational, Task and Individual analysis, and OPRAS which is the major method for TNA in public service to be used in conjunction with other methods, also people who are put in charge of TNA in public service should be trained on the process and its levels to ensure the process is systematically performed with the use of appropriate methods not seniority.