26．Training support program to foster resourcefulness when making PA announcements during disruptions

A method has been proposed to improve the level of resourcefulness among those having to make announcements during disruptions. In addition, a training support program has been devised (Fig. 1) aimed at trainers conducting on-site practical sessions. Part of the support program includes two types of teaching material to help trainers in learning, teaching and evaluating the subject.

①Learning support material (bird’s eye approach to learning how to make announcements in DVD, handbook and practical study format)
②Trainer/ evaluation material (Step-by-step slides, study topics, announcement evaluation sheet)

The proposed training program was tried as part of conductor training in the railway companies in metropolitan areas (approximately 400 participants).
The conductors’ announcing skills were measured in practical tests before and after the training by asking them to make improvised announcements for mock cases, such as an interminable disruption requiring repeated updates of the situation, or other possible difficult scenarios. Their performances were given a score reached on a set of check-list items from existing manuals for the ‘basic score’, and according to another set of check-list items to measure resourcefulness, for the ‘responsiveness score’ (Table 1).
Comparison of their scores before and after the training (Fig.2) showed that their basic score had improved by 10 points, whereas resourcefulness had improved by 20 points on the scale. This confirmed that the newly proposed program aimed at improving the announcing skills of railway staff is effective.