Experiential Learning as HRD Intervention in Public Sector.

Contemporary HRD gurus do not look satisfied with the traditional human resource development techniques that mostly comprise off-the-job training programmes. They believe that not more than 10% of its expenditures actually result in positive transfer to the job. This worldwide concern among the HRD professionals highlights importance of experiential learning – learning through doing – as an effective HRD intervention and spotlights it as a reply to the scores of unanswered questions posed by the HRD problems that the off-the-job training could not offer. Experiential learning is education that occurs as a directly participating and reflecting upon the events of life and everyday experiences, and is no more sponsored by some formal educational institution around. Immediacy of application on the job what is learned through doing is the strength of experiential learning as an HRD intervention that gives it an edge over the traditional off-the-job training programmes in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Accordingly, this research paper explores the existence of experience learning as a formal practice in the government sector of Pakistan ending up with recommendations.

Dr. Farooq-E-Azam Cheema has an MSc in HRM&D from the University of Manchester and PhD in Management from the University of Karachi. He is also member of CIPD, UK. He has 20 years of experience as corporate consultant with special expertise in building the HR systems. Presently he is serving as HoD Management Sciences Bahria University Karachi.