Session III-5: Field trips - week three

Total Time: Not applicable

Objectives:

· Provide trainees with access to resources and technical information;

· Practice information gathering, filtering and assimilation;

· Practice interviewing skills;

· Develop increased self-awareness in professional role;

· Provide opportunity to observe aquaculture in practice, increase enthusiasm, and begin identifying with people in the profession.

Overview: This is not a session design, but is a set of trainer notes related to the field trip(s) that should be scheduled at approximately this point in the program (Week Three). By this time, trainees have explored several important concepts during the development of their management plans, and have gotten enough exposure and experience to have formulated many specific questions. They are at a point where they need more information and are now in a position to take advantage of an opportunity to obtain information and apply it to their pond work.

· The first trip should be scheduled once all ponds are stocked and trainees have begun implementing their feeding plans;

· Since not all trainees will reach this point at exactly the same time, scheduling trips can be complicated. If the option is available, trainees who are ahead of the majority of the group can be sent on working field trips where they actually spend a day or a half-day working with a local farmer, researcher or other aquaculture professional. If this can be arranged, have the trainees give a brief presentation the following day about what they did and learned for the rest of the group;

· The trip(s) can be to any aquaculture facility. Examples of facilities visited during previous programs include research facilities, commercial farms, state and federal hatcheries. The facility should provide access to resource people who are familiar with the basic concepts of fish farming and who have the time and patience to spend quality time with the trainees, fielding questions, explaining their operations in detail, etc. (In other words, it is not sufficient to send trainees to a facility where they will only be able to meet with a tour guide who serves strictly as a public relations employee but is unfamiliar with the technical aspects of the operation);

· The Master Trainer or the trainee in charge of logistics should make arrangements directly with the contact person with whom the group will meet. Be sure to get the proper spelling of his/her name, his/her title, and exactly how and where he/she can be reached prior to the trip and upon arrival. Get very clear, thorough instructions and be sure to repeat them back to verify them. Explain a bit about the program and about the group so the person will have some idea what to expect and will understand his/her role;

· A day or two before the trip, call the contact person again to verify the data and time of the visit;

· Be sure that any necessary arrangements regarding changes in meal schedules are made. If the trip will take all day and lunch will be eaten at the facility, arrange to have sack lunches and bring the extra sack lunch(es) for the resource person(s). (Invite the resource person(s) to join the group for lunch when you call to verify the date);

· A day or two before the trip, give trainees a homework assignment in which they are required to list all the questions they have about fish and fish culture (If preferred, specify a certain number of questions, 15-20 perhaps. If the facility they will visit is an especially good place to learn about a specific aspect of fish culture, require that at least a certain number of the questions be about that topic);

· The day before the trip, inform two trainees that they have been selected to be the trainee facilitators for the trip. (Staff should choose two trainees who they think have the poise, personality and other skills that maximize the possibility that they will do a good job and set a good example for future trainee facilitators). Give them a brief overview of the trip - logistics, name of facility and contact person(s), main function of the facility and other information that may be important for them to know in advance;

· Once the trainee facilitators have been notified, hold a brief meeting with the group and have them brainstorm some ideas for the role of the trainee facilitators. The list should include:

· Meet, greet and get the credentials of the resource person(s), and learn a little bit about the goals of the facility. Find out if the person has any special requests regarding the logistics during the visit, or if there are any special rules or restrictions he/she would like the trainees to be aware of. Relate these to the group;

· Tell the resource person(s) about the program and the group;

· Introduce the resource person(s) to the group and vice versa;

· Watch the time and keep the group on schedule;

· Maintain order and organization within the group throughout the visit;

· Give the resource person(s) a lunch (if applicable), and be sure trainees join him/her during lunch;

· Formally thank the resource person(s) at the completion of the visit;

· Get all important information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.;

· Write thank-you note on behalf of the group upon return from the trip.