A CASE STUDY BY A SENIOR TRAINING OFFICER OF THE BRITISH ENGINEERING INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BOARD SHOWS WHY A FIRM MUST EXAMINE IN DETAIL A NUMBER OF FACTORS TO DETERMINE WHERE TO APPLY ITS TRAINING EFFORT. EXCESSIVE LABOR COSTS MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO INADEQUATE OR INAPPROPRIATE INITIAL TRAINING, HIGH LABOR TURNOVER DUE TO LOW WAGES, ESTABLISHMENT OF UNREALISTIC EXPERIENCE WORKER STANDARDS, POOR CONDITION OF PLANT AND MACHINERY, POOR FUNCTIONING OF PRODUCTION CONTROL, OR IMMOBILITY OF LABOR FORCE DUE TO SENIORITY CLAIMS. HIGH AMOUNTS OF SCRAP AND REWORK MAY BE DUE TO FACTORS OTHER THAN LABOR SKILL, SUCH AS LACK OF UNIFORMITY IN INTERPRETING QUALITY STANDARDS OR FAULTY TOOLING. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF EMPLOYEES MAY BE POOR. ADEQUATE EXAMINATION OF SUCH FACTORS CAN UNCOVER THE REAL NEEDS OF THE FIRM AND CAN LEAD EMPLOYEES TO EXAMINE CRITICALLY THEIR OWN FUNCTIONS AND EFFICIENCY. IT MAY WELL BE THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE OPERATOR TRAINING EFFECTIVE, OTHER APPLICATIONS OF EFFORT WILL HAVE TO TAKE PRIORITY. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INTERNATIONAL, VOLUME 2, NUMBER 9, 1967. 8 PAGES. (RT)