2017 National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES) Work-Related Education and Training Concept Interviews

Attachment 3 – Concept Interview Protocol

NHES 2017 ATES Concept Interviews

Interview ID:		Date of Interview:
Adult First Name:		Interviewer:

STEP 1: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION SCRIPT

Interviewer Instructions: The following scripts should NOT be read verbatim. Text in italics is suggested content with which the interviewer should be thoroughly familiar in advance. Text in brackets [ ] presents instructions for the interviewer.

Note: Beyond the initial introduction, these are intended to be relatively unscripted interviews which should feel like an informal conversation with the interviewee about their work-related education and training experiences.

Hello, [interviewee name]. This is [interviewer name] from the American Institutes for Research in Washington, DC. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. As we mentioned in our earlier conversations, we are working with the U.S. Department of Education to develop a survey that will describe adult’s education and training experiences. We are interested in speaking with you today because you mentioned earlier that you [brief description of types of education and training experience(s) identified in screener].

We’d like to speak with you about your work-related education and training experiences for about an hour today. As a thank you for your help, we will be sending a $25 gift card to you after the completion of the interview. Because it would be hard to keep track of everything you say today, we would like to audio record this interview. Is that okay with you? [IF SO, START RECORDING] [IF NOT OKAY WITH RECORDING: Okay, that’s no problem.] I’d also like to take notes while we are talking, so you might hear me typing while we are talking.

[PROVIDE RESPONDENT WITH A VERBAL INFORMED CONSENT FORM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND HAVE THE RESPONDENT GIVE VERBAL CONSENT.]

[If, for any reason, the participant is no longer interested in participating, thank the participant for his/her time and end the interview.]

STEP 2: INTERVIEW

Okay, let’s get started. I’d like to know a bit more about the work-related education and training you’re participating in right now. We are particularly interested in education and training that is related to your work. Can you describe it to me? [If R is participating in more than one type of education and training, try to have them discuss one at a time].

[Help text if R seems unsure about what to include or does not report events implied in the screener responses:

The types of education and training we’re interested in include:

• Traditional academic programs, like enrolling in a B.A. program

• Individual courses

• Occupational training programs

• Vendor training on their products

• Workshops and other professional development (PD) events (e.g., webinars)

• Formal on-the-job training programs (e.g., apprenticeships, clinicals)

• Workplace training (e.g., compliance training)

• Workforce development programs (e.g., basic skills, pre-apprenticeships)]

[Specific topics to cover for each target type of education and training event listed, probe as needed if information isn’t provided

• How long will it last?

  • Ask about duration (weeks/months year)

  • Ask about number of hours spent in instruction/training/etc. per week and total

• What is the topic or focus?

• Who are you taking it from?

• Are you participating in person, online, or some other way? If it was in-person, where did you go for it?

• Were there any fees or costs that you had to pay? Were any fees or costs paid by someone other than you, like an employer?

• Why are you participating? What will be the main benefits of completing this education or training?

• Will you receive any type of credit, credential or certificate of completion at the end? If so, what will you receive?

• How does your participation in this education or training relate to your line of work? [If needed, probe: Is it to get initial knowledge or skills related to a job, a way to keep up-to-date in your field, or something else?]

• How does your participation in this education or training relate to other education and training experiences you’ve participated in or plan to participate in?]

Now let’s talk about other work-related education and training experiences you’ve participated in the past 12 months. Can you tell me about those? [Use past tense form of probes above.]

[After discussing all events] Which of the education and training experiences that you have participated in during the last 12 months do you think is or will be the most important for the kind of work you do or plan to do? Why?

Finally [if not already stated], to help me understand the context, can you tell me a bit more about…

[If employed, based on screener] what you do for a living and how long you’ve been in your current line of work?

[If not currently employed, based on screener] what you previously did for a living or what type of job you’re preparing for now?

FINAL QUESTION

Thank you very much for providing so much detail about your education and training experiences. Is there anything else you would like to tell me that you haven’t had a chance to mention?

STEP 3. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING

Okay, thank you again for taking the time to provide us with this useful information. You will receive your $25 gift card in the mail within the next week.

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