Work Improvements in Small Enterprises (WISE) - Package for trainers

This training package is aimed at upgrading the skills of WISE trainers in Asia who conduct training courses and provide technical assistance for local small enterprises. It helps both entrepreneurs and workers benefit from the productivity gain and safety and health improvements. Its six basic training principles are: build on local practice; focus on achievements; link working conditions with other management goals; use learning-by-doing; encourage exchange of experience; promote workers’ involvement.

Instructional material | 01 January 2004
This second edition of the WISE Trainers’ Package is based on the previous experiences of WISE trainers and follows the structure of the first edition. New practical tips to organize and undertake successful WISE training courses and many clear illustrations are presented. It shows how to design and carry out the effective training courses on key technical topics such as materials storage and handling, work-station design, productive machine safety, control of hazardous substances, lighting, work related welfare facilities, premises and work organization. Emphasis has also been placed on the development of training skills for assisting the course participants in implementing and sustaining grass-roots level actions.

The WISE methodology is unique because it relies on the initiative of the local people, entrepreneurs and workers. They are guided to look at good local examples, check available local solutions, plan and implement actions which will be useful for improving working conditions and productivity. This methodology makes clear that participating entrepreneurs are “the actors” and the trainers remain as “the facilitators”.

The first edition of the WISE Trainers’ Package was published in 1997 in the Philippines as a product of the Work Improvements in Small Enterprises (WISE) project. Since 1994, the WISE project has been implemented in the four pilot regions of the Philippines – Davao, Cebu, Southern Luzon and Manila – with the technical and financial assistance from the ILO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The training package provided WISE trainers a complete set of guiding materials and helped them arrange training courses and manage the workplace changes in enterprises. The project produced positive and practical results in the improvement of productivity and working conditions. Afterwards, WISE spread to other Asian countries.