AN EVALUATION OF THE FARM LABOR SUPERVISOR TRAINING PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA.

A REDUCTION OF THE FOREIGN FARM WORK FORCE IN CALIFORNIA AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASE OF THE DOMESTIC WORK FORCE CREATED A NEED FOR TRAINING FARM FOREMEN. DEVELOPMENT OF A COURSE GUIDE AND A WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS PRECEDED THE 24 COURSES CONDUCTED TO TRAIN 420 FOREMEN WHO SUPERVISED 20,000 WORKERS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY WERE TO DETERMINE IF SUPERVISORY SKILL AND PRODUCTIVITY WERE INCREASED, WORKER TURNOVER WAS DECREASED, ACCIDENTS WERE REDUCED, EMPLOYERS APPROVED CONTINUATION OF COURSES, AND IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 25 RANDOMLY SELECTED FOREMEN WHO HAD ATTENDED SUPERVISORY COURSES IN 5 RANDOMLY SELECTED SCHOOLS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT FOREMEN HAD INCREASED THEIR SUPERVISORY SKILL AS A RESULT OF THE COURSE, WORKER TURNOVER DECREASED, PRODUCTIVITY INCREASED, SAFETY MAY HAVE IMPROVED, AND THAT THE COURSES SHOULD BE CONTINUED. THE REPORT OUTLINES SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE STATE SUPERVISORS, TEACHER EDUCATORS, AND LOCAL TEACHERS TO FOLLOW IN IMPROVING THE PROGRAM. THE APPENDIX INCLUDES INTERVIEW SCHEDULES FOR FOREMEN AND EMPLOYERS. (JM)