Transfer of Technical Skills and Non-Technical Skills in the Workplace. An Analysis From the Perspective of Mental Processes of Learning

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to analyze the transfer of technical and non-technical skills from the perspective of the mental trilogy of cognition, conation, and affectivity to propose a comprehensive explanatory model. Research on training shows that training is relevant if trainees can transfer what they have learned in the workplace; however, transfer of technical skills differs from the transfer of non-technical skills. The main argument of this research is that the differentiation during the transfer of technical and non-technical skills is due to the mental processes that facilitate learning. From the point of view of practical implications, this work contributes significantly to the understanding of the differentiation between the transfer of hard and soft skills; consequently, companies or organizations can provide specific support to employees who need reinforcement or help for the transfer of skills, considering the singularity of each of them as technical and non-technical skills.