How was PBET Introduced into the Semiconductor Industry?

Some semiconductor equipment suppliers and some fabs had been adhering to some or all of the PBET steps and characteristics prior to 1992.

In 1992, the first conference of the Technician Performance Improvement Council(TPIC) was held.  (It was originally sponsored jointly by SEMATECH and SEMI-SEMATECH and then known as the Technician Training Council, TTC.) 

Hundreds of representatives from many chip manufacturers and equipment suppliers met annually to learn from one another and to establish guidelines.

The Council’s first three task forces were established in 1992 to develop industry guidelines for these areas:  reference manuals, training programs, and evaluation of training programs.

All three task forces recognized the difficulty of proceeding without basic principles to serve as a common plumb line.  It was suggested that good training would be recognized if certain characteristics were present.  The original list of “characteristics of good training” became what we now call “PBET Characteristics.”

These characteristics were drawn from the writings of Robert Mager, a world-wide leader in the performance and training profession.  His books are recommended on this web site.

Who Came Up with the Name “PBET”?

Julian Serda received wide recognition for his work in developing performance-based training programs while working as Training Manager at Signetics during the early 1980s.  Later, as an independent consultant, he assisted several semiconductor suppliers in the development of performance-based training for their front end tools.

By 1994, Julian was working in the training group at SEMATECH.  He saw that TPIC had made the six PBET characteristics a guideline but he knew that the industry would need help with implementation of the guideline.  During 1994-1995, Julian developed the Workshop that he called the “Performance-Based Equipment Training” Workshop.  So, “PBET” was born.

Do Other Industries Use PBET?

Yes, but while performance-based training is practiced in other industries, the PBET acronym is known primarily in the semiconductor industry (see above).

The military has used a form of performance-based training for many years.

Performance-based training may also be referred to as criterion-referenced instruction, accomplishment-based training, competency-based training, and other names.

Performance-based training is part of the larger field of performance improvement, sometimes called human performance technology (HPT).

Refer to the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) for more information on the larger application of performance-based solutions in many industries.