The Relationship Between Training and Retention in a Volunteer Organization

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to provide information that would lead to a better understanding of retention and thereby improve the retention rate of Civil Air Patrol cadets. The research problem of the study was to identify the selected traiing factors that impact on retention within the CAP cadet program. Three questionnaires were developed to ascertain the training and retention attitudes of current cadets, former cadets, and the adult leaders who train the cadets. Data were analyzed with SPSS 12.0 using the following statistical procedures: Descriptive, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, t-test, and Chi-square. There was a significant difference between the retention of cadets living in rural areas versus cadets living in urban or suburban areas. Analysis showed that cadets living in rural areas were more likely to remain in CAP. There was a significant difference in age between the current and former cadets; however, this can be explained in that many of the former cadets who responded to the survey had aged beyond the cadet age limitation. There was a significant difference between the current and former cadets in terms of the reasons they joined CAP. More former cadets than expected joined because of friends, whereas less current cadets joined for that reason. There was a significant difference among current and former cadets with their satisfaction with flying training. Many more former cadets were less satisfied with flying training than the current cadets. This research study indicated that the number one reason for joining CAP was flying training. The research also indicated that the two primary reasons for leaving CAP were ineffective leadership and insufficient training.