Saideh Afri - Department of Educational Planning, Dezful Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dezful, Iran.
Faranak Omidian - Department of Educational Planning, Dezful Branch, Islamic Azad University, Dezful, Iran.

The present research has been carried out to examine the relationship between the effectiveness of in-service training courses of employees in Payame Noor universities and their empowerment in Khuzestan Province. In terms of methodology, this is a correlational-survey research. The statistical population includes all employees participating in in-service training courses in Ahwaz, Dezful, MasjedSoleiman and Andimeshk in 2013,the number of which is 415 and has been determined using purposive sampling method and simple random sampling method. The necessary data have been collected by Carrick Patrick's (2006) in-service training courses effectiveness questionnaire. In order to analyze the data, descriptive statistics including frequency table, percentage and column chart, mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics like chi-square goodness of fit test, one-sample t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and multivariate linear regression. In order to analyze the collected data, SPSS has been used. The results show that one can claimwith 95% confidence level that there is a significant relationship between the effectiveness of in-service training courses of employees in Payame Noor universities in Khuzestan Province in terms of attitude, knowledge and skill, and their empowerment.

in-service training, effectiveness, empowerment, attitude, knowledge, skill