Getting the Most Value Out of a Training Course

Bizmanualz Solutions

How to choose the right course

Have you ever attended a training class and the content is not what you had expected? Perhaps the instructor simply lectured from the book and did not seek interaction among the students or adequately answer questions. Have you sent employees to a class and they return dissatisfied or appear not to have gotten anything out of it? Have they ever returned from a class and continued to perform just the way they did before they attended class?

Content and Methodology is Critical

Training is one of the essential elements of any business process improvement initiative. As a company undertakes a quality or process improvement initiative, new skills and concepts are required. While the training venue such as a public course, a private in-house program or one-on-one coaching, is relevant, the content and methodology is critical for the training to be effective in changing behaviors and outcomes.

According to a recent study conducted by TrainingOutsourcing.com, total corporate training expenditures in the United States for 2005 are predicted to exceed $119 billion. Clearly, funding is available for training. How can you assure your training investment works for you and your staff by taking into account how they learn?

Safeguard Your Training Investment

To assure a positive outcome and safeguard the investment in time and money spent, prospective students need to investigate their training options prior to enrolling and attending. Consider these strategies prior to enrolling in or sending an employee to a class:

Decide which skills need to be addressed and how the content will apply it to current and future responsibilities.

Before the class, make a list of the top three to five skills/concepts you want to learn. Laying out clear expectations will force you to participate more fully and increase your training performance.

Find out how the course is structured. Does the instructor use a variety of techniques to reinforce the learning experience? Are there class exercises or small group projects? What percentage of the course is delivered via instructor lecture? Is there self-study or pre-course work involved? Can you contact the instructor after the course?

How do you learn? Do you learn most effectively by listening, reading or doing? Is your learning style compatible with the course approach?

Make sure that your expectations are realistic. If you are uncertain about the course design or need more detail about a particular class, contact the training company and verify. Often times, you can speak directly with the instructor.

Discuss with your manager or co-worker how each of these skills or concepts will help you do a better job after the training class.

Schedule a presentation to your team upon your return to work. Debrief as soon as possible after the training, especially while the ideas are fresh and clear. Share your new knowledge and enthusiasm with others and encourage them to consider a new perspective. Your training experience will not be helpful if it occurs in a vacuum

Plan for the time you are out of the office and away from your daily responsibilities. If you are distracted by issues back at the office or receive phone calls throughout the day, the learning experience will be diminished.

Be sure co-workers call only in a case of true emergency. It is difficult to recover from distractions, regardless of their importance.

Training is an investment in time, money, company strategy and the student’s skill level. If the training is done well, it will have a significant impact on the organization and the return on the investment will be incalculable.

Bizmanualz, Inc. conducts a variety of training courses concentrating on ISO standards and business process communications and methodologies. All of our courses can be delivered as private on-site courses and can be customized or combined with consulting services.

For more information and complete course outlines, contact us.

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