Updated Tech Skills Give Businesses Competitive Edge
Training Options Vary But Target Same Goal
BY CLIFTON S. GABEL
Special to the Business Journal
In the past 15 years technology has changed so dramatically that most companies have had to either stay current or face the fact that eventually they’d be overwhelmed by a competitor that had.
Information is now the most important asset a company has after its personnel, and while information is changing as fast as technology; by the time it’s learned, it’s already history.
Keeping employees up to speed should be an ongoing cycle for any company that wants to stay competitive. The best way to do this is to implement a training program utilizing highly concentrated courses that quickly give your employees the new skill sets they need to utilize the knowledge before it’s out of date.
Companies that are successfully training their employees have found that not only are they staying in the forefront of technology, their employees feel better about themselves and their company. After all, if the company takes good care of them, they’ll want to take good care of their company.
These same companies annually set training goals with their employees and typically tie training to annual bonuses, raises and promotions. They make training mandatory for success.
With companies downsizing, employees who remain usually need to add to their skill sets in order to better help a smaller staff produce more. Proper training can help employees get over that inundated feeling that occurs when given new tasks that they were not originally prepared for.
A strong training program gives a company the luxury of hiring people with the highest aptitude for learning; individuals they can train for the company’s specific IT applications.
Companies that feel they can just hire people with the right skills to begin with are only going to benefit from that employee for as long as those skills are current. Leaving it up to the employee to update their skills can lead to disaster.
People often mean well, but time, outside distractions, deadlines and over-burdened workloads can sometimes get in the way of even the most dedicated employee. Make training mandatory for success.
The best way a company can develop an ongoing training program is to work with a good training organization dedicated to the corporate environment. Letting the training organization know what training is going to be needed in the next month, six months or a year, enables the training company to anticipate and develop the customized courses that the company will need.
Choosing the Right
Training Company
Every company’s training needs are as unique and different as there are different types of training organizations and different systems for delivering information. To choose the right type of computer training for your company, we need to examine the types available
First take a look at the different types of computer training available, and then look at the different types of training organizations.
o Self-Study. This usually encompasses the use of books and or tapes. The advantages of self study are that it is usually the least expensive and students can learn at their own pace and not have to be on a fixed schedule.
The disadvantages are it usually is up to the employees to motivate themselves and training can then take a backseat to the ongoing workload. Getting answers to questions can be frustrating, time consuming and may not be correct.
o CBT (Computer-based training). Study material is usually on CD-ROMs that you install onto the training computer, making it easier for the student to comprehend than trying to transfer information from a book or tape. This method can be very cost effective for small companies. But as with self-study, CBT has the same drawbacks, there is no schedule, students need to be self-motivated and questions may go unanswered.
o WBT (Web-based training). This system delivers the study material via the Web and for some companies is cost effective. However with no instructor, just as with self-study and CBT, there is no schedule, students need to be self-motivated and questions may go unanswered.
o Online classes, virtual classroom or distance. Learning can be more effective than the above self-study formats, by virtue of being instructor led. Here an actual teacher can check on the student’s progress and answer their questions via the Web or e-mail.
With instructor led online classes there can be a schedule to adhere to. The cost is much higher then self-study and there can be a considerable time lag in getting questions answered.
o Traditional instructor led classes. This tends to be as costly as the online format but can be more effective. Just like the days when we were young and attended school, there is a fixed schedule to adhere to, there are tests or lab sessions to determine our progress, and most importantly there are instructors who explain the lessons, answer questions and motivate the learning process.
These training providers are typically located in the same area as the company requiring the service. Classrooms usually have enough computers for each student to train on and have the latest software installed.
Classes are small enough that the instructor can give each student the attention needed to promote a better understanding of the lesson. The disadvantages are costly for some companies, a fixed schedule that could conflict with an unexpected problem at work. And, the employee needs to leave work to attend the class, unless the company has its own learning center.
There are several different types of training organizations. The one most people are aware of are the ones dedicated to the public. These typically enroll students in a college format, requiring a tuition fee and can take from three up to nine months to complete a curriculum. These are great for individuals looking to a start a new career or improve themselves to make a career move. But most companies need their employees trained quickly.
Another type of training organization is one that offers shorter courses on a pre-set schedule for a public format, to give a student specific information in a shorter time frame. These are great for companies that need their employees trained quickly, provided that the training company has the right courses scheduled at the right time.
Many Paths, Same Goal
Finally, there are training organizations dedicated to the corporate environment. These training companies typically work directly with the company that needs the training. This enables the training company to schedule courses as needed by their client.
These training companies are very current with the latest technology and should be able to customize the curriculum for their client’s specific needs. Also, by sending several employees at a time, a company can save money by paying a group rate.
In closing, whether you buy your employee the latest “Word for Dummies” book or hire a cutting-edge training company, the goal is the same. By having an ongoing training program, your employees will stay current with technology, your company will deliver its product and/or service more efficiently and you stay a step ahead of the competition.
Gabel is marketing/sales manager for San Diego-based Technical Training Resources.
