Training must be viewed as an investment in improving organisational capability and knowledge required to meet specific business outcomes. Identifying these outcomes, and aligning training projects accordingly, is key to success.
So says Ian Clark, regional MD at Fox ITSM South Africa, who adds: "Training should really be planned on a periodic basis and managed and controlled as an integrated programme - applying a disjointed 'on request' based approach to training is, in many instances, not adding value to the organisation as a whole."
On this note, Fox ITSM, in partnership with ITWeb, is conducting an online IT Training survey, which aims to determine what resources organisations use when researching training services; what their preferred methods are when interacting with training providers; and what the key drivers are when it comes to selecting training providers.
Picking the right partner
Many organisations set out to plan, select and manage training programmes with partners that must ensure the appropriate products and services in their portfolios are backed by responsive support and delivery teams. However, organisations should first understand exactly what the drivers are behind this need and ensure their training service provider is in alignment to cater to their training requirements, says Clark.
He adds: "An IT training service provider needs to gain insight into how organisations prefer to interact and work alongside providers for their training requirements, which is always specific to individual organisations."
IT training budget restrictions and tighter controls have been in place within many organisations for several years now, and while this is understandable from a financial perspective, the investment, if planned correctly, can reap huge value for companies looking to achieve more with what they currently have.
"Companies in South Africa and globally are investing in their organisations' capabilities where they can, within the budget constraints they have," Clark says.
The cloud has made inroads in many spheres of ICT, and it is no different when it comes to training. There is a definite trend within South African organisations to start moving towards cloud-based/online training; in certain circumstances, gamification is also starting to come to the fore, says Clark.
When asked about an organisation's specific training preferences, Clark says: "Classroom-based training will always remain popular due to the levels of interaction, so we focus on having the appropriate mix of delivery options to suit the preferences of our customers, as they are, in many instances, unique down to an individual level."
When organisations are deciding whether to opt for in-house training or to outsource, a number of factors should be considered, and the final decision should depend on what the organisation is trying to achieve.
"A lot of companies conduct in-house training for company-specific projects that centre on customised, in-house-built products and services. The preference should always be placed on the competency of the provider in question. When it comes to internationally recognised frameworks, methodologies and standards, companies generally prefer to outsource this to accredited, competent providers who specialise in these fields," says Clark.
Clark also advises that a reliable training service provider delivering private on-site courses for company-specific teams should always deliver courses against the required syllabi while maintaining the ability to relate the content to the organisation's unique business models and environments.
"This personalised approach has proven to be a successful combination for those companies that are focused on adopting best practice frameworks such as ITIL and COBIT," says Clark.
Training as an investment
According to Clark, training should be recognised as an investment, and return on investment (ROI) should always be measured on an organisation's IT training spend.
"Methods for measuring spend range from achieving levels of certification to prove capability and qualifications, through to realising organisational-specific outcomes, which can range from reduced operational costs and improved revenues, through to efficiency gains and quality of work through enhanced application of the knowledge gained through training. It is important to always understand the 'why' before you embark on the 'what', from a training perspective," he concludes.
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