The value of training

I recently bought a guitar. I have always wanted to learn to play and took a decision that I would buy a guitar and teach myself to play.

I also bought a book with an accompanying DVD that has lessons that you can work through and slowly teach yourself to play. I failed horribly. I could look at the pictures for each chord and hold my fingers in the correct way, but the sound that I created was appalling.

I was at the point of giving up when someone suggested taking a few lessons. My initial thought was that lessons would cost me money that I had not planned on spending. After much persuasion they convinced me to at least do the first few lessons, where they would teach me how to strum and the different beats used while strumming. The first lesson was amazing, I could hold a chord and strum the guitar and actually create something that sounded pleasant.

A few months have passed and I am still attending lessons every week, and although I am not currently a threat to any serious musicians out there, I am learning more each time. The lessons have also given me an insight into some of the tips and tricks that I would not have picked up while teaching myself.

The experience with my guitar has helped to reinforce a concept that I have always believed in - the value of training. As an EPM and project management trainer, I firmly believe in training.

There are many different ways to offer training, but one of the methods I feel is successful is classroom-style training. That is, lead by an experienced trainer or facilitator; a person who knows their subject matter well.

During training I always ask people to introduce themselves and provide a brief history of their experience with the product. What I have discovered is that most people are either self-taught, or they might have attended a course years ago, but then never used the product again. We also ask people to give themselves a rating out of five to express how well they feel they know the product. Most people overrate their knowledge of the product simply because they are not aware of how much the product can actually do; they are only aware of the basic functions of the product.

People who have taught themselves how to use a product will usually only learn as much as is necessary to survive. Work pressures might demand that all projects are captured in Microsoft Project, and that is all they will learn.

How do I meet the requirements? What they miss is the opportunity to learn how proper use of the product will make the running of their projects easier. Good training always strives to extend a person's knowledge and a good trainer should be able to adapt to the group of delegates and ensure that even experienced people learn something new.

How do you ensure the training that you attend is worthwhile?

* Choose a training provider with a good track record. Ask the questions:
* What is the calibre of their trainers? Do those trainers have experience of how the product is used in the business environment? Knowing the product is very different to having experience of how different organisations use that product and then being able to relate those experiences during training.
* Does the training provider offer generic training (which most organisations can offer), or can they offer role-based training of the product and offer sound advice while suggesting the best practices to be followed when using the product.
* How many other companies has the training provider trained? The more exposure the training provider and its trainers have had working with other companies helps to increase their knowledge of the product or subject being covered. This knowledge and experience helps the trainer to effectively adapt to scenarios and questions that are asked during training sessions.
* Can the training provider offer customised training. Can the provider adapt their courses to meet the needs of your company and your specific environment?

A point to remember is that effective learning goes beyond the services offered by a training provider. For a person to remember what they have learned, they must put those skills into practise as soon as possible after a training course.

Organisations must try to ensure that once a person has attended training, they receive all the necessary software, permissions and upgrades needed for them to start using the product, or to put the processes that they learnt into place.

Fulcrum Business Solutions offers EPM and project management-related training and strives to offer role-based training courses that focus on the best practices that should be used and adopted when working with a product.

Written by Dennin Smith, Training Manager