Using Training Effectively

6. External Training Courses

6.1 The main advantage of using external trainers is that they are specialists.

• The trainer may have spent years refining a training course.
• The trainer can bring you up to date with current best practice.

6.2 Training comes in a wide range of forms.

• Lectures and conferences typically thrust a mass of information at a large audience.
• Seminars help people acquire knowledge in a more interactive way.
• Workshops give people information and let them practise working out problems.
• Distance learning may make use of workbooks, videos or DVDs, while e-learning is computer-based.

6.3 E-learning offers a number of key business benefits.

• It is a powerful and cost-effective way of introducing new ideas and approaches. It can also be used to monitor progress and assess learning.
• It is especially useful when you need to train a large number of staff across different locations (eg to ensure and demonstrate compliance with health and safety regulations).
• Trainees progress at their individual pace.
• The course can be completed at home or in the workplace.
• There are a wide range of knowledge based courses available. Interactive courses are also available to support behavioural training.

6.4 External training can bring fresh ideas and energy into the learning process.

• Mixing with trainees from other businesses can be an opportunity to discover how these other businesses do things.
• A good trainer may challenge the way your business currently operates.

6.5 Train to Gain Skills Brokers offer impartial advice to employers. They can help you identify and source the training you need to support your business objectives, increase productivity and improve overall performance (0800 015 55 45, www.traintogain.gov.uk).