In business, the demands are ever changing. This is inevitable. The world is dynamic and so are your objectives – even if your company vision stays the same.
In addition to that, methods of doing things would continue to change and more would be expected of you or your team. Getting appropriate and periodic training is the best way to keep up with the times and the demands.
It need not be a 6 months course as long as it meets your needs and the needs of your employees to help you achieve both your personal and professional goals.
Before you choose a course you must first understand how the course is constructed and the units of competency included in it. It is also a good idea to do some research on the training organisation offering these courses. They have to be registered and their practices must be agreeable and helpful.
Get the brochure and as you read up on the modules, read up on the tutors. If you should need help along the way you would have a better idea of which tutor to approach for help.
Understand why you are taking the course in the first place and what you aim to get out of it, for you and your employees.
A training course is basically a structured sequence of vocational education and training (VET) with the aim of imparting identified competencies to the participants. If the training course is accredited by a training authority or a government body, then completing it would provide the participants with a qualification which is signified by a certificate.
Many times it is this qualification and certificate that the participants focus on because it opens doors of employment and promotions for them.
However the certificate is meant to certify or confirm that the bearer has acquired the particular competences that the training course was designed to impart. So it is the competences that really count to the entrepreneur or sole proprietor.
Training courses are made up of several sub-divisions which are called units or modules. They form the building blocks of the certificate. The requirement for every certificate is the achievement of a certain level of competence (grade) in a list of modules. Any change in this ‘formula’ would qualify you for something else and not that certificate. If you want a certain certificate, you have to acquire a certain formula. There is always a minimum level of competence for each module to make up the formula.
The importance of checking out the modules cannot be over emphasized. Many have registered (and paid) for courses which looked okay but as they began the journey, they found themselves stuck in classes for modules they neither needed nor liked. What’s worse? They had to pass these loathed courses to qualify for the certificate.
Today training organisations organise customised courses for various firms and individuals to help meet their needs better. You need to check out these alternatives especially if a particular competence you seek is missing from the curriculum. You can have additional tutors included in the training team and these competences built into the training course.
With customised training packages you must ensure that the competency formula required for participants to ‘qualify’ for your particular certificate is clearly defined. A Training Package is different from a course. A training package provides you with a framework for designing courses and it describes the outcomes required for the training, but it is the training organisation that decides how the training will be structured and delivered.
It is also a good idea to have a heart to heart with your employees to identify the skills and competences they require to the company’s goals.
The timing and frequency of the classes and the ‘weight of homework’ must be carefully crafted out especially where you and your employees would not be taking a break from work.
Even where you do take a break, matters like commuting and family, follow-ups and call ins would have to be factored in, unless you are planning an ‘executive getaway’.
Remember, these training courses cost you money so ensure you get your money’s worth. You want to see a marked difference afterwards; especially with the company income.
