A need for staff training can come about for many reasons, which may include introduction of some new software version, new hardware, a change to practices or services or introduction of new employees. We could go on and on about what could trigger a need for training. Whatever the reason, if a lack of skills or competency is affecting the effectiveness or efficiency of the business then it is time to do something about it.
The specific skills or competency deficiency may well determine the course of action needed to rectify the problem. Could a competent member of staff be used to train the relevant staff, maybe you have an in-house training department or do you need to look for outside help. If the problems are complex then a thorough detailed examination of the reasons needs to be carried out to determine the extent of any training needs.
If full details of the problem are brought to light and the solution has to be sought from outside the organisation then have you got a preferred supplier of training, or is it time to seek out a training provider. When you start speaking to a training provider try and ensure you convey all the facts, or you could end up with training that is not full relevant to the problem. It may be that the training provider has a training course on the books that fits the bill perfectly. If so, is the course offered as an Open or Public Scheduled course, is the same course offered for on-site delivery? Which option suites you best in terms of cost and operational down time for your staff? If you opt for an onsite training course, a training provider will almost certainly give you a discount on the Public Scheduled per head prices, particularly if there are a sufficient number of staff requiring training.
Some training providers including ourselves offer a Training Needs Analysis service where we would do a detailed analysis to arrive at the extent of any skills gap, the specific tasks that need to be learned and present you the client with a number of suitable training options. One of those training options will normally be recommended, but it is your decision at the end of the day. If the training need has been identified to affect a lot of employees or multiple groups then professional (TNA) Training Needs Analysis may be the best option for ensuring that the right targeted training is provided, or at least recommended.
What type of training may a TNA throw up? Well there are many styles and forms of training including:
- (CBT) Computer Based Training supplied as software.
- Mentoring or one-to-one training
- Live Training delivered remotely with a live trainer, normally using bespoke online training software.
- On-Site Classroom or LAB based training.
- Public Scheduled or Open training courses.
If you require On-Site Training, particularly bespoke training then please contact us for a friendly chat or a quick quote. The same can be said for Training Needs Analysis.
