What are the key things to consider when embarking on a training course? One: find a course. Two: find funding to pay for the course. Three: organise time off to attend.
Do you need to do anything else? Often this is the point at which we stop thinking about training until the course actually starts. Here, we’re going to outline how this limits the potential of training and how the approach and attitude of the learner plays a key role in deriving the most out of training.
Perhaps the easiest way to think about why the attitude of the learner is so important is to compare it to a fitness class – we all know that we get a better workout and suffer from more aching muscles if we throw ourselves into a fitness session compared to standing at the back going through the motions.
Well, the same principle applies to training: the more we put in, the more we get out of it. An open mind and eager-to-learn attitude are therefore absolutely key to ensuring we gain the most from our course.
In particular, the right attitude means we’re more likely to make clear links between the course material and our working lives, thus boosting the chances that our new knowledge and skills will be applied in the workplace in the near future.
Making sure of the right approach
How, then, do you make sure you come to training with the right approach?
Preparation for training should beging at the earliest possible opportunity. Clearly, the choice of course is important. Often people receive a list of courses, look through the list and select the one that they feel will be the most interesting. This may not sound like a bad way to select training courses. However, it does then raise the challenge of trying to shoe-horn our newly acquired skills into working life.
It’s much more productive to work the other way around: identify the key skills you want to develop (and why) and actively seek a training course that will teach you those skills.
On the practical side, be clear about where you need to go for the course and what time it starts, and then plan how you are going to get there to ensure you arrive in good time.
Again, this may sound obvious but you would be surprised how many people turn up for training at the wrong venue or on the wrong day.
Also, find out if there’s anything you need to bring (for example the appropriate footwear for outdoor activities) or do in advance (such as background reading).
Sometimes you may find yourself booked onto a course you don’t want to attend. If you do find yourself in this situation you have a choice: either consider your time wasted or try to find the silver lining.
Although we recognise that being booked on a course you don’t want to attend can be very de-motivating, we would always strongly advise adopting the second option of finding that silver lining.
Put simply, this is because there are always opportunities to learn something valuable (eg the trainers’ expertise may range further than the specific course you are attending, the other delegates may be knowledgable about something of interest to you, there may be networking opportunities and so on).
The bottom line is that if you go into the training thinking you will not learn anything then you probably won’t. If you go in with an open mind, you might surprise yourself.
What to do during training
Most people have limited time to engage in training so it’s important to make the most out of each opportunity.
Once you’re on your carefully selected training course (that is directly linked to your aims and objectives) there are a few tips for how to get the most out of that training:
- bring an open mind
- don’t be afraid to throw yourself into the training
- immerse yourself in group exercises
- separate yourself from work – don’t worry about what’s going on in the office as, in many cases, you cannot do anything about it anyway… when you think about it, there are surprisingly few things that have to be dealt with by you, only you, right now… there should be contingency plans in place to deal with issues as they arise if you are away on a course in the same way there would be if you were on holiday, etc… also, worrying about and dealing with work issues will distract you from the training in any case
- listen actively – take notes of the key points the trainer makes to reinforce your learning
- ask questions – if you are not clear on something, ask… trainers are keen for learners to really understand the material and would much prefer for someone to ask a question than sit quietly and not understand the key points… in most cases you would probably be asking what someone else in the group is thinking anyway… also, some of the most interesting discussions in training sessions emerge from questions asked by learners
- actively look for links between the course material and your job… think about how you can apply what you are learning to your everyday work
- learn from other learners: not only can you learn from their experiences but also their reactions to the course material
- talk to other learners: it can be useful to discuss the course with other learners… they may give you a fresh perspective, particularly if you can identify what they are getting out of the course and how they plan to apply it… training might also act as a networking opportunity
- be prepared for your views and perspectives to be challenged, but don’t be afraid to challenge the trainer if you don’t agree with what you hear – just remember to be constructive rather than combative
Quick focus on online training
Online learning is a different experience to face-to-face learning and there are a few extra tips that might help you as you embark on an online course:
- ensure you have good Internet speed and connectivity
- ensure you have the right applications (eg flash, PDF reader, etc)
- ensure you have a working sound system so you can engage with video content
- schedule time to work on your course
- identify who you can ask questions of and about what (eg an administrator for technical help, a mentor for queries about course content or assignments) and how you might ask those questions (via e-mail or a website, etc)
- complete practice exercises as they help you revise key material
After training: what happens next?
First and foremost, if there’s coursework to complete following the training you must build-in time to work on this while the training is fresh in your mind. This will ensure you fulfil all the requirements for an assessed course and help you to cement your learning.
If there’s no coursework to complete it’s still important to reinforce what you have learned immediately in order to ensure you understand the key material.
If you have any remaining questions go back to your trainer for clarification.
Second, think about what you can do differently or more efficiently now you have completed your course. Take time out to regularly review how you are using what you have learned. Have you implemented changes? Have you kept to these?
Finally, assess whether the course met your training requirements. Have you learned everything you needed to learn? Do you need additional training to meet any gaps?
First and foremost, rather than fall into the trap of choosing from a list of courses, think about what you want to achieve and actively seek out the right course for you.
Take the right attitude to the course and follow up on your course objectives.
And remember: if in doubt go back to your trainer for clarification when there’s anything you don’t understand.
Ken Livingstone (managing director) and Amy Burrell (training consultant) are with Perpetuity Training
Further information about… Perpetuity Training
Perpetuity Training offers a range of short courses, including Level 4 professional awards in Managing Security Surveys and Security Management.
All of the company’s short courses can be adapted to meet the needs of individual businesses. Bespoke training services are also available.
Perpetuity Training is proud to be associated with The Security Institute and to be the provider of the Institute’s two membership qualifications: the Certificate in Security Management (Level 3 Advanced Certificate) and the Diploma in Security Management (Level 5 Professional Diploma).
For more details telephone 0116-222 5550 or e-mail: training@perpetuitygroup.com