Source Two: Professional/Internal Trainers and Educators
Most large organizations, whether for profit, not-for-profit or governmental, have a full-time training and/or education staff. These trainers and educators typically hold at least a bachelor’s degree and often have been awarded an advanced degree. They typically provide a wide range of programs. Some of the programs may be mechanical or technical. Others are likely to focus on managerial skills, such as supervision, planning, motivating, or conflict resolution. In many cases, these programs have been created by the training/education staff members themselves, often borrowing from programs they have attended outside their organization or from books or articles they have read. Publishing companies, such as University Associates, which is now part of the Jossey-Bass Publishing House, have been very successful in providing pre-packaged training programs, that can be used at very low cost by internal trainers and educators. Video-recordings, training manuals and computer-based programs may supplement materials being prepared by the internal trainer/education,
In other instances, internal staff members have contracted with an independent training firm to provide programs that have been designed by the staff of this firm. Typically, the internal staff member attends certification programs being offered by the training firm. This program usually lasts at least two to three days and is often at least a week in length. Those training firms that operate in a responsible manner will use this certification program to not only convey the essential skills and knowledge about their program, but also to screen out unqualified or inappropriate users. Once certified, the internal staff member can offer the program to members of their own organization, usually at a certain cost per participant or per program. This approach to training and education blends the strengths of the external trainer (Source One) with those of the internal trainer (Source Two). It has become very popular and very lucrative for many training firms to offer this blended approach.
These externally designed programs have set the stage for new forms of just in time training and education, to which I turn below. These programs have also increased the need for follow up services. In many cases, the prepackaged materials being offered through these training firms doesn’t fit with the specific issues being faced by an organization. As a result, there may be limited application of course principles and practices. The transfer of learning to the real work place may be marginal. Follow up services can take many forms. Checkup sessions can be held several months after the program has concluded. Case conferences can be held, where graduates present real life problems that concern the application of principles and practices from the program. Colleagues in this case conference can assist in identifying application strategies. Individual coaching can be an even more effective follow up strategy. A coach that operates from inside the organization can often be of great value in working with graduates of a prepackaged training program. Coaches can help graduates identify ways in which the principles and practices of this program can be applied inside the organization, as well as help graduates retain and transfer lessons learned in the externally designed program.
