Training: Plan & Promote a Training Program - Training needs and goals

By Mike Hitchen Consulting - the consultancy that puts principles before profits.

When you are planning a training program for a group of people, you will begin by investigating the issues that surround the need for training. You need to find out as much about the client situation as you can and record all of the information so you can make a considered decision about the training need. You could go conduct face to face or telephone interviews with the key members of the client group. This recording process will help you identify the competency or performance standards to use in the training in the next step.

A need for training may appear in an organisation because of a gap in skills and knowledge, mistakes being made, accidents happening or jobs changing. The training need may be identified by the person actually wanting training, or a supervisor. Before you progress with developing a training program, you must make sure that training is what is required and there is not a better non-training alternative.

You will find that frequently, problems occur in the workplace that the supervisor or manager assumes have arisen because of lack of training, when in fact, training is not what is required.

If you are sure training is the best option, then you continue with developing the goal of the training program. The goal of the training may be different from the training agenda itself. For example, a group of sales reps is being trained in sales communication techniques and the goal of the training is a 10% increase in sales over the next three months.

Monday: Detail the knowledge and skill required to perform to standard

Mike Hitchen
Mike Hitchen Consulting