Train the Trainer
Most companies have different options for developing the skills of their internal workforce. Some will use outside training companies to train their employees either onsite or online, while others will organize internal workshops to cover suitable topics. Some companies will have employees shadow other employees to learn their roles and responsibilities, others will have staff mentor other staff members to assist in their development.
The two most popular options to develop employee skills are offering onsite or online training programs. Companies can host these programs onsite and have their staff teach them to their employees, or have a 3rd party training company organize them. Companies can also purchase online training courses written by content experts for their employees to take individually on their own time at their own speeds.
While using existing employees to teach internal courses to other employees can be cost-effective, can you be certain these instructors know how to teach effectively and deliver the message properly? Enrolling your employees in a Train the Trainer program can also be a cost-effective solution. An effective Train the Trainer program will teach instructors how to design and deliver course content to a variety of learning styles and improve interpersonal skills.
If an internal employee is determined to be a candidate for a Trainer position, the most important thing to consider is….does this person have the subject knowledge to speak about the information credibly? If so, then this person will need to learn how to deliver the course content in a clear and effective way for all learning types, including a clear understanding of course objectives. This can be with the use of visual aids, handouts, practical demonstrations, props, work experiences, etc…
When instructors are properly trained and informed, the training of employees can be completed much more efficiently with more information retained by the learners. The instructor will gain more experience the more times they teach, and this will allow the company to reduce the need to spend resources on outside training companies. By having an internal trainer, the employees can also have a consistent person they can follow up with to ensure they are conducting their new skill sets properly and have properly understood their new training.
By having an in-house trainer, your company now has the benefit of its own personal trainer who can conduct training according to the workplace production schedule. With a customized training schedule, the company can avoid disruptions to its production schedule and possibly reduced profitability.
In-house training can also significantly reduce employee costs of traveling to an outside training location due to travel, hotels, parking, etc… Because in-house training is conveniently conducted at the employer location.
With an internal trainer being an employee of the company, they will have a range of internal experiences and examples to utilize in their training to make it very relevant to their audiences. The learner will identify with internal situations quickly and easily as they are familiar with these situations and will be more effective at implementing what they have been taught.
The benefit to the company is that their employees are more likely to meet the objective of the training sessions and become more knowledgeable and effective workers.
Click here for an excellent online Train the Trainer course for $59.95