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Most of my electrical training has been completed face-to-face in a college or a training centre environment. My first degree was achieved through the Open University, which introduced me to the concept of directed self-study, completing workbooks and assignments, attending tutorials and workshops, and using online forums and webinars with the advent of the internet. Long before COVID-19, I had experienced online sessions wearing my pyjamas, a bag of Monster Munch by my side, video calls wearing a smart shirt, and jogging bottoms where the camera could not see.
My volunteer ambulance career extended this further, with online Zoom sessions to be replaced by MS Teams, packages on Moodle, and physical training courses to complete the hands-on aspects and be assessed.
Over the years, I have been in quite a unique environment where face-to-face training, directed self-study and online training have become routine for me and have allowed me to become the person I am today. I have completed online training programmes whilst sitting in my hotel room, at railway stations, and on holiday on the beach. Having flexibility has allowed me to undertake training that fits my schedule- which is why employers look towards online training as a solution to their needs.
Approximately two years ago, I was asked to travel to Strabane, Northern Ireland, to deliver a one-day course. The course required me to take training boards, ruling out flying to the venue and taking a more sedate travel route by car. Effectively, this meant driving from South Yorkshire on Monday to Stranraer and stopping overnight. Tuesday saw me travel by ferry to Belfast and then onward to Strabane for another overnight stay. Wednesday saw me deliver the course at a fantastic factory where I was made to feel very welcome. Thursday and Friday, I saw a reverse of the travel itinerary for getting home. In short, it is a five-day venture to deliver a one-day training course.
However, of the ten delegates on the training course, seven had flown in from Liverpool to attend, two had travelled and lodged from Dublin, and only one person was from Strabane!
For ESUK, this wasn’t a problem. The training had been costed to account for what we would need to do, and I personally had a leisurely week with lots of sightseeing—including getting to see the Northern Lights for the first time.
For the client, the cost of training, travel costs for delegates and disruption to the business would have been significant, and there may have been a better way of delivering the training. Another helpful fact was that the course was a safe isolation course and all delegates were proven, competent and experienced electricians.
For many companies, getting site-based personnel from around the country to a central location poses several challenges, including disruption to work programmes, providing continuing support to their clients whilst training takes place, the cost of travel and accommodation, conflicts with holidays and lieu time and many other reasons proves prohibitive. Alternatively, local training providers could be used; however, there will be inconsistencies in the delivered training. Using a single training provider to provide training in several locations might address this; however, running several courses for a few delegates will become very expensive. There will always be illness, family emergencies, and client demand, meaning that the training programme never seems to be completed, and people will fall through the net.
Whilst online training could never fully fill the gap of hands-on training, there are many options worth exploring to make use of the opportunities available. For example, where training has an element of hands-on demonstration and assessment, this could be carried out locally, on-site by a designated person, whilst the majority of the training could be provided remotely. Automated and animated training packages can be designed to require the delegate to undertake tasks virtually to demonstrate required skills, all of which have an element of traceability for future reference.
Online training programmes could consist of the following:
A virtual live-stream training session using an online facility such as MS Teams or Zoom. In this instance, the tutor can interact directly with the delegates and answer real-time questions. Microsoft Forms can allow assessments to be completed at the end of the training. Course workbooks can be issued electronically, attached to the meeting invite, or printed and posted to delegates in advance. This programme of study still required delegates to attend at a given time on a given day, but massively reduces travel costs and disruption as they work from home or a local office. There will always be issues with internet connectivity, IT issues and Amazon deliveries, but these issues can be overcome with patience.
A guided self-study workbook that requires delegates to interact with several online resources, such as documents, videos and virtual programmes. Sometimes, the completed workbooks must be submitted electronically or via post for the tutor to review, or an online assessment may be used to confirm that learning has taken place. This means that delegates can undertake the required training at a suitable time and place. It can be difficult to monitor progress, and whilst some will complete the training immediately, others may find several reasons for putting off the inevitable. This method can lead to significant gaps in training, starting and finishing if it is not managed correctly.
A third option is a designed automated training package where delegates are given access details to start and complete the training programme. Such programs might be simple PowerPoint-style presentations with some simple interaction built in, whilst other packages might fully use interactive design. There may be a virtual assistant able to deal with the frequent questions and issues that arise or access to an online person who can help when problems develop or where clarification is needed. This method provides good audibility and can be set to ensure that the programme is completed within a realistic timeframe whilst allowing the delegate to complete the training at their convenience.
The solutions stated above will not suit everyone’s needs, and a combination of all three methods may be required, possibly along with an element of face-to-face training and assessment. What is important is to identify the training needs and how best to deliver them. Often, delegates disengage from training programmes, not because of the subject matter but because of the disruption that the training has brought to their normal working.
The impact of training on business can be huge, both financially and from a continuity of service point of view. Training will have long-term benefits, but the short-term impact may be prohibitive.
Getting training right, delivering what is needed, and undertaking viable training is important to the success of your business and the skills of your personnel.
On a final note, while electronic books are great for the environment, I still prefer to read a paper book.
