For the first time in eleven years as a freelance trainer I have been assessed against excellent quality criteria by a company that employee me…scary!!
However, this was part of their quality control process and a very useful exercise for me to go through because the feedback was constructive, specific and involved two assessors as well as the group of learners. What it has made me think about is how important quality control and measures are in the training environment.
Consider how organisations, be they training companies or companies that hire trainers, actually measure the standards of the trainer. If you think about it most measurement is about attendance and ‘happy sheets’ so what does this actually measure? It measures the fact that 12 people turned up and that 12 people finished the programme and rated the course.
None of these measurements actual enable you to actually determine whether or not the training met the training need that had been identified? Did the trainer actually deliver a learning event that met the required standards of any of the training qualifications that they possess…that is if they possess a training qualification at all!!
As a professional trainer with over twenty years experience both delivering and procuring training & development programmes I find it very disappointing that once people have achieved their training qualification (CIPD Certificate in Learning & Development or Prepare to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector etc) they may never again be assessed. What does this say about the training industry? It is a bit like once you have passed your driving test, that’s it!!
Surely as professional trainers who encourage other professional managers to get their own ‘continuous professional development’ on a regular basis we should be exemplary in getting ours. Given the current climate and the cost of training to any business I believe it is imperative that all purchases of training services should be questioning the quality management processes to ensure that the programmes delivered by either internal or external trainers meet the needs and do not just tick the box!!
Thanks for your time, kind regards,
Suzanne Unsworth
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