Training 2014: Great Possibilities

With 2013 almost to an end, let us take a few minutes to ponder what has been achieved on the training front.

Many companies have sent thousands this year to train their staff in a variety of disciplines.  People attended course that range from a short course lasting half a day to degree courses.  Some employees that attended these courses will proceed to some form of graduation.  Others may not have performed as well as they hoped.  They may have to come back next year and repeat their course.  Besides the fact that some employees did not pass a course that they were enrolled for this year, employers are often frustrated by the fact that employees do not apply what they learnt on the courses that they attended.  Student failure and the fact that employees do not apply what they learnt, make many companies reluctant to continue training programs in the following year.

One cannot blame companies for being sceptical about the value that employee training is supposed to add to the employee and to the company alike.  Employers often ask whether there are better ways to ensure that training would have the desired effect within their company.

Another factor to consider is that the new BBBEEE codes place very high emphasis on skills development and enterprise development.

All of the above factors were considered when Skopus Business Consultants started its BrainPower division at the beginning of 2013.  We developed adopted and developed a number of assessment tools that:

·         Evaluate the learning culture within a company

·         Evaluate the learning style of those who wish to go for training

·         Match employee skills preference to the type of training he or she wishes to take

Using these tools provided valuable insights into the real issues that cause the effect of training to be lost in an organisation.  Clients started to change their view about training because the assessments now enabled them to make better decisions on whom to send to what training.  There is no longer a shotgun approach to selecting candidates for specific training interventions.

In addition, Skopus Business Consultants and Workplace Integrated Training Solutions formed a new venture, the Growth Institute that offers a unique and differentiated training solution to our clients.

·         Employers now have a better understanding on how to structure training programs

·         Employees have greater clarity on the type of training that would suit them best

·         The 2014 training calendar now offers employees of our clients an option to articulate into a degree program with a local university.

Contact Peter van Nieuwenhuizen on info@skopus.co.za for an appointment and to receive a 15% discount on your first interventions for 2014.