22 February 2016        Blogs

Nationwide, many employees are still being subjected to the outdated training practice of ‘sheep dipping’. We’ve all been there, stuck in a room sitting through compulsory training, feeling like your time would be better spent on the job. But what is ‘sheep dipping’ and why is it wrong as an approach?

For those who don’t know, ‘sheep dipping’ is a process used by shepherds in which they dip their sheep into insecticide to protect them from infection. In business, it is a process by which employees are grouped together to be refreshed or re-invigorated by attending set training courses, more commonly known as “refresher” courses. In some companies, staff members may be “refreshed” once or twice a year, depending on the subject of the training.

Generally, it involves taking staff out of the workplace and into a classroom type environment for at least a day, if not several, and by doing so, employers expect their staff to return to work with a host of skills that are ready to be implemented, safe in the knowledge that each staff member has a piece of paper certifying they are now compliant.

Many organisations take this approach because it’s easy to create, straightforward to administer and cheap to implement. But there are inherent problems with this method.

The ‘sheep dipping’ approach is flawed for several reasons:

Part of the flock – The nature of ‘sheep dipping’ courses means that on an individual level, there is little support. Employees enter the room like a flock and are treated as such. By nature, people respond differently to learning and all have different requirements. And, of course, people have differing levels of ability, and what often happens is the trainer tailors the content for the median average ability of the room – leaving those at either extreme unengaged. There can be little or no adaptation to meet individual needs.

The content of the courses – In general, because these courses tend to remain static, their content often isn’t current. Every year, new skills and capabilities will likely be needed and it is important to keep these skills up-to-date to keep an advantage over competitors.

Little input from management – The Line Manager often has little input into the ‘sheep dip’; usually just ticking the box afterwards to confirm that training has taken place. This creates limited support on the job and can seriously hinder the success of any employee actually applying the training. This creates a dangerous cycle, where anything learnt is forgotten and there will be a need to be refreshed again in six months. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Measuring the results – These kind of training programmes are rarely reviewed or analysed, which poses the question of how these companies are measuring the effectiveness of their training? Sure, the relevant departments may have a tick next to every relevant employee’s name, but how are they ever going to find out their return on investment? And in between ‘sheep dips’, how can you be sure the employee remembers everything they were taught? If it’s health and safety training they’ve received, doesn’t that strike you as potentially dangerous?

Employees – ‘Sheep dipping’ can be highly demotivating for some people. Unlike sheep, your workforce are all individuals, they are resourceful, capable of soaking in knowledge relevant to them. A training programme should stem from a desire to improve knowledge in any given area and should increase each employee’s value to the company.

What we can do

Develop Training have recently introduced our new Code of Practice, Continuous Learning Loop and Online Learning & Assessment Portal. These have been created specifically to offer customised training programmes that are undoubtedly more effective than the ‘sheep dipping’ approach.

They ensure the focus remains solely on the learning that is relevant to your business, offering a unique method of delivery that is tailored on an individual level, to suit the needs of your staff.

Our Continuous Learning Loop concentrates on pre-course e-assessment, a blended approach to training (incorporating classroom-based teaching, e-learning and practical ‘hands on’ tuition), and post-course reinforcement.

This approach to training provides our clients with practical training courses that are matched to each learner, while post-course reinforcement identifies if the learner has committed the content to long-term memory or if further training is required.

   28 July 2015        Blogs

“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” Richard Branson.

Anybody with an account on LinkedIn will have seen the above sentiment at one point or another when someone in their network decided it was time to share another inspirational quote with the rest of their professional peers.

In this case, however, Richard Branson’s words will resonate with many of us.  As workers, we want to feel we’re developing in our careers, and we often want the support of our employers in order to do so.  If we feel we’re not developing at the pace we’d like to be, it can be frustrating and will prompt some to investigate job opportunities elsewhere.

The aim of businesses management development training is to increase productivity of all your employees by motivating and educating managers. As a manager’s confidence and ability increases, so does their ability to implement business strategies, control internal conflict and train their team to perform better.

There are many benefits to management development training, which include:

Increased productivity by creating a skilled workforce

By effectively training your managers, you position them better to train their own staff, creating a workforce that is fully aware of their own job responsibilities as well as their expectations.

Reduced workplace conflicts

Training in conflict resolution provides managers with the tools to run a department more efficiently. This type of training can increase confidence and effectiveness when dealing with angry, irate or distressed individuals. A manager with good interpersonal skills can help increase understanding between colleagues and smooth out workplace misunderstandings.

Reduced staff turnover by creating a motivated workforce

Management development training can directly impact staff morale, as we all feel more secure in a position where the business is spending money on personal growth and development.

“Leadership and management training is a vital element of any business operation.” says Imran Akram who heads up the management development programme at DTL, “Leaders who understand the best ways to train, motivate and manage are better positioned to run their teams efficiently, resulting in greater productivity. Your leaders will make things happen.”

At Develop Training, we’re experts in delivering management development courses. To find out more information about these training courses click here or call us on 0800 876 6708.

   22 May 2015        Blogs

Choosing the right training delivery methods can sometimes be a daunting process. There are lots of things to consider: budget v’s price; location; number of learners; downtime; outcomes. With many options provided by training providers, deciding on the right training techniques for your workforce can be difficult.

In this blog post, we examine all of the available options to help you make more informed decisions in the future.

Key things to consider

1. What are the desired learning outcomes?

According to many, training “processes can be grouped in to the following phases; needs analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation”. Taking this in to account, the most logical place to start when deciding on any training intervention is to establish the training needs and agree on the learning outcomes expected from the training. This can help you to focus your attention on the options that will give you the best returns.

2. Who are you training? 

When deciding on the right training methods for your learner, it is important to understand who they are and how they respond best to training; what are their job roles?, and what are their preferred learning styles? For example, technical employees are likely to respond well to hands on training where they get to try out the new skills they have learned. On the other hand, office based staff may prefer the classroom training route.

The learning styles of these individuals are also an important consideration, as different people learn in different ways. This is particularly the case for different generations. In a report written by GoToTraining it states “For the first time in modern history, we have four generations of workers in the workplace. The conflicts of these generational dynamics immediately change how we deliver learning or training to these different groups”. Millennials for example like structure and technology, and so, are likely to learn best from interactive sessions using various technologies, whereas the Baby Boomers may prefer more traditional forms of training.

3. How many learners do you have and where are they based?

The number of employees requiring a certain training programme will ultimately affect your choice of training techniques. If you only have a handful of people to train, then the most cost effective method is to book them on to open courses offered by your training provider. Larger numbers can warrant a group booking delivered at the providers centre or onsite at your premises. This means that your employees can be trained together and training can often be tailored to your business.

One of the main issues we find Develop Training clients face is downtime. There is pressure on learning and development professionals to ensure training doesn’t impact on the operation of the business. As a result, elements such as the location of the training versus the location of the learners should also be considered. To reduce downtime it is recommended that learners book on to their closest open course, or for larger groups, some providers can bring the training to you.

4. What is your budget?

Your training budget is an essential cog in the decision making process. In a survey carried out on Develop Training’s clients, 20% said budget constraints are a key issue for them. When you have all of the answers to the above questions, you can look at how to effectively use your budget to achieve the desired outcomes. For example, if you have a group of employees to training, you can speak to your training provider to see if the course can be delivered on your site. This will reduce the costs in terms of the travel and accommodation expenses.

Available training methods

Now that you have considered all of the above elements, you are ready to select the most appropriate training delivery methods. Below we look at some of the most popular options:

1. Open courses

Open courses are set course dates usually delivered at your training provider’s centre. Anyone can book on to these courses and they are usually the best training technique if you only have a handful of people to train on a particular subject. Dependant on the subject, courses can involve both classroom teaching and practical sessions.

2. Group courses

If you have a larger number of employees to train, then a group course is something to consider. Courses are often priced at a set group rate and with the option to hold the course at the training provider’s venue, or sometimes at your own premises, this route is very cost effective. It also allows your employees to attend training together, which can act as a good team building exercise.

3. Bespoke courses

Bespoke courses are tailored to the individual requirements of your business. Going down this route will enable you to tailor your training to your specific learning outcome, company policies, budget and location. If you have an issue or training need that is specific to your businesses, then these are the training delivery methods for you.

4. E-learning

E-learning is learning via electronic media, usually via the internet. It allows individuals to learn at a location of their choice. It is very costs effective, reduces downtime, and removes the need to travel. Having said this, e-learning removes the personal and team building elements created by face to face training. It also doesn’t allow for practical sessions where learners can practice their skills. When considering this option, you should think carefully about the learning outcomes and learning styles of your employees.

5. Blended learning

“Blended learning is a common sense concept that results in great learning success…In a nutshell, it means using more than one training technique to train on one subject” (Training Today). Using blended learning, you can craft your course to the learning styles of the employees you are training, and by using a mix of methods; you can ensure that all learners effectively retain the information. You will receive the greatest return on your investment from this training delivery method, which could involve a mix of e-learning/e-assessment and face to face interventions.

Conclusions

As you can see, there are lots of things to consider when choosing your training methods and a variety of options to pick from. Making the right decision can be difficult, so it is recommended that you work with a training provider such as Develop Training to help guide you.

Develop Training has years of experience supporting clients with their training needs, and fully understands the pressures faced by companies across a whole host of industry sectors. The company offers a wide range of training methods, and its dedicated Curriculum Team is investigating new learning technologies and techniques to give you access to solutions that will provide you with the returns you are looking for.

   10 September 2014        Blogs

With 50% of the workforce set to leave the energy and utilities industry over the next 10 years, employers need to plan how they are going to fill the skills gap they leave behind.

Industry leaders are already coming together under the Employer Ownership of Skills scheme to help fill this training and skills void.

NVQ’s are one solution to this impending issue, and in this blog we highlight some of the key things you need to know about this route to training your workforce for the future.

The facts

• NVQ’s are a work-oriented vocational qualification. Unlike traditional qualifications of the past, they can be tailored to suit the learner’s needs and are not entirely classroom based. There is no final examination and you don’t get a grade on completion. Instead NVQ’s focus on the learners skills, knowledge and behaviour within the workplace.
• NVQ’s are created using nationally defined occupational standards. The learner’s ability to do a competency based task is assessed against performance criteria set by the national occupational standards. The assessments are recorded using a range of techniques and prior learning experiences, which compile the evidence used to meet the qualifications compilation of units.
• NVQ’s can also be completed over longer periods of time using a unit based approach which is now available on the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF). This route allows learners to have a flexible approach to learning and assessment, and in some cases, can boost success rates as unit completion provides learners with a better sense of achievement, by completing the NVQ in manageable chunks.
• The aim of an NVQ qualification is to recognise the skills and competences of learners in the workplace.

The benefits of NVQ qualifications

Employers will benefit from:

• Improved staff performance and motivation.
• Improvements in the quality of service to customers.
• A workforce developed in the skills relevant to the business.
• Greater productivity, performance and competitiveness as the workforce will be motivated and happy, as the organisation has invested in their future skills.
• Lower staff turnover.
• A workforce who is up-to-date with the latest legislation and best practice.

Employees will benefit from:

• A clearer understanding of their responsibility within their organisation.
• The opportunity to develop new skills, and accredit their knowledge. Bringing new ideas to the workforce. Whilst earning while they learn.
• One to one support from an experienced professional.
• Being highly motivated as the organisation has invested in them and their future.
• A qualification benchmarked against national performance standards of work-based, on the job learning.

An NVQ qualification will help grow the expertise in your business and fill current and future skills gaps, which is currently stunting growth and hampering recruitment of new talent. An estimated 50% of current employees will have left the Gas and Water sector by 2023, due to its ageing workforce. To plug that gap, 208,000 new people will be required within 10 years. NVQ’s are one solution to this issue.

Who we have trained

Over the last 5 years, Develop Training has trained over 5,500 individuals via the NVQ route, specifically Network Construction Operations (NCO) programmes for companies such as AMEC, Balfour Beatty, Skanska and tRIIO.

Join others and invest in your employees…

   02 July 2014        Blogs

Since 2011, anyone working on English highways is subject to streetworks refresher training under the New Roads and Streetworks Acts 1991 (NRSWA Training). The NRSWA legislation requires operatives and supervisors to be reassessed every 5 years to make sure they maintain their level of skill and understanding since they registered or last re-registered.

Top 10 things you need to know

Here are the top 10 things you need to know about Streetworks Re-assessments:

1. Streetworks Refresher Training ensures that operatives and supervisors work legally, safely and efficiently on the highways, maintaining their level of skills and understanding. Refresher training will help operatives and supervisors to understand the latest NRSWA legislation, and any changes to practices on the highway, that may have occurred since their last training.
2. In order for operatives and supervisors to work legally on the Highways, they must register with the Streetworks Qualification Register (SWQR) and to do so they need to hold the up to date Streetworks qualification. As SWQR state: “Any request for re-registration, for an individual working within the English legislative area, must be accompanied by the relevant re-assessed qualification certificate issued by an approved awarding body”.
   
3. To keep qualifications and NRSWA cards up to date individuals must be reassessed every five years to show that they are professionally competent to work on English Highways.
4. Individuals must register with SWQR between 6 months before expiry, and 6 months after expiry.
5. Operatives and Supervisors will be required to have successfully completed re-assessments for the units of competence that they already hold before they can re-register for their new NRSWA card.
6. If they do not register in time, they will need to retake the full unit, which will result in additional time spent away from work and extra cost.
7. Streetworks Refresher Training can only be taken in units that the operative or supervisor already holds. For new areas of work, the individual must attend the full streetworks training course for the units they wish to complete, before they can register with SWQR.
8. Prescribed qualifications for various types and combinations of work are set out in the Streetworks (qualifications of supervisors and operatives) (England) regulations.
9. Reassessment takes the form of multiple choice question papers, on each unit the candidate wishes to renew.
10. Develop Training have a range of streetworks refresher training for operative and supervisors, covering all units of competence. We will be happy to discuss your training requirements with you.

NRSWA Street Works Refresher training requirements

Streetworks Refresher Training is required every 5 years, to update skills and knowledge and make sure that you are working in accordance with NRSWA regulations. Once refresher training is complete you will be able to re-register on the Streetworks Qualification Register (SWQR) and work legally on the highways.

Find out more about our available Street Works training courses here.