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What does the future hold? According to some forecasts, robot fish that can eat plastic waste, and the ability to send email using nothing more than your mind.
Whether or not such (slightly terrifying) projections become reality, is anyone’s guess. But one thing we can all agree on is that technology is going to play an ever increasingly important part in society.
The world of business is no exception to said developments, and most companies are now facing a get in line, or get left behind situation with their tech. Forget mind email; simply having all facets of your company’s IT up to date can make a big difference in your ability to survive and thrive in the digital age.
That means better systems and hardware, but also greater IT competency amongst your employees. Giving your workforce the appropriate skills and knowledge to make the most of your setup is key, and that is something which can be achieved through IT training.
Sounds straight-forward, right?
Well, no. The problem is that there are a thousand and one different IT courses out there, and choosing the right one for your company’s and employees’ specific needs, is tricky to say the least.
As one of London’s foremost IT technical support companies, Sphere IT, who provide IT support in London, knows a thing or two about levelling up your IT skills. In this article, we’ll outline the value that IT training can provide your business and explain how to go about identifying which of the numerous offerings are worth spending your time and money on.
Assess Your Business Needs and Goals
Understanding Business Needs and Goals
Before you whip out the company credit card and start shopping for IT courses, it’s crucial to take a step back and assess the state of your organisation’s IT.
What areas actually need improvement?
Examining all the components that make up your company’s IT – workflows, software, hardware, infrastructure – should reveal shortcomings that can potentially be addressed via employee training. The big picture with all IT training is not just to provide your employees with new skills, but to provide them skills that will benefit the organisation.
Identify Skill Gaps
Part of assessing your business needs is identifying skill gaps. This can refer to skill gaps in individual employees, departments, or your workforce as a whole.
Identifying skill gaps enables you to select training courses that are most appropriate for your organisation, and helps you spend your training budget in an economical manner. If money is a constraint (and it usually is), then choosing courses based on “plugging holes” is preferable to doing it based on impulse or feel.
In the realm of IT, there are all sorts of skill gaps that need to be filled. Such as:
Technical Skills: the ability to operate, maintain, and even fix hardware and software within your organisation.
Soft Skills: While they don’t strictly relate to IT, soft skills – communication, leadership, interpersonal skills – are beneficial in any business. Having more soft skills in your team can improve your organisation’s IT processes.
Cybersecurity Skills: Plugging cybersecurity holes is a must, and that includes one of the biggest security vulnerabilities in your business: your employees. Courses that teach them cybersecurity hygiene, incident response, and safe coding practices are invaluable and can help safeguard your company’s systems and data.
Cloud Computing Skills: Providing a workforce with cloud computing skills is a sound idea for any organisation with the future in mind (which should be all of them!) Comprehension in this area allows internal IT to evolve, and mobilises employees (i.e. lets them work at home in their pyjamas).
Functional Skills IT Level 2
To become successful in your profession, you must have a specific set of skills to succeed in today’s competitive world.
Functional Skills IT Level 2
To become successful in your profession, you must have a specific set of skills to succeed in today’s competitive world.
Consider Different Types of IT Training Courses
There are worthwhile training courses to cover just about every IT competency that you could think of.
For general administrative and productivity skills, Microsoft Office training has long been a popular choice for businesses. Another increasingly common form of training is that of cybersecurity awareness. Training that relates to system and data security is becoming necessary for employees at every level of an organisation. Yes, even you Mr Executive.
Email marketing, project management, software development, data analysis, and cloud computing are just a few of the many other possible options.
There is also variety with regards to the format of IT courses. For time sensitive issues (like cybersecurity), boot camps and workshops offer intensive learning opportunities. Less urgent skills can be acquired via self-paced, flexible online courses. In either case, there is the option to get accredited training, though this does tend to cost more.
Evaluate Training Providers
Just as important as deciding on the right course for your employees, is choosing the best course provider.
Bombshell: not all providers are equal. There is a wide spectrum of different offerings, so it’s essential that you do your due diligence and research thoroughly before making any financial commitments.
What to Consider
In evaluating IT training providers, you’ll want to consider their expertise, reputation, pricing, delivery options, and training format. Perhaps above all else, you’d be wise to seek out providers with a track record for delivering quality training in your chosen area. Some companies have a certain area of expertise, so there’s no need to commit to any one provider should you require training in multiple disciplines. If the training is scheduled (opposed to do-at-your-own-pace) then you should check employee availability before booking.
Oh, and be sure to review the refund policy! Always check the refund policy.
Scoping Out Potential Training Providers
No need to hire a private investigator – most of your research can be performed online. Reviews and ratings will tell you much of what you need to know, but we recommend doing some background research of your own. That can involve finding case studies, requesting references, or getting recommendations from acquaintances/other companies in the IT industry.
In assessing potential training providers, you may also ask to review course content to ensure that it is up to date and relevant to your business needs. Not all companies will afford you this access, but there’s no harm in asking.
Choose the Right Course – A 3 Step Process
Confused? Can’t remember anything you’ve just read? To simplify matters, here is your 3 step process for choosing the right IT training course:
1. Identify your business needs and goals
IT training is only worthwhile to your business if it addresses a need. Prior to booking any courses, make sure they align with your goals and fill any skill gaps.
2. Consider the different types of IT training courses –
Using the previous step, work out what kind of training your employees need, as well as the format in which you want it delivered.
Boot camps and workshops work well for faster learning. Online self-paced courses are typically more affordable and provide participants with flexibility.
3. Evaluate Training Providers
Perform thorough research on training providers before making any commitments.
Factors like company expertise, pricing, and reputation should all be considered during this process. Most of your research can be done online, but take offline advice from industry contacts, where possible.
For greater confidence, you may also wish to ask your prospective training provider if you can preview some of their course content.
Implement and Measure Results
Once you’ve chosen your course and made the (scary) financial commitment, you want to make sure that:
a) the training goes smoothly
and
b) you measure the results.
Implementing the Chosen IT Training Course(s)
Believe it or not, busy workers aren’t usually enthralled by the idea of training courses. You can make their life easier by scheduling any training at their convenience, and providing them with all necessary information and resources well ahead of time.
Offering support and encouragement to participants throughout the course also goes a long way. If you want to ensure that all training is taken seriously and completed pronto, then you might motivate your workers with incentives. A Lamborghini for everyone who completes on time? Or a little extra time off will probably suffice.
Measuring the Impact of IT Training Course(s)
In order to know whether or not a training course has been successful, it’s a good idea to track employee performance. There are various ways to do this, but setting specific goals, and monitoring KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) before and after training are proven methods. This kind of information can guide future decisions and answer questions like: Was the course worth it? Is there a better alternative? Would your employees respond to a different training style?
Where data falls short, employee feedback can be insightful. Encourage your workers to give honest opinions about the course. Again, this information can guide you when choosing future IT training.
Conclusion
For most organisations, providing staff with new IT skills can be a real gamechanger. Doing so can result in greater productivity and efficiency, as well as triggering newer, modern ways of working. In the face of our rapidly developing technological age – mind email et al. – one might argue that IT training isn’t just helpful, but that the future of business demands it.
Unfortunately, annoyingly, deciding on the specific training course to suit your employees isn’t straightforward.
Our three step decision-making process can help you cut through the noise, identify precisely which IT training course will benefit your business the most, and avoid throwing your training budget into the wind.
