This is part 2 of a 4-part series of blogs to help Learning & Development practitioners. If you missed it, you can read part 1 about terminology.
Think back to when you were at school. What subject did you love or hate most, and why?
Almost every time I ask someone this question, the answer is about the teacher.
The single most important element in education is the teacher. Thousands of Maths teachers in the country teach from the same syllabus every year. But how many of those manage to make their students understand and love Maths?
The trainer is the key
This applies to teaching adults as much as it applies to teaching children. Yes, some clients love the convenience of virtual training. Some want a change of scenery. But what all developers care about most is the person who presents the training.
Software development is complex. Developers want to attend a course where they know they will learn something useful. They want to be sure that the trainer knows the topic, and can answer their questions.
Developers always have deadlines, so their time is valuable. If you want to annoy them, let them waste time on a course where the trainer reads off a PowerPoint presentation. This is especially true of senior developers.
Developers want training
Here's something I often hear: "Our developers are experienced - they don't need training."
This is just not true. Good programmers know that they need to keep learning. It's so important that it is listed as Principle #8 of the IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
There are always new technologies to learn, and new ways to do things. Developers want and need training. But they want and need good training.
How do I know if the trainer is good?
So now you have an important question: How do you know if the trainer is any good?
The answer is that you don't. But there are some ways to reduce the risk of a bad trainer. Here are a few ideas:
- Do some research. Check the reviews for the trainer. Find out how long he or she has been presenting the course, or courses like this.
- Arrange a short virtual meeting with the development team and the trainer. That will give the developers a chance to check out the trainer.
- Ask if one of the developers can sit in on a real training session. This was difficult in the past, but with virtual training it's as simple as a few clicks.
Once again, involve the developers in the decision. It's their time, after all, and they are the ones who should benefit from the training.
Did this help? Please share any questions or comments about what I've written.