| You've seen the headlines, and witnessed the | | | | What You Can Do To Protect Yourself |
| financial blood-shed as business after business | | | | Existing training staff, if you're still surviving at |
| seems to be headed for disaster. In this article | | | | your present job, you can secure your position |
| we'll explore why this economy may indeed be | | | | by showing management what your computer |
| the death of computer and soft-skills training as | | | | knowledge can do for them--not as training staff, |
| we currently know it, and how the training | | | | but as productive workers. |
| industry will likely change in the next 6-9 months. | | | | Show 'em how you can make a spreadsheet |
| The Death of Training Departments | | | | dance, a brochure sing, and a report yodel. It's |
| This one's a no-brainer. As cutbacks occur across | | | | time to diversify and put your skills to good use. |
| the board, management takes on a triage | | | | It's time to demonstrate your value as a |
| approach not only to individual workers, but also | | | | bona-fide regular employee who contributes |
| to entire departments and programs. This will | | | | directly to the bottom line. In fact, this is more |
| most likely sound the death knell of many | | | | necessary than ever before, as socioeconomic |
| dedicated training departments. Why pay for | | | | forces have contributed to the rise of the |
| training staff and support when you are cutting | | | | individual worker as an autonomous business |
| back and laying off workers in droves? You can't | | | | force. |
| train workers you don't have! | | | | The Rise of The Individual |
| What this Means to You | | | | At no point in recent history has the corporate |
| Management will see this as a time to cherry-pick | | | | climate been so ripe for the achievements of the |
| the already competent workers, expecting their | | | | individual. Now is the time for individual workers to |
| top-talent to invest their own time in keeping their | | | | shine, to show their stuff. It's a Darwinian |
| IT and soft-skills set sharp. Unfortunately, this line | | | | dog-eat-dog situation, more than ever before, but |
| of thinking also relegates those with lesser | | | | the winners come up higher than ever before as |
| computer and soft-skills to fend for themselves, | | | | well. |
| most likely in another job. This also means that | | | | That means you have the opportunity to "wow" |
| training departments will likely shrivel up and | | | | your bosses and up-line management, and in fact, |
| disappear in many companies across the board. | | | | you must do so, to retain your position. It also |
| If you're in a training department, now is a good | | | | means more fierce competition amongst your |
| time to start looking elsewhere for employment, | | | | coworkers, and a higher-than-ever demand for |
| or to reposition yourself within your current | | | | you to keep on top of everything. You can't |
| organization. More on this later... | | | | afford to fall asleep at the wheel in this |
| Training Trends: The Rise of CBT and the Death | | | | economy--not even once! |
| of ILT | | | | External Vendors |
| Even though management may have eliminated | | | | Outside vendors, you will do well to cut prices but |
| training staff and cut-back on training budgets, | | | | increase quality and services. This is an employer's |
| there is still a need for some training, even in this | | | | market now, and you need to compete--not just |
| economy. But the training had better not be | | | | with your fellow vendors, but also with |
| expensive. | | | | yourselves. You must be better, sharper, |
| This means a shift away from dedicated in-house | | | | smarter, and more comprehensive than in |
| training staff, and a shift towards contracted | | | | previous years. The demand for training may be |
| outside training vendors. Again, think financial | | | | falling sharply, but there still is business to be |
| triage. Where would you spend your money if | | | | gotten. So be one of the ones that get it! |
| you were in management: on expensive training | | | | Your competition may be cutting back on |
| staff and equipment--which results in ongoing | | | | everything, including advertising, so now is actually |
| costly overhead--or on training sessions à | | | | a good time to advertise--right now there are |
| la carte? | | | | fewer voices in the marketplace, and you will be |
| Current trends will also favor a higher reliance on | | | | seen more easily. |
| computer based training (CBT) as opposed to | | | | Conclusion |
| instructor led training (ILT). That means instead of | | | | So is this economy the "death of computer |
| sending employees to computer and soft-skills | | | | training" as the title suggests? Until the economy |
| classes, management is likely to hand them a | | | | straightens out, the answer is a definite "Yes, as |
| DVD and tell them to go fish--if they're lucky. | | | | we know it." But it is not the end of the world. |
| This should make sense: after all, it can be easier | | | | There will always be a place for excellence, and |
| to offer training "on the fly" with CBT than | | | | high quality corporate ILT training will continue, |
| dedicate several hours of an employee's time | | | | albeit at a slower pace. Position yourself correctly, |
| purely to training. Whether CBT is as effective as | | | | and you will survive and even thrive. |
| ILT, however, is another matter entirely. And | | | | As always, I welcome your comments and |
| despite my dramatic heading for this section, | | | | suggestions. Until next time, we'll solve our |
| there will still be a place for excellent ILT courses; | | | | problems "Bit by Bit. |
| but they will just not be as common. | | | | |