| So the boss came around and told you there's | | | | student, I am paid for ONE of those students. |
| gonna be another large software rollout. Another | | | | Yet, I am the self-identified end-product! |
| round of headaches, user support issues, too | | | | Now rationally speaking, it makes absolutely no |
| many phone messages, and late nights. And on | | | | sense for large training companies to pay their |
| top of it you have to contract with a training | | | | main products so poorly. After all, a computer |
| organization to get your people up to speed in a | | | | instructor actually becomes more knowledgeable, |
| hurry. Who you gonna call? | | | | adept, and expert in the field the more time |
| If you don't have an in-house training department | | | | passes. So in the end, these large companies are |
| or a good relationship with an outside vendor, it's | | | | only hurting themselves. And you. |
| time to start doing some digging. How about the | | | | Do you want a burned out, exhausted, stressed |
| biggest in the training business? After all, the | | | | out person who is financially barely surviving to |
| larger the organization, the better the reliability | | | | arrive at your door in their beater car, just trying |
| and quality of service you will receive, right? | | | | to get through the day? Again this comes down |
| Maybe. Read on to discover one of computer | | | | to where does the money go in the larger training |
| training's dirty little secrets. | | | | organizations, and it ain't the instructors. That's |
| Computer Training's Dirty Little Secret: Revealed | | | | why the turnover rates are so high, and why you |
| OK I am going to come right out and get to the | | | | cannot expect to get consistent instruction from |
| point. Having worked for many years as in | | | | these organizations. |
| instructor in large computer and soft-skills training | | | | In fact, to give you an idea of the extreme |
| organizations, I know first-hand the number one | | | | turnover rates in one of these large companies, |
| problem with these behemoth organizations. High | | | | here is a remark a fellow instructor made to me |
| turnover. There, I said it. So let's make some | | | | when I was a young pup: "I don't even want to |
| sense out of what this means to you and your | | | | know your NAME unless you've been here six |
| choice to go with a large training company. | | | | months!" |
| With high turnover rates, you may not get the | | | | Does David Beat Goliath Every Time? |
| same instructor from rollout to rollout, or even | | | | This is a fair question. It would be irresponsible for |
| from course to course. Typically the larger | | | | me to state that large training companies are |
| organizations do their best to maximize profits, as | | | | incapable of producing high quality instruction. |
| all large organizations do. This is not necessarily a | | | | After all, I was one of those instructors sent out |
| bad thing, but they tend to skimp on paying | | | | for years to teach for companies such as yours, |
| instructors what they are worth. While this is not | | | | and I can honestly state I offered outstanding |
| totally unexpected, it also is a huge tactical error. | | | | courses. However, I did have to do "cleanup" |
| Think about it. In the end, what are you paying | | | | work for previous poorly appointed instructors, |
| for? Besides books, and follow-up support, you | | | | and I did find myself quite burned out over time |
| are paying for a qualified instructor to arrive, | | | | at the senseless hours and poor pay. |
| on-time and ready to go. For all practical intents | | | | If you do decide to go with a large training |
| and purposes, the instructor IS the product you | | | | organization, be sure to find out if you will be able |
| are paying for. Do you really want the end | | | | to get the same instructor for your courses, |
| product you are paying for to be paid 10% of | | | | where it makes sense. |
| what you paid for the courses? | | | | If you go with a smaller organization, you run the |
| Now, having been that "product" for many years, | | | | risk that the company is not as well established or |
| and having been paid so poorly, let me explain | | | | reliable, or that they don't have the instructors or |
| what happens to the "product" over time. It goes | | | | availability you may require. But as the owner of |
| bad. Yes, like sour milk, an instructor has to be | | | | a small training company, I can attest that it is |
| replaced because their attitude or abilities suffer | | | | possible to get outstanding, consistently |
| over time when they are not compensated | | | | high-quality instruction, with the same course |
| adequately--like any human being who is exploited. | | | | materials as the larger companies--at the same or |
| I am not just talking sour grapes here; this is a | | | | usually less cost. |
| reality in the training business. And as someone | | | | If you find a training company that compensates |
| who works occasionally as a contractor for these | | | | and treats their instructors well, you will have |
| larger organizations, to fill the occasional need | | | | found a major source for excellent instruction. |
| when my own company's training schedule has an | | | | Also if you find the right company, you can get |
| opening, I can tell you that compensation is | | | | the kind of long-term reliability and excellence that |
| woefully inadequate. In fact I get paid less today | | | | today's business world demands. |
| as a contractor than I did in the year 2000. Yes, | | | | I hope this helps your thinking processes as you |
| you read that right: for the last 8 years | | | | search for the right training organization for your |
| contractor compensation has actually gone DOWN | | | | next software rollout or training round. Large or |
| for qualified instructors such as myself. | | | | small, in the end it boils down to how is the |
| In fact, when I contract for a large training | | | | instructor treated and in what condition he or she |
| organization to teach a course, and they have a | | | | arrives at your door, time after time. In many |
| room filled with 12-18 people at $200-$300 per | | | | cases, David beats Goliath. |