All About Training
Education can be defined as the systemic and procedural process of imparting skills and knowledge on a particular subject matter. Acquiring education may take a few years and is usually done in progressive levels. But where is education acquired? Basic education ranges from preschool to high school while advanced education such as undergraduate degrees are acquired in colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning.
Learn more about undergraduate degrees
What is training?
Training is the process and act of imparting skills on specific competencies and areas of work or their improvement thereof. In most cases, training is done by a third party but it is also possible for an individual to train themselves through reading and watching videos on the areas they would love to improve on. Training can take many forms including formal and structured training, informal training and on-the job training among others.
Why is training important?
Training is important in imparting skills and knowledge required to pursue meaningful employment. Most employers will look for a specific set of skills and usually require documents proving that you have these skills. Training can also be done to improve existing skills due to changes in processes and systems or even the equipment required to perform the job. Training in this case ensures company standards are met through uniformity in output albeit products or services. It is also important in imparting soft skills to employees such as management and leadership skills which are necessary for career progression as well as for promotion purposes.
Through training, it is possible for employees to improve on their areas of weakness. Every company is as strong as their weakest employee and therefore, by working on these areas of weaknesses, the company puts itself on an upward trajectory with respect to productivity and profits. Besides, training is a great way to improve job satisfaction among employees since they consider sponsored training as an non-financial benefit.
When employees do not have the necessary skills to perform their day to day duties, a lot of time is wasted trying to figure out how to do their job well. Such a company loses a lot of money in the long run as an opportunity cost of trained labour. The inefficiencies brought about by untrained labour also lead to loss of clients, estranged relationships with stakeholders and the community, all of which affect the revenue and profits of the company.
Who would need training and what levels of training are there?
Training is necessary for people in all stages in their careers: entry level employees, those in mid management as well as the top level management. Although the training content will be different, the overall result is improved productivity across board. People in self employment should also undergo training to understand how they should run their businesses successfully, how to manage their employees and resources.
Where do people go for training?
There are training institutions that specialise in different types of training. These institutions may have physical addresses where the trainees attend their sessions or they may be virtual. In the modern day, training institutions could customise training materials to meet the needs of a specific institution. They could also hold the training sessions in the most convenient venue for their clients. Training sessions can be held in hotels and conferencing facilities in different cities across the globe.
The benefits of training employees, whether in a formal and structured way or informally, cannot be overestimated. In essence, a company that does not invest in employee training is essentially putting itself at risk. All companies should therefore invest in employee training.