Customers are no longer prepared to pay for training without a guaranteed return on investment (ROI). This has placed even greater pressure on the providers to ensure value for money.
ROI is difficult to quantify but many providers are meeting this requirement with tailor-made offerings to match the customer's exact needs. Various techniques are used to see the entire project through from the initial identification of the skills needed to the training delivery and the post-training assessment.
"Before embarking on a programme, we carry out a skills' analysis using online questionnaires on the customer's intranet," said Richard Glavin, sales and marketing manager of Calyx Training (formerly Workstations Training). "The information is captured on a database and correlated before being presented to the customer."
In some cases, Calyx instructors adopt the role of a consultant and interview the relevant people within the organisation to identify the training objectives.
"There are many ways to measure return on investment," according to Ken Kinsella, sales and marketing manager, Global Knowledge. "We have devised a blended learning solutions approach to allow businesses to measure the scale of the return on investment."
Global Knowledge's blended approach is a combination of instructor-led training and e-learning to identify the customer's skills needs. The preferred delivery method is then chosen from a range of options including classroom learning, self-paced e-learning and virtual classroom e-learning.
"The solution combines vendor training programmes and proprietary training courses across a number of delivery methods and services in the most cost-effective ways," Kinsella said.
Post-training
"Nowadays providers must add in a bit more," according to Richard Glavin. And like many trainers, Calyx is doing this by giving clients increased access to the company's post-course support desk.
The option to call on the expert is a welcome safety net for any trainee, particularly when so much typically hangs on the project to hand. Post-training support can be provided in different ways: by telephone, e-mail or in some cases via one-to-one meetings with the instructor.
Clear System Solutions, which specialises in Lotus training, has taken the provision of support one step closer with the availability of a comprehensive support service to cover the employee while they take time out to train. This is particularly important for smaller companies which often cannot afford to release the person for training.
The right price
The cost of training is more carefully considered today and is often the biggest influence on the customer's decision.
However, Anne Clydesdale, director of training and corporate development with BIC Systems, said that choosing the cheapest price is not always the right decision and will not necessarily lead to a satisfactory ROI.
"The quality of the training is sometimes compromised in an effort to get the cheapest price," she said. "One thing the training organisation can't save on is the calibre of the person delivering the course, which is key.
"Customers have to be prepared to pay for that and need to be careful of this when choosing training. Procuring a bad course is a waste of time and money which will compromise business objectives and outcomes."
However, for many companies struggling against the decline, cost has to remain a priority, pushing the onus back on the training provider to come up with a viable solution within the tight constraints of time and budget.
Customised training has taken centre stage as the most cost-effective option. It is also seen as the best option to deliver project management training, which is on the increase.
However, it was not so long ago that customised training was widely regarded as an expensive alternative since the curriculum is tailor-made for the client.
This is starting to change as providers are more willing to negotiate and customers are well advised to use closed training to their optimum advantage. This can be achieved by getting as much out of closed training as possible: working with the provider to plan the course properly and sending the right people for training.
Establishing a long-term partnership with the training provider often reaps dividends when it comes to getting value for money, as more familiarity with the business enables a better understanding of what is required.
Certification
When it comes to ensuring ROI, Clydesdale made an essential point: "The clearest way to measure the acquisition of skills is certification -- there's nothing to match it."
And she highlighted the main difference in the demand for certification today.
"Before, organisations would have used training certification as a means of attracting people," she said. "Training was about rewarding and keeping people but today it's about securing return for the business."
Demand for certification is on the increase, according to Ross Bolton, sales director of SureSkills.
"Bootcamp training focused particularly on acquiring certification in an accelerated time-frame is growing in popularity," he said.
SureSkills specialises in bootcamp training leading to Cisco CCNA certification, Microsoft MCSA, MSCE and MCAD certification.
Increasing employment prospects
Having that piece of paper can make all the difference when it comes to career progression.
The findings of a recent salary survey conducted by Lotus/IBM in the UK and Irish markets showed that holding the Certified Lotus Professional (CLP) qualification greatly improved employees' prospects.
Some 23 per cent of respondents were promoted after receiving CLP certification, 70 per cent reported a greater demand for skills within their existing jobs because of the extra responsibilities given to them following certification and 51 per cent reported
increased productivity in their own jobs.
"Certification provides the individual with a means to benchmark technology knowledge and achieve recognition. It increases the business value for both the individual and the organisation," said Sonya Harmon, general sales manager with Clear System Solutions, which specialises in Lotus training and CLP testing.
End user certification
The growth in certification is not confined to the high end of the IT market. The increasing take-up of certified programmes such as Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) and the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) among non-IT professionals has seen phenomenal growth in the applications market.
This is driven by the need to have more than `IT proficient' on a CV.
"Organisations that book applications or end user training are not simply looking for proof that delegates attend training but proof that they are really learning new skills and bringing this back to the workplace," said Ross Bolton of SureSkills.
Increasing demand for qualifications in IT applications has prompted the advent of new programmes such as the internet and computing core certification (IC3).
IC3 certification is a global industry standard that accurately validates PC skills and productivity in the workplace. Training provider Unlimited has developed the first IC3 courseware to be approved by Certiport, the body which certifies the programme, in Europe and Asia Pacific.
IC3 certification is a standards-based vendor-neutral certification. The three modules of the course cover basic computing, use of common applications such as Word and Excel, e-mail and internet literacy.
Unlimited is also involved in an initiative with Irishjobs.ie to offer PC skills courses to visitors to the website at discounted rates.
The offer is designed to help jobseekers with their career progression. Visitors to the upssection of Irishjobs.ie can avail of a 20 per cent discount on the MOUS and ECDL certification programmes. The courseware can be taken online or via CD-Rom.
