What do you look for in a Technical Training Course? Of course you want to make sure that the training course meets your own or your staff’s technical objectives. Is the training to lead to some form of certification, or is it just the technical skills you require? Whatever your objectives, you only have a few choices on the format of the training, with the main contenders being Instructor-Led Technical Training courses or maybe an online training course.

I personally have been involved in Network Training and Telecoms training for a number of years and have a lot of experience of Instructor-Led Training.

Online training courses normally expect the delegates to log on via the Internet before having access to a number of training resources. The quality of e-learning courses varies an awful lot, as does the quality of the training material itself. Some e-learning vendors offer a comprehensive range of training materials including good visual aids and access to a tutor for questions and explanations. Before you embark on this type of learning experience, you need to have confidence in not only the quality of the course materials, but also on the quality and availability of a qualified or experienced tutor. Also, after completion of the training course, do you continue to have access to training resources and or a tutor? This can be critical when planning to continue to progress at your chosen discipline.

Another important aspect of online training courses is the question of access to technical equipment, and this is particularly important for Network Training Courses.  For example, if your chosen subject is some form of data communications, data networking or telecommunications, how will you access the appropriate equipment so that you can put into practice what you have learned? If you are going to pay good money on an e-learning course then you need to ensure that the practical aspects of the training course are sufficient to meet your learning objectives. Some online training vendors will give you access to remote labs, where you can log on to practical simulators, whereas others will give you remote access to actual live hardware.

What about Instructor-Led Technical Training, often referred to as Classroom Training? The main benefits of this type of training are in the fact that you have face to face interaction with a Tutor, who should be able to answer your questions there and then. Obviously the tutor or trainer needs to be an expert in the subject and just as important is the fact that he or she must have the ability to convey the subject matter in a professional and effective manner.

Some Instructor-Led Technical Training courses utilise remote labs so the training environment only requires each delegate to have access to the Internet to be able to configure and interrogate the technical equipment. Once again the remote labs may use simulators and some offer access to real live equipment. This is ok for a lot of delegates but I always feel that beginners certainly need to get a real feel for the equipment, so live equipment in the classroom can be a real benefit. Once again, Network Training really benefits in having real equipment in the classroom. The benefit of remote labs is more a benefit for the vendor than the delegate generally, as it means the training course can be run from any location provided Internet access is available. Being able to physically see how equipment is connected together, observe status and warning lights and have a real hands-on feel certainly outweigh the benefits of remote access in my opinion.

Having real equipment in the classroom allows the trainer to simulate a wider range of faults and scenarios and offers the delegate the chance to troubleshoot problems using a variety of methods instead of just relying on a Command Line Interface. For the training vendor this type of training does pose logistical problems, as it means transporting the equipment to the training venue and there is always a danger of physical damage.

I personally think the advantages of Instructor Led Technical Training outweigh any advantages of online training, although I concede that e-learning does suit some delegates. Think carefully before you commit to a training package and consider all the alternatives before making a decision. Price is always a big consideration, but the quality and effectiveness of the training course should also be high on your agenda.

This article on Instructor-Led Technical Training was written by David Christie, MD at NSTUK Ltd, Website http://www.nstuk.com . Additional resources to be found at http://www.ipexpress.co.uk/info/Training