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Greater Toronto Area Career
Training & Job Skills Information
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Find
GTA Training Schools and Information
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organization offer:
Career & Job Skills Training?
or
Employment Services or Related Products?
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GTA Employment
Service Directory
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How
to Ask about Training
Linda Jenkins & Regina M. Robo
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Training, especially for
junior and entry-level workers, can be a very important benefit to weigh
when considering a job offer. Be sure to think of your future career
development, not only your future within an organization. |
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Does your company offer employment services, job
skills training, or other job-readiness services?
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Before signing on the dotted line
Prospective employees should
ask some pointed questions about career development opportunities before
accepting an offer. They include the following:
* What kinds of training does the company offer?
* How are training opportunities organized in this company? Who makes the
decisions: human resources or the CEO?
* Who gets to go? Is training a perk for managers and professional staff
only, or is it for individual contributors as well?
* What is the company's training philosophy - to make employees more
effective in their present jobs or to prepare them for the future?
* Does the company contract with outside providers, or is all training done
by in-house people?
* How is the company's training program tied to performance management?
* What kind of follow-up does the company provide to ensure that learning
happens and that productivity and morale are improved?
Training, especially for junior and entry-level workers, can be a very
important benefit to weigh when considering a job offer. Be sure to think of
your future career development, not only your future within an organization.
Some companies require training - which could be unpaid - before you're
allowed to officially start working, so make sure you get the particulars if
that is the case.
Opportunities for the workforce
Current employees looking to
enhance their skills should familiarize themselves with their company's
policies concerning training and continuing education. Browse your intranet,
dig up that voluminous benefits package you received when you took the job,
ask your boss for more information. Find out whether your company covers
training expenses, period. No one wants to put time and effort into a
proposal that will get shot down before it's even considered.
Once you have confirmed that your company does sponsor educational
initiatives, research what types of training or continuing education you
would like to experience. If you're looking to enhance your skills
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in something related to
the company's business, get suggestions from your coworkers or your human
resources representative. You must also decide how you want to learn - in a
classroom, on the Internet, or through videoconferencing.
Ask and you may receive
Research and document your
training choices, complete with tuition, related expenses, and length of
commitment. You may even want to prepare a statement that shows how you
expect to improve and enhance your performance and productivity. Fill out
any necessary forms and schedule some time with your boss or manager to talk
about the training opportunities you've researched before you present them
to the human resources department. Your boss is likely to have to sign off
on your request, so be prepared to back up your reasons for wanting to use
company time and money to beef up your skills.
Seal of approval
If your proposal is denied, try
to learn why. If it's a question of money, look for a less expensive
alternative or ask to be put on a waiting list for funds. If your superiors
feel that particular new skill won't be as beneficial to the company as you
thought, ask what skills are lacking from your team and how you can tailor
your next training request to fill in the gaps.
If your training proposal is approved, you may be bound by certain
restrictions, including when you can attend classes and what you can submit
for reimbursement. Get the details in writing so you don't get stuck with a
hefty bill at the end. You may also be required to document your experience
through a group presentation or short essay, so take notes and save all the
course materials (handouts, books, worksheets). Above all, share your newly
acquired knowledge with your team - their success can only make you (and
your company) look good.
- Linda Jenkins, Salary.com contributor, and Regina M.
Robo, News Editor |
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