The Benefits of In-House and Online Training

Here at BookMyCourse we pride ourselves on our huge range of course options; from Saturday courses to special offers, in person training and online e-learning, we can offer such flexibility when it comes to balancing training with current work and home life commitments. However, it must be said that what suits one person may not suit another, so to help you decide which route is best for your current commitments, we’ve put together the benefits of both in person and online training course options:

In Person training (aka Classroom courses)

This is traditionally the route that most training courses have gone down until relatively recently – advances in technology and the COVID pandemic have opened up many opportunities to switch in person courses to online instead, but that doesn’t mean that in person training doesn’t still play a vital role in learning.

In person training gives delegates and trainers the opportunity to meet face to face at specified dates and locations; depending on the course type, various items of machinery or plant equipment may need to be present, which can dictate the location of the training at times. However, this doesn’t mean that in person training is inflexible because it isn’t – many training providers offer onsite training at the delegate’s place of work as long as the equipment they need to train on is or can be made present.

Meeting together for training, either as a one-on-one or, most commonly, in groups, has the following benefits:

·         Making new friends or connections. You may meet someone at a training course who you get on well with, or can do business with in the future, and form a connection through meeting together in person.

·         Using the “hive mind” – this is when many minds working together can form a solution or idea in a way that an individual working alone may not – like the saying, “great minds think alike”, working together in a group can certainly help training to stick in your brain.

·         Watching others – if your course requires a degree of physical training, such as operating plant machinery or demonstrating first aid techniques, for example, you may benefit more from watching others than trying to peer at them through a computer screen. Feedback from instructors is also beneficial in this situation, as you can see how other people are doing the work and use their feedback to improve your own performance.

·         In person courses can be often completed in shorter time periods, from half a day even, so you can get your training done and dusted, ready to move on with your job.

Of course, there are some disadvantages to in-person training options, including:

·         A degree of inflexibility as to when you can study – for example, this type of training tends to be during the day and working week, although some training providers offer weekend dates. Looking at our Saturday courses is a good way to find a weekend option if this works better: https://www.bookmycourse.co.uk/search/courses/?startDay=0

·         Locations – whilst we have a huge range of providers spread across the UK, people who live in rural areas or simply in areas where the training they need requires a fair distance to travel may prefer to train online to cut down on travelling.

·         Delegates who may be vulnerable or concerned about the risk of meeting with others post-COVID may still struggle in this situation, although measures such as social distancing, masks and handwashing will still be available if required. Please ask or discuss with us at the time of booking.

Online training (aka E-learning)

Online training does have a lot of benefits, not least the fact that it can often be done at a time and location or locations to suit the individual. Training online also negates the risk of meeting in groups when it comes to potential for virus spread, and with modern technology, communication between the group and trainer can still be effective and near enough instant (depending on the training provider’s policy).

There are of course situations where, in normal daily life, online training isn’t an option – this is typically courses where delegates need to practice their skills on plant machinery.

Training online and meeting virtually has the following benefits:

·         Training around your commitments – if you have a busy job and/or home life and need to prioritise many things, then training around your commitments as opposed to trying to shift multiple things around to make time for training can be a good option. Online learning allows this in that you can train at night, in the evenings or early mornings, as well as in the day.

·         Most resources will be available 24/7, so if you want to look back at past training documents, they will be easily accessible.

·         Protection against virus transmission from group meetings, although of course this only applies to the training element and not any other time of the delegate’s life where they meet with others.

·         Due to the virtual nature of online training, travelling to different locations is not a problem.

·         Online training offers a level of anonymity that may appeal to some.

As with in person training, there are some disadvantages to online training options, including:

·         You may find that whilst you find it better to study out of normal working hours, your training provider only operates during the day. You may need to ask questions that you won’t get instant answers to, in the same way you would in person.

·         Loneliness can be a factor of operating virtually, especially if you are undertaking extended training that requires you to spend a lot of time alone looking at a screen. It is also important to note that anyone who does train online needs to be look after their physical health and take regular breaks to help protect their eyesight, posture, and mental health.

·         You need to ensure you have reliable and relatively modern IT equipment, as most online courses require a camera and microphone as the minimum. You also need to proficient with working online, multitasking, and ensuring you retain concentration during the course, which can be hard for someone who may be trying to train online in a busy home or work environment.

·         Delegates training online need to be comfortable on camera and talking to people they’ve never met in person. This can be hard for some people, and they may prefer meeting in person.

·         Online training courses can, not always, take longer than in person courses. This is because they tend to be spread out over longer periods to allow for people who need the extra flexibility.