EDUCATION & TRAINING REPORT
Is There Ever a Right Time for Training? by Andy Ghillyer NMEDA DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
I
n a speech in Cape Town, South
levels, temporary layoffs, or even
user in mind. The emphasis will be
Africa in June 1966, Robert
longer-term furloughs as you struggle
on maximum knowledge transfer
Kennedy said:
to cope with a major economic
in the most concise and interactive
upheaval, training is probably the
format possible, so that your people
least of your concerns. Even then, our
can maximize every minute they are
members have approached training
away from the store. The second half
as an opportunity to be grasped
of 2020 will be bringing significant
while business is slow. Rather than
changes to how we engage with
The authenticity of the “curse”
seeing it as a cost to be avoided when
our members. A new website, a new
remains unknown, but given the
belts needed to be tightened, I was
Association Management System
havoc caused by the COVID-19
thrilled to see how many members
(AMS), a new Learning Management
pandemic, the irony of how attractive
have reached-out to get their people
System (LMS) that will greatly
uninteresting times would be for most
trained while some workers were
improve your learning experience,
of us shouldn’t be understated.
idled.
that and do our best to provide
“
and the first phase of updated
training solutions that minimize
That decision alone says so much
learning materials to provide a more
downtime for your people. That being
about the commitment our members
interactive learning environment.
said, I continue to be impressed
make to their customers as well as
every day at the commitment of our
to their own people. Investing in
members to carving out time for their
training supports the QAP brand that
people to take our training—whether
we all work so hard to maintain, but
it’s onboarding people who are brand
it also sends a clear message to your
new to the industry, or investing in
people—that they are valued as an
time and travel expenses for refresher
integral part of that commitment.
and certification training opportunities
In recognition of the high value that
on the other side of the country that
our members place on training,
can keep them out of the store for
we are continuing on our journey
days at a time.
towards flexible, high-quality,
At the worst of times, when you’re
interactive training content that is
facing tough decisions about staffing
specifically designed with the end-
“There is a Chinese curse which says: ‘May he live in interesting times.’” Like it or not, we live in interesting times.
At the best of times, seeing a training reminder email from NMEDA—either from the QAP team or an NCT expiration notice from me—can be a nuisance. Your technicians work on billable hours, and your salespeople have targets to meet. We understand
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NMEDA Circuit Breaker
...but it also sends a clear message to your people—that they are valued as an integral part of that commitment.”
In the meantime, please let us know how we can improve your education and training experience with NMEDA. If you have an idea for a module that would help you develop your people or help you reach your customer base, we would love to hear from you. ---
