Learning Engine

Delivery Delvery Delivery

2009-08-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Over 85% of effort in training currently goes into the delivery and still we do not get the return on investment from training we require - does this therefore show too much emphasis is going into the delivery time?

The answer to this is most definitely yes - the best practice research shows around 25% of effort should go into the delivery.

So we are putting over three times the emphasis on teaching and training new skills we should and no where near enough on what we are doing the training for and more importantly what we want to do with our new found skills afterwards.

Interesting.........

Preparation is key

2009-07-20T03:59:00.000-07:00

We all know that preparation is vital for successful delivery and leaving things to chance often results in similarly chance outcomes.

Preparation in the learning engine involves preparation for both the learner and the organisation.

For the learner being prepared means more than having a map and an agenda. It means knowing what you are going to be learning about and, most importantly, what are you going to do differently as a result. Where are you going to get a chance to practice your new skill or use your new knowledge. How will you put things into practice and not simply return to the day job as before with nothing to show for your training and development.

For the employer preparation involves working with staff to understand how the new skills and knowledge will be applied and creating a safe environment for it to be practiced on their return. Setting up projects is an excellent way of doing this.

To create power in your preparation - working directly with your training provider will ensure delivery is timely, relevant and most importantly the follow-through is supported.

All three elements combined will ensure you maximise the return on investment both for the learner and the employer organisation.

Where are you going today?

2009-07-16T01:55:00.000-07:00

When the Cheshire Cat said 'if you don't mind where you are going how do you know when you have got there' he had a great point. This is really true in the world of training. Without a clear focus on where as a company or as an individual we wish to get how will we ever know we have arrived.

This first stage in this must therefore be a clear understanding of where we are now. This is the focus for the analysis element of the learning engine.

Where are we going, where am I today and how do I join the two in the most effective way possible

Good question don't you think?

2009-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Whilst the UK is currently number six in world manufacturing rankings, at low and intermediate skills we languish in 17th and 20th places. With every leading nation focusing on skills as a future competitive weapon the challenge for the National Skills Academies is to find a way of accelerating our development to first catch up and then overtake the global competition.

In the 1980s just in time heralded the realisation that only 3% of the time a product spent in the factory was adding value. With global research highlighting that less than 3% of programmes realising their full potential (and up to 80% showing no return on investment) this same realisation is now happening in the skills arena.

To achieve the paradigm shift required to meet the Leitch targets for the manufacturing sector, the Skills Academy’s research has pinpointed a number of key leverage points that will create the value and support that our sector deserves. Our approach is called The Learning Engine. This is a world-leading, fully-integrated, systematic approach to work-based learning that customises learning, maximises economic benefit and encourages continued learning.

The Learning Engine approach pioneered by the Skills Academy solves the skills needs that truly make a difference to the economic performance of the manufacturing industry. Recognising such a major paradigm shift will take time to mature.

It is worth noting that maintaining the focus of the right product delivered by the right provider with the right process is already demonstrating significant results with typical returns, thus far being in the region of 6:1 ratio compared to the investment.