The Practical Trainer

Most people who call themselves trainers today probably didn’t start out to be trainers. They often work in a field where they develop extensive knowledge and then are asked to share what they know. Many trainers have some experience with teaching, writing, or leadership, although they come from nearly every field.

As such, people who work as trainers are often put into difficult situations without much understanding of what training is or how to do it well. We know that being a good trainer is the result of developing skills to bring information to an audience. This information will then engage, empower, and encourage continued learning and development.

This three-day course will give you the skills that you need so that students not only learn, but also enjoy the process, retain information shared, and use their new skills back in the workplace.

Participants will also have the opportunity to conduct a short group training session that incorporates these training concepts.

• Recognize the importance of considering the participants and their training needs, including the different learning styles and adult learning principles.
• Know how to write objectives and evaluate whether these objectives have been met at the end of a training session.
• Develop an effective training style, using appropriate training aids and techniques.
• Conduct a short group training session that incorporates these training concepts.

To start the day, participants will be asked to think about what successful training looks like. This will segue into a discussion of different audiences and their expectations. Participants will also look at some situations that could identify a need for training, and some of the benefits that training can bring.

Next, participants will discuss the characteristics of a successful trainer, including how to stimulate a readiness to learn. Participants will also look at common mistakes made by trainers, and they will brainstorm some ways to avoid or resolve those issues.

During this session, participants will explore the differences between adult and child learners in small groups.

The adult learning process has four distinct steps. Participants will look at each step and discuss how they can use this model to help trainees learn.

This session will explore the key principles of adult learning through an exercise and small group work.

In this session, participants will explore the four basic steps in learning. Participants will also explore some ways to cover all points of the cycle in a training program.

During this session, we will look at four main types of trainers. Participants will explore their type and discuss how this knowledge can help them become better trainers. The session will wrap up with a discussion of the experiential learning process.

For every learning point we make, trainers must consider the learning cycle to ensure that the learners get it. This session will explore the cycle through two different exercises.

Another powerful aspect to understanding yourself and others is to recognize whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. This session will ask participants to consider which side they fall on, and how to use that knowledge in training.

This session will introduce the six basic steps in the training process and discuss the first step: performing a needs analysis.

The next two steps in the training process are to develop the training and prepare employees. We will examine these steps through a lecture and group work.

The fourth step of the training process is to conduct the training. During this session, we will begin looking at some key parts of this step, including training methods and environmental concerns.

This session will introduce participants to the four parts of an effective learning sequence. Then, participants will practice creating a few sequences of their own.

Continuing with the fourth step, participants will learn how to choose games to add to their training.

This session will discuss some of the key factors that set the training climate.

During this session, participants will explore some different ways to communicate with the audience, including telling, showing, non-verbal communication, and using notes. Participants will also examine some different types of visual aids that they can use and how best to use them.

Participants will complete a brainstorming exercise to identify types of difficult trainees and ways to deal with them.

Job instruction training (or on-the-job training) is becoming more and more prevalent. This session will discuss a four-step plan to make job training a success.

We have set aside this time for participants to present their short training program.

It’s now time to go back to the fifth step of the training process: evaluations. We will examine several methods that participants can use to evaluate the success of their program.