How to Organize an IT Training Session by Natalie Aranda

One of the main keys to the success of about anything at all is proper training. The field of Information Technology is no exception. If anything, training is even more important in IT due to its rapidly changing nature. The introduction of new technology makes training an ongoing issue in any IT department that wants to stay competitive. Although there are all types of training options available to IT professionals ranging from Certification training to individual E-learning opportunities, the need for organization wide IT training sessions still exists. There is hardly a single employee in most organizations today that is not involved with IT in some manner. It is the need to upgrade the skills and knowledge of everyone that makes an onsite IT training session so valuable.

There are some tips to help organize onsite IT training sessions. First, insure that each session is geared toward its target student audience. It does not help to mix the computer operators with the Database administrators in a basic computer course. Nor does it serve a good purpose to have the mechanics taking software training on data entry. A good IT training session will actually be a series of sessions each directed at a specific target audience based on job assignment and prior IT training.

Another important point in a good IT training session is proper scheduling. The training must be coordinated with the work schedule to insure that the people attending the training session are completely relieved of their work assignments. When a training session is constantly interrupted with phone calls or other distractions, it not only is hard to complete the training, but establishes a sense in the employees mind that training is not important. Insure the classroom time is well organized. The class should begin and end on time, and the classroom site should be prepared in advance with all necessary equipment on hand. When the employee sees that the organization takes training seriously, they will take it seriously as well.

A good network administrator will view the IT training program as an integral part of the operation of the IT department. The introduction of new systems or major changes should trigger training cycles that should be completed prior to implementation. Some organizations run their IT departments like they are secret cults with the IT techs serving the role of high priests. With the increased role of computer systems in business organizations today, this approach can be fatal. A well trained staff makes a lot of sense and a well organized training session is the key to reaching this goal.