IT Training

Why Businesses Invest in IT Training?

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:29:20 +0000

Training is an important part of any profession. Theoretical as well as practical training hold their own importance in each field. Most of the times, training is a reaction to a new skill that must be acquired or taught. But there are many advantages that can be reaped from regular training programs. This is particularly true for the IT sector. Both the employer and the employee can benefit from regular IT training.

While employees regularly update themselves in order to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and to keep themselves competitive, employers also benefit from regular IT training. Let us explore the advantages of regular IT training from the business perspective.

Advantages of IT Training for Employers

People in the IT industry spend a lot of money on regularly updating their staff on the latest skills in the market. This helps them in beating their competitors. Another advantage is that an up-to-date staff will bring in innovative ideas that are relevant to the current market situations. While IT training is given utmost importance in IT companies, non-IT companies also benefit from investing in regular training programs.

To understand this in detail, let us take an example of new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software being implemented in a service industry-let us assume a banking operation. If the software is put to use without training the staff adequately, there will many serious ramifications that will eventually disrupt the business.

In the beginning, employees will struggle to make use of the software and will resort to experimentation. This will reduce their productivity as their time will get wasted in experimentation and will lead to an overall decline in the work level. The quality of work will also suffer with mistakes made by untrained staff. Imagine the cost of a mistake in a financial institution like a bank.

This will lead to reactive actions to make corrections, thereby, leading to further wastage of time and loss of productivity. Frustration will build in the staff as they will find it difficult to cope with their workload that involves a lot of corrective actions without appropriate knowledge of the software. Employees who interact with customers will not be able to respond to the customer’s requirements properly.

All this will eventually result in loss of productivity, decline in morale and eventually loss of business. Thus, by not investing in proper IT training, even non-IT companies can suffer huge losses.

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What is the Difference between IT Education and IT Training?

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:24:47 +0000

Education and training are both a part of a learning experience. However, in general both these terminologies are used interchangeably. A person sent to an IT training program actually comes back with a bunch of papers on that particular subject. The program here is not a training program but an educational program.

Education deals with imparting knowledge whereas training teaches the practical application of that knowledge. Hence, education gives the base of a topic and training helps you in building a skill. In IT, both education and training are equally important. A program that has the right mix of training as well as education will be the best option for any member of the IT community.

What is better IT Education or IT Training?

The answer to this question will vary from person to person. However, as mentioned earlier a program that gives both training and education will be the best option. Individual skill levels and learning abilities will greatly influence the choice of IT programs. Some programs have extensive knowledge session with a peek into the application part whereas others take application oriented approach and give knowledge simultaneously.

To understand more in detail let us take an example of a university course. While the course may be labelled as IT Training course, its contents will generally include more of theoretical knowledge to provide the basic level of understanding. Most university courses spend more than eighty percent of the time in classrooms and the rest is spent in internships and projects. Thus, such programs are more of education oriented than training oriented.

Contrast this to a one month course on Microsoft Office. Here the emphasis will be more on training than education. While basic commands and functionalities will be taught, more focus will be on the applicability and practise of this information. Thus, this session will be more of training oriented than education oriented.

The best way to choose a program is to assess your own skill level first. If you have some prior understanding of the subject, choose a program that focuses on training practical applications. If the topic is new you can opt for a program that gives both education as well as training. For a successful IT professional, both IT education and IT training are important. Education will build a solid base that training can take advantage of.

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Types of IT Training

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:23:33 +0000

Information Technology is a very vast field and thus, IT training also gets segmented into various categories and sub-categories. From simple database management to network administration to support services – all take a different skills and expertise to learn as well as train. Software and hardware knowledge and training is completely different. To make it simpler, let us segment IT skills in few broad categories.

Different IT Skills

Application Oriented – These skills are the ones that are required to work on software with applications for example Microsoft Office. This is a relatively simple example. Many IT software include complex applications that help in analysis and interpretation of huge databases.

Development Oriented – These skills are required in order to modify existing systems or create new computer systems. Detailed and extensive training is required to acquire such skills. A combination of software and hardware knowledge is the best for development based work.

Operation Oriented – Software and hardware need constant attention and monitoring in order to run effectively. People with operational skills ensure that all systems are running to the optimum and issues at small-scale are solved at the operational level itself.

All these IT skills have their own significance and are used in different degrees based on the nature and complexity of work and the industry. Yet with the advancement in technology, basic IT training is a must for each individual.

Mode of Training

With these different varieties, different modes of training are also available. One can opt for self – paced learning modules. Distance learning courses and online modules are most popular in this form. For people who have a discipline approach, self paced learning is a good option as it gives you the flexibility to learn from anywhere at any time. Application Oriented training on basic modules can be learnt in this form.

Classroom based training in the form of formal courses or small customized training programs are another option. It gives the advantage of learning in a group and also interacting with the facilitator. However, a trainee needs to follow fixed schedules and courses. Development Oriented skills and operation oriented skills can be learnt best through formal training courses.

Your individual skill assessment will also matter in deciding the type of training you should opt for. People who have some basic knowledge and only looking to update themselves can easily take the self-paced option whereas beginners should opt for formal courses even for the basic skills.

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Training in IT to Beat the Competition

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:20:53 +0000

With the change in economic scenario the job market has become increasingly volatile. The industries that were doing exceedingly well are the ones that are fighting the fiercest battles. Information Technology (IT) industry is one of them. With frequent lay-offs and staff cuts, this market saw a very bad phase in the recent past. However, both an individual and a company can beat the competition by continuous training in IT skills even in difficult times.

Why Employees should invest in IT Training?

If you are looking for a job in the IT industry, IT training on the recent advancements in this industry will definitely increase your chances of beating your competitors for those coveted positions in the leading IT companies. For new entrants in the industry it makes obvious sense to take training in IT.

In case you are one of those who lost their jobs during recession and are searching for a new opportunity, you can also invest this time to make yourself more competitive. Instead of just applying for jobs with your current skill set, you should invest in a good IT training program to make the best of this time. Other than updating your skills, this can be used as additional information on your resume and will give a very positive impression of your attitude – that of a person who strives to keep himself/herself updated.

Whether you are a fresher or a seasoned professional it always makes sense to take training in the field related to your qualification and interests. Training programs are available in computer programming, networking, web designing, database administration, etc. You should do adequate research to choose the right program that will give you an edge over your competition.

How Employers can benefit from IT training?

Those in the IT industry understand the obvious advantages of having a trained staff. However, today most of the businesses are using IT to streamline their operations internally. IT has also proven as an effective platform to interact with customer. Now, more and more customers are resorting to online purchases and online transactions have become fairly common.

In such scenario, any business can have an edge over their competitors by leveraging the power of Information Technology. Thus, continuous IT training makes business sense for all kinds of industries who have a direct interface with the customer – be it a product driven company or a service provider.

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The Need for IT Training for Insurance Professionals

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:19:59 +0000

Information technology has gained significance in every industry and every function in an organization. IT platforms are used to integrate data, manage its flow and connect its various data points to draw meaningful conclusions. Analytics and business intelligence functions are being increasingly performed by IT software. The same is true for Insurance industry. With IT making inroads in insurance industry, the need for IT training has also gained prominence.

Use of IT Training in Insurance Industry

The success of any insurance firm depends on its clientele. While big clients with big investments in policies are important, it is the volume of small clients that makes or breaks a company. Small individual and institutional investors put their money in limited quantities and hence, there need to be a number of such investors to make a company successful.

In such a scenario, a company needs to maintain a database of thousands of investors investing in hundreds of policies with various combinations and clauses. This demands an IT platform to conduct business without any mistakes. Since, most transactions are recorded and maintained on an IT based platform, IT training to the entire staff is very important.

Customers also demand a lot of flexibility. Payment of premium for any policy should be paid from any place in the world. Policy renewals and withdrawals should be made from any branch. Information about policies should be available on internet and policy premium reminders and statements should be sent on mail and phone. All these demands can be met only through good IT software or a web of many programs and hence, adequate training is important.

Other than maintaining data and allowing advanced customer interface, these insurance companies need to take a lot of strategic decisions on underwriting and policy design. Business Intelligence software allows number crunching in different forms and gives a variety of reports to facilitate decision-making. Hence, IT makes its presence felt in this area as well.

With these few examples, the need for IT training in insurance sector is clearly expressed. The training is not just required on the software implemented to manage data but also on the tools available to analyze the data. Since there are frequent upgrades in It field, regular and continuous training becomes essential for effective running of any insurance organization.

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Should You Opt For Instructor Led IT Training?

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:18:43 +0000

Many IT training programs that were traditionally taught by an instructor have been converted into self-help modules that a learner can enrol to study. These online distance learning courses have gained immense popularity as they provide the flexibility to learn as per the individual requirements and the time availability. However, instructor led training has its own significance and provides some distinct advantages. Let us understand a few advantages of IT led instructor training.

Advantages of Instructor led IT training

First and foremost, the advantage of instructor led program is the instructor himself. A well-educated and experienced professional can add a lot of value to a normal courseware. Established trainers share their experiences on the subject to enrich the overall learning experience. This is particularly useful in the IT industry where technologies change very fast and an instructor can bridge the gap between an old and new technology to speed the learning process.

Another advantage of an instructor led program is that you can ask questions as and when they come in your mind as against the distance learning programs where you need to wait for the experts to answer your email and in some cases you might not receive any reply. An instructor can instantly bring clarity to sort out a confused mind.

Instructor led training programs generally happen in classrooms and this gives an advantage of learning from the peer group. Case studies and group discussions can enhance the knowledge about the practical application of the subject. Experienced peers can also share their learning during the course of the program.

Disadvantages

With all these advantages, there are a few disadvantages to this method as well. You need to go to a class and attend the training as per the pre-decided schedules. Thus, travel time and rigid schedules need a lot of adjustment on your part. In instructor led programs you also tend to get lost in the sessions if the speed of course is very fast or if there are more number of students. The cost of such programs is also higher than distance learning programs.

The decision on whether you should opt for instructor led programs or not should be based on your learning styles. If you choose you go at your own pace and want to have flexibility, do not opt for such programs.

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Is It Possible To Get Cheap IT Training?

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:09:02 +0000

IT courses are very expensive. Most of them usually run into thousands of dollars. As this industry is gaining prominence and is providing those ‘coveted’ jobs that most individuals looks for, the training for such jobs is also becoming important. With the increase in demand and limit in number of good institutions for training, fees for such courses is going up rapidly. However, you can look for good discounts and deals in this field as well.

Tips to Get Cheap IT Training

Government Institutions

The best way to avail cheap IT training is to look for courses run by government institutions. Generally, these institutions do not run for profit and their objective is to provide good education at affordable costs to a large number of people. In most countries, IT has been recognized as an important and developing skill and hence, governments have set up institutions to train people in these subjects.

Online Training Program

Another cheap resource for IT training is online training programs. Many websites are created by IT professionals to earn revenue through advertisements and they offer free training programs on their websites to attract traffic. These programs mostly train in basic IT skills. Other programs are also available on payment of some marginal fees.

A word of caution though – be very careful when you engage in online training. Verify the website and authenticate its resources. This is particularly important if you are paying some money to avail the course as many fraud websites are operating on the web. These websites either do not teach the promised content or have very low quality content as against the promised levels.

Bookings in Bulk

You can also get discounts on training programs to reduce the overall cost of your training. One easy way to ask for discounts is to make bookings in bulk. If you are reserving seats in bulk you can ask the course coordinators to offer good discounts. All you need to do is to get together a set of people, colleagues or classmates, to agree to take a course at a common time.

End of Month

Many training institutes give monthly targets to their sales representatives to sell a particular number of seats on a training program with certain margin in the overall fee that they can reduce to attract more participants. An effective way to avail this discount is to go for courses at the end of the month when the pressure of meeting targets is high on the sales representatives.

Tips to Avail Cheap IT Training

Government Institutions

Online Training Program

Bookings in Bulk

End of Month

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Improve Efficiency of Server through IT Training

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:06:09 +0000

To optimize the flow of data and information, common or centralized server s is used by most offices. The process of setting up a server and connect all the computers through the internal network is a very tedious and expensive process. There are licences and laws to take care of. In addition, server and network needs proper management through server and network administrators.

When a company spends a lot of time and money in a server to manage everything from records to websites and its contents it expects the best performance from such servers. Slow speed, delayed access and server shutdowns are extremely frustrating for employees as well as business owners. In order to maintain the right efficiency, server administrators should be given proper IT training.

IT Training for Server Administrators or Managers

One of the most popular programs used for server efficiency is Microsoft SharePoint. The earlier version of 2007 gained instant popularity with its ability to facilitate sharing of information through networks and internet. SharePoint 2010 is the latest addition to the series and it is extremely useful to provide IT training on this program.

This training on SharePoint provides the necessary knowledge and skills to IT administrators to integrate the software of their server and manage different capabilities. These steps help in managing content and enterprise services. In addition, the job of shared business processes can be accelerated with ease. This program comes with additional tools that help the server administrators in sharing programs and applications throughout the office with the common network.

The best part of this program is that there are tutorials included in interactive format along with videos to facilitate the training process. Additional material is available in the form of references to other articles and databases. SharePoint can help in help in segregating data and providing options where certain data will be available by internal network users only whereas a portion of selected data can be made available to internet users as well.

Document management, web content management and record management can be taught through this training. This will help administrators in managing the common resources and flow of work in a way that the server is utilized effectively and hence, server efficiency is enhanced. Thus organizations with shared networks and a web of internal computers can benefit a lot from this simple IT training.

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How to Reduce Employee Turnover by Investing in IT Training?

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:03:06 +0000

Employee turnover has plagued most industries today and IT industry is no exception. The high turnover rates are a nightmare for most business owners. Along with the disruption in business, employee turnover increases the cost of human resources as a lot of time and money is spent in hiring replacements. Many steps can be taken by employers to combat attrition – from a good working environment to attractive compensation packages. IT training is also one such solution which can help in arresting attrition.

Using IT Training to Combat Employee Turnover

Most employees look for a good learning environment in addition to the basic need of a good role and healthy compensation. Research has proven that companies that regularly invest in training attract better talent and are also able to retain good employees in the long run. Thus, this investment in training gives good return in form of retaining talent.

IT industry is a field where innovations are brought in at a very rapid rate. What is most relevant and popular today can become obsolete in a few months. Thus, continuous IT training prepares the staff to meet these challenges. A well prepared employee will have high morale and will be better prepared to tackle new problems. Thus, training will help in boosting productivity.

With updated skills and best productivity levels, an employee can climb the organization hierarchy with ease. Add to this, the thrill of bringing in new ideas that are relevant to today’s market. Hence, regular training will help an employee in fulfilling the desire of contribution meaningfully to an organization in addition to providing the necessary career advancement. These steps will help in retaining employees in the long run.

In times of recession, employee turnover reduces significantly as the job market does not offer many opportunities. Instead, many companies resort to lay-offs to reduce employee costs. But what companies lose with attrition in such scenario is the best of their talent. Competitors in IT industry try to poach the best employees from competitors to revive their companies and survive in recession.

In recession, training can play a pivotal role in retaining top talent. Most companies reduce training budgets to reduce costs. However, a good strategy will be to keep training your top talent so that they do not get attracted towards other job offers. Therefore, IT training will help in retaining employees effectively.

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Advantages of IT Training Certifications

Scott — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:01:16 +0000

IT training programs are available with a variety of options. University, schools and institutions offer many long as well as short duration programs. Special training centres and networks also launch a number of programs throughout the year. Online training courses are also very popular in IT industry. Some courses offer certifications whereas others do not. Certification process is generally expensive and time-consuming but it offers some distinct advantages.

Advantages

In a booming economy, where jobs are available in plenty and many companies are hiring, certified courses bring the best opportunities to the job seekers. Since certification involves a series of evaluations and tests, it ensures an employer that the employee has acquired the right degree of skill to achieve that certification. Hence, people with certified skills get the best job offers.

With good job offers come attractive salary packages. People who have spent more money on taking certifications can fortify their expenses through good salary packages. After all, trained individuals are paid much better than fresher and in case their skills are certified they can demand high salary packages.

Many companies make IT training certifications mandatory. Employees are expected to achieve a minimum level of certification for a pre-determined number of programs in a year. Failure to do so attracts penalties and eventually can result in loss of jobs. Hence, it is always beneficial to go for certificate courses when you are taking training.

Other than job maintenance, promotions and increments are also influenced by such factors. Certain companies make it mandatory to achieve particular skill levels and obtain certifications to become eligible for promotions. People with high level of skills are also rewarded with a better increment. Overseas opportunities are also made available to such individuals as they can put a good impression on the clients.

While certifications help you in staying ahead in a booming economy, they play a different role in recession. During recession, individuals generally try to save money by avoiding certifications in order to save money for lean periods. However, certifications are more important in such periods as companies do not lay off individuals with proven skill levels.

Other than job retention, it also gives a positive impression of a person who is committed to continuous self-development. Hence, the importance of certification is valid in both good as well as bad market conditions.

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