If you are planning to take an IT course, there are different options available to you. If you want to learn from a distance, at your own pace and to fit around your own schedule, online IT training is the best choice. Otherwise, IT courses can be taken at specialised, state of the art training centres run by the course provider, or onsite IT training can be delivered at your place of employment or business.
Onsite IT training is offered by some companies as a more personal provision of training. A trainer is sent to the client’s premises on pre-arranged dates and times. The training is bespoke: completely tailored to meet the client’s needs. As there is going to be more than one candidate to be trained and each individual may have different levels of experience or previous training, this will be taken into account when the training package is put together so that everyone’s requirements are catered to. Think of it as a classroom of pupils of different standards and abilities, all learning the same lessons.
With onsite training, the emphasis is often on learning at your own pace, which is often not possible when training at an offsite training centre. The aim is to provide delegates with manageable training sessions, often spread over several days to ensure maximum knowledge absorption and sufficient opportunity to ask questions and clarify any issues. An important part of learning is having the chance to practice the new skills before moving on to a different stage – this is one of the advantages of onsite training.
What Courses Can I Book With Onsite IT Training?
Onsite IT training is available in an enormous range of IT designations, including:
- Java programming
- NET
- C#
- ASP.NET
- Python programming
- Web development and programming
- C and C++ programming
- Visual Basic
- .NET training
- General computer programming
- Software development and engineering
- UNIX
- Windows
- Networking
- Database and hardware training
- Training in Linux security
- Oracle training
- SQL
- Information technology
- SAP training
- Exam certification training
- Microsoft Office
- FrontPage
- Flash
- Photoshop
- Dreamweaver
This list is not exhaustive but gives an indication of the variety of courses on offer.
Typically, onsite IT training is arranged by your employer or team manager. It is seen as a valuable investment; a highly effective way to make sure that an IT team is working productively and with all the knowledge they need.
Often managers choose onsite training because there are other advantages to the business aside from the obvious training advantages to the delegates themselves.
The Advantages To Onsite IT Training
Training onsite means that employees are not sent to another location, which could be some distance away. This saves travelling time and expense, and keeps the team close at hand if this is a priority. Flexibility of training schedules means that there is less prospect of the business suffering from the absence of the employees. Onsite training can be arranged to take place outside regular working hours, for example before or after work, so that the delegates can carry on with their responsibilities. It is possible to rotate the delegates so that they are not all in training at the same time, enabling them to share their workloads and keep the business running smoothly.
Many onsite course providers advertise special offers to encourage you to use their services. For example, they may offer a money back guarantee (terms and conditions will apply). They may also offer free IT training, for instance for every two delegates undergoing the training, a third can train free of charge.
A good onsite IT training company will use hands-on training techniques with objective-specific scenarios, provide ongoing, constructive feedback and as much advice and support as the delegates require.
Many companies choose onsite training over other training methods because it can be a cost-effective training programme that can be created to suit the exact requirements of their business model.
It is often possible to have other training needs met alongside the IT training, for example “soft skills” – customer services, communication skills etc. If these are appropriate to the team and will help increase productivity, this can be a worthwhile step.
Generally the only requirement for onsite training is that the company has a room or area large enough to comfortably hold the number of delegates, who are being trained, as well as the trainer and the necessary equipment. If equipment is needed, the course provider will set up the room with everything that is needed – for instance laptops, projectors, white boards and flip charts. There may be an additional charge to hire the laptops, which should be clarified at the time of booking. Most companies have a minimum number of delegates for the training programme.
Booking onsite training is straightforward: either email or telephone the company you wish to use and they will ask you to give details of what you are looking for (the number of delegates, the type of training required, the location where the training will take place and what dates and times are preferable. They will then try to accommodate your request, and notify you with a confirmation.
Average Cost Of Onsite IT Training
Onsite training in IT can vary in cost from one company to another. As a very general guideline, you can expect to pay around £500 for a group of 8 delegates. Depending on where the headquarters of the training company are, there may be additional charges for travel or accommodation if there is some distance involved. If this is the case, you may want to source a training company fairly local to your business. Remember that VAT will be payable on top of all other costs.
The training company will be able to give you advice if you are not sure what the best training option is for you or your employees. They can provide expert guidance to help you decide on the most productive training programme.
Onsite IT training can be a worthwhile investment for companies in the IT industry. If you are lucky you will be impressed with your course provider and go on to develop a long-term working relationship. Some companies organise regular onsite training sessions in order to keep their employees up to date with all the latest developments in software.
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