Train Your Staff
Access Your Business Needs – Choosing The Right Training
Targeted training is the most effective method of addressing the needs of your business and industry. It is essential to then choose courses that address the needs of your employees and the objectives of your organisation.
What is a Course?
A training 'course' is a structured sequence of vocational education and training that leads to the acquisition of identified competencies. Courses are composed of elements called units or modules. Units or modules are often referred to as building blocks because they combine to construct different qualifications. For example, to meet the requirements of a Certificate III, you have to complete a specified course of units or modules.
Choosing the Right Course
Talk to your employees and find out which skills could be improved. If possible, contact other enterprises and ask why they chose that course and what outcomes were achieved. Your RTO will help you choose the right course to develop your required skills.
What Courses?
The National Training Information Service (NTIS) is a database on vocational education and training in Australia. It contains detailed information on courses, qualifications, training packages, competency standards and training organisations. It can be viewed at www.ntis.gov.au
Courses/Qualifications can be searched by industry group, level of Qualification, State/Territory or by entering a key word. Information displayed will include National code, accreditation details, contact person, providers of a selected course, and whether the course is linked to competency standards.
For further information on what courses/qualifications are available in the Northern Territory, contact DET's Quality & Regulatory Unit on 8901 1340.
Course Delivery
Just as important as the contents of the course, is how the course will be delivered that is:
- on-the-job at your workplace
- off-the-job at the training provider's premises or elsewhere
- or a combination of both.
You can also decide how and when training takes place, for example:
- after works hours
- on the Internet
- in a group training sessions.
Take into consideration:
- the relative effectiveness of individual study as opposed to team-based learning
- recognition of prior learning.
By negotiating with the training provider, you can tailor a course to suit your needs. Make sure that your chosen training provider can demonstrate its ability to supply everything you require.