Choosing your training partners means embarking on a jungle of some 40,000 training organizations that all ensure that they offer the best range of training. For a training manager who sorts through organizations, for employee training or a person who wants to use their CPF and their continuing education rights, the selection task can be difficult. Quality of training, teaching methods, skills of trainers, recognition of the diploma or certificate... So, how do you sort out and choose the right training partners? We take stock of 5 criteria!
1. Is the institution, or organization, recognized?
Like when you go to Google or Tripadvisor to find out about the reputation of a place or establishment, opinions and ratings on the internet are an entry point to assess recognition vis-à-vis certain organizations. However, be careful to be careful, while likes and followers can be bought on social media, this is also the case for Google reviews (we all have that friend who once asked us to flood his profile with positive reviews to boost his reputation). To validate the reputation of an establishment, word-of-mouth remains an ally of choice.. Consulting OPCAs and colleagues to obtain their opinion on an organization can greatly help in making a choice. In addition, a good indicator of reputation is the seniority of the organization, if it has existed for one or several decades, chances are it's for a good reason. However, be careful to check point 5: if the organization is old, it may also be reluctant to use new technologies, which is not necessarily a positive point.
What actions should be put in place?
1 - Go and take a look at the internet and social media to assess user feedback
2 - Call a friend, in this case a colleague and/or the OPCAs, to obtain an objective opinion
3 - Evaluate the seniority of the organization or establishment
2. Is the organization certified?
A label or a certification is reassuring when choosing your training partners. However, be careful not to fall into the trap of “fake cool”, these labels that look nice, but which do not guarantee the quality of the training. For starters, We advise to turn primarily to establishments that have the OPQF label (professional qualification office for training organizations). With this label, we have the assurance that the professional respects the regulations, assigns the right resources and the right skills to training actions, is financially sustainable, satisfied his customers and finally respects a certain code of ethics. Another point, ISO 9001 certification is a guarantee of quality. Finally look at international standards like AACSB, Amba and Equis.
What actions should be put in place?
1 - Does the institution display the OPQF label (professional qualification office for training organizations)?
2 - Does the establishment have an ISO standard?
3. Competent trainers
Competent trainers exist, they should of course be avoided. When choosing the course, the trainer's expertise and pedagogical skills weigh a lot in the balance. Among the questions to ask yourself when deciding to choose your training partners: does the trainer have significant business experience? Does he have the skills to teach or train effectively? Indeed, a good business expert is not necessarily a good trainer and vice versa.. In certain situations and depending on the objectives of the training, we can look for expert trainers in specific fields, others who will make it possible to carry out practical cases rather than staying at a theoretical level, etc. In all cases, going to the trainers' LinkedIn profiles and consulting their possible publications are valuable indicators.
What actions should be put in place?
1 - Consult the professional profile of the trainer (s), for example on LinkedIn
2 - Consult publications or materials published by trainers on training topics
4. Clear educational goals
Once training organizations and trainers have been evaluated, it remains to focus on the training content and its objectives. In the context of training, whether continuous or not, the educational objectives must always be clarified.. This is how it will be possible to assess the adequacy between the training need and what the organization offers. This is also why it is best to clarify your needs in advance of the research. Knowing what you want also means knowing where to look. Do we want to get certified with this course? Is the objective the acquisition of new technical skills, new skills?
What actions should be put in place?
1 - Clarify your training objectives prior to the research
2 - Validate the adequacy between the training need and the educational objectives of the training
5. The tools and means used
Last but not least, choosing your training partners also means looking at their working methods and the tools they use.. By working method, we don't talk about questions like “does the trainer use the same methods as Professor Rogue”, but rather “does the training use digital tools”, for example. Depending on the training objectives, some will benefit from being delivered in person, others thanks to the Mobile learning or even in a format Blended Learning. In the event that the training is intended for a group of employees, it is appropriate to ask whether the Social learning would not be an asset in facilitating the integration of skills or behaviors expected at the end of the training.
What actions should be put in place?
1 - Determine the ideal context for training learners
2 - Detail the tools used by the training organization
