Jason Rykken
Business Development Manager, ?North American Foodservice
Pentair
Hanover Park, Illinois
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The most effective training occurs when trainer and trainee work collaboratively in program planning and design.
W hat makes for successful manufacturer-to-service partner training? Our industry frequently kicks around that question and it’s one the CFESA-NAFEM Liaison Committee recently discussed on a cross-functional level.

It is important to determine the most effective training method: web-based, interactive or face-to-face? After first concluding face-to-face training is best, the group recalibrated and acknowledged that all forms of training can be effective. The key is to match the most appropriate training method to what is being communicated.

• Web-based training is most effective for roll-outs and performance maintenance checks/procedures. This approach allows you to easily engage a large number of people and effectively present a “big picture” topic.
• Interactive training is most effective when a one-on-one approach is necessary. Interactive tools can deliver a repeatable story on a personal level, conveniently, on-demand, and in a very timely manner.
• Face-to-face training is most effective in achieving learning with long-term retention because some experiences that occur “in person” cannot be easily replicated in interactive or web-based approaches; for example, the ability to register that “burning hair smell” or feel the heat/cold emitted by a part.

The most effective training, regardless of the content delivery method, occurs when trainer and trainee work collaboratively in program planning and design prior to the actual educational event. Who better to help you develop your training than someone from your target audience or a key stakeholder? The CFESA-NAFEM Liaison Committee generated the following checklist for use by all parties involved in developing training for a given market.?

• Who is going to be at the training?
• Is the local Manufacturer’s Representative or Distributor going to be there?
• What do you want to cover?
• What is going to be covered?
• What characteristics does this region have/face that other areas might not have/face that impacts the equipment?
• What equipment is used in the region?
• Are you bringing in actual equipment for us to work/learn on?
• Are there any specific customers, who have equipment, that you want to make sure are covered?
• What time of year do you want to do it?
• How long is needed?
• Will it require a full day?
• When do you want to start?
• Will there be a test during/at the end of the training?
• Do you have a process for trainees to communicate feedback on the training?
• Do you have a plan for all involved parties to review those tests and that feedback after the training?Have you been asked to provide ?training? Are you asking for training? If so, you owe it to yourself — and anyone else investing their valuable time in it — to take a few minutes to jointly walk through this best practices checklist to ensure you are getting the most from your time.?Your time is valuable and you deserve to get the most out of every minute you have.?

“Parting Shot’’ is a monthly opinion column written on a rotating basis by guest authors. ?The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of FE&S.