Advanced Skills for the Practical Trainer

Behind every spectacular training session is a lot of preparation and meticulous attention to detail. The truly skilled trainer can make a program exciting. The learners will have fun while they are learning if the facilitator is able to involve their emotions as well as their minds. You will see the involvement, and you will feel the energy.

To reach this stage as an adult educator isn’t always easy, but success isn’t just for the naturally gifted. It is possible for all of us who put effort into our personal growth and development. We want the enormous satisfaction that comes from working with others to help them reach their potential as human beings. This three-day workshop will help you reach that goal.

This workshop requires that you have a good understanding of basic training principles, including adult learning concepts, Velsoft’s experiential learning cycle, training methods, and designing a learning sequence. We strongly recommend completing Velsoft’s The Practical Trainer workshop before taking this course.

• Demonstrate your understanding of learning styles and how to accommodate all four learning styles in the classroom
• Apply the key principles of effective communication in a workshop setting
• Use a variety of training techniques to stimulate participation
• Develop a plan and prepare for an effective training session
• Explain the different levels of evaluation and when to use each
• Identify advanced interventions for difficult situations
• Put your skills to work for a team presentation

We will spend the first part of the day getting to know other participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.

To begin, participants will explore what they want out of this workshop.

Next, participants will talk about the role of the facilitator and the top skills a trainer needs.

This session will give participants a profile of the gaps between where they are now and where they need to be in order to perform their role efficiently.

Next, participants will review Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and how it fits in with different learning styles.

This session will explore three basic ideas about adults in a learning context. Participants will also look at the workshop from a designer’s perspective.

In this session, participants will learn about using customizable course material to give them a head start, copyright concerns, and how to over-plan to ensure success.

During this session, participants will learn ways to manage their stress and that of trainees.

Next, participants will receive a brief introduction to planning and preparing a workshop.

This session will cover some basic kinds of visual aids and encourage participants to determine if, how, and when they want to use each type.

During this session, participants will learn how to communicate effectively as a facilitator or trainer.

This session will explain how good questioning skills can make anyone a better trainer.

Next, participants will explore the four levels of evaluation, including samples for each type. Then, participants will develop their own evaluation for their training session at the end of the workshop.

During this session, participants will explore why on-the-job support is so important after training has taken place, and what they can do to encourage it.

This session will give participants some tools for dealing with common training problems.

Next, participants will explore some different forums for training, including virtual formats.

Next, participants will talk about co-facilitation.

The bulk of the third day will be spent preparing, presenting, and evaluating team training sessions.

At the end of the course, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.