Factors That Make Up an Effective Employee Training Program

Employee training programs - such as Customer Service Training, Sales Training, Management Skills, Communication Skills, Leadership Skills, Change Management, Organizational Change, Team Building, Goal Setting and Time Control, Safety Training, Audit Skills Training, and Presentation Skills - are important to any company. A number of companies, in fact, go beyond these training programs and other educational opportunities that are job-related to offer short courses on setting up a small business and the like. And there are not a few well-known organizations like Xerox, Sprint and McDonalds that have even established corporate universities to further emphasize that the company values education and supports education efforts in the company.
What factors help build an effective employee training program?
* Constant and effective communication. Being able to communicate in a consistent manner and being able to spread the word effectively helps make sure that the entire organization are on the same page regarding the goals of the company. You should be able to communicate clearly how these goals are aligned with the goals of the incentive programs and that of the teams or departments and their individual members. Show also how the goals of the company are aligned with that of the incentive programs and of the training program that supports the incentive strategy. You should also be able to clearly express how the training is directly related to the work that they do and the results of these training programs contribute towards achieving the goals of the teams, individual employees and the company.
* Another key message - and an important factor in building a successful training program - is how the employees and the management are all part of the same team and how everyone is part of the company's future. Communicating this message well can help make the training program a powerful way to motivate employees.
* Build the training program using a holistic perspective. Look at the big picture. It should ideally begin with the company's missions and goals. From these goals, you should be able to create an incentive strategy. This incentive strategy should be the foundation of your specific incentive programs which are in turn supported by a sound training program. Make sure that the incentive program that the training supports has specific and measurable goals. These specific goals are based on exactly what you want to achieve. This could a particular number of outputs from the workforce or maybe a specific change in behavior or a behavior that you want to encourage. The corresponding measurable elements of these goals should be the basis of your incentive program targets which should in turn guide your training program. This kind of approach helps you focus on the goals and make the best use of the training funds at the same time.
* Measurable results and goals help keep employee training programs on track towards success. Specific and measurable goals is that they show everyone in the company that the reward program is objective and not just based on favoritism or the management's whims. Measurable goals also make improvements and performance easier to track which in turn helps in delivering effective feedback and in setting expectations.

Energy Broker: Is It the Right Career For You?

For many years, power companies monopolized the energy industry. However, because of the deregulation policy, the US government has mandated these utility companies to discard their generation plants through transfer to a deregulated venture. This has forced both the supplier and the utility company to use the wholesale energy industry to purchase power commodities.

As a result, individual consumers have the liberty to select any supplier of electricity and gas that they want. Now, there is a larger opportunity for common people, without any technical know-how and experience, to explore a new career as an energy broker who can help other individual consumers or business establishments to select an external power company which could allow them to save on energy costs.

Here are some important questions you must ask yourself before you dive into this career:

Are you ready to help other people to save on their energy bills?

Are you ready to share information that is crucial in the energy industry?

Are you open to the idea of saving on electricity and gas money?

Do you have ambition?

Do you want to create a passive source of income?

If your answer to most of the questions above is yes, then a career as an energy broker is suitable for you.

As a consequence of several major setbacks in our economy, millions of people are now searching for innovative and alternative ways to boost their income and to save on expenses. A career in energy brokerage and consultancy is a good choice because you this means that you are in the business not only for your personal goals through the help of an extensive network.

You can choose to be home-based so that you can work on your own time and convenience, as hard as you need to and you can also work on your own terms. Depending on your personal and money goals, you can have the chance to tap a passive and large source of income as an energy broker.

There is no need to have extensive knowledge and experience in sales and marketing to become lucrative in this career. There is no need to sell anything since the only thing you need to do is to share a crucial information to the people around you and beyond on how they can save on money.

If you are determined in searching for your own financial security, then a career, as energy consultant or a broker is a smart option. There are many power suppliers you can choose to work with. However, you must be wary since most of these suppliers would charge large membership or start up fees before you could work as a broker for them. In fact, many power suppliers charge at least a few hundred dollars aside from the monthly fees. Bear in mind that you do not need to pay anything to a company to become a broker.

Look for a supplier that does not ask for fees or make profit from those who are interested in becoming an energy broker. An optional fee for a background review is tolerable. This will provide you all the necessary trainings and tools you need to become lucrative in the industry.

Industry Training For B. Tech Students

Today, acquiring a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is no longer enough to guarantee a rewarding career. Most of the country's employers look to hire candidates that have real hands-on experience in their chosen subject areas alongside higher level qualifications. If you are currently making plans for life after graduation, you should be aware that you are more likely to find a stimulating employment opportunity if you were to take a training program prior to or immediately after finishing your degree course.

There are a number of companies and institutions who offer comprehensive training programs to B. Tech students and graduates. These can be as short in duration as two months, or as long as six months. Though there would be an obvious outlay involved with enrolling for such a program, the return on investment can be great, especially when considering how such action would bolster one's job prospects.

B. Tech students should ensure they have ample industry exposure in relation to software and hardware development if they are to be ready to handle real world projects after completing their studies. It is all well and good being an accomplished student, but putting into practice the concepts and theories learned require an altogether different set of skills. This is why industrial training has so much value.

When choosing a program, it is important to select from those that provide guidance in relation to today's most in-demand technologies. What subjects should best be covered would depend upon the nature of the work that you would like to undertake after completing your studies. Apart from a syllabus that offers a hands-on approach to skill acquisition, the learning environment should be conducive to success.

Training and guidance should be imparted in a team based settings so as to mimic the dynamics of the workplace. Project development should form the core of the leaning experience, with guidance from managers that have ample experience in industry. The goal should be to build on the knowledge already acquired in a Bachelor's degree and understand exactly how this can be used in real world applications.

Technology training for B. Tech students is very much in demand. The institutes that offer the opportunity to enhance one's knowledge in this area have grown in number considerably over the last few years. As when enrolling for any program, take your time to compare options and do not commit yourself unless you are sure it is the right step to take.

Is Teaching the Right Career for You?

Those who can't do, teach! We have all heard this phrase before, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Teaching is more than just a profession; it is a way of life. The job requires you to take on a variety of roles, throughout a single day. The skills required are varied, but the challenge in itself can be extremely rewarding. It is not a job that would suit everyone. In fact, many teachers leave the profession within the first 3-5 years.

Teaching, whether at a Primary or Secondary level, can be a very rewarding job. No day will ever be the same. It is essential for a teacher to take on a number of different roles during their working day; using teaching expertise, working as a facilitator or as mentor, to name just a few. Every pupil is different. But each pupil has the potential for success. As a teacher you could help them to reach their goals. The joy of the job comes when pupils figure out the missing piece of the puzzle that makes everything else fit into place. Having those moments in a classroom certainly beats sitting behind a desk in an office.

So many of us have memories of our own teachers, whether those memories are good or bad. So many teachers go into the profession because a great teacher inspired them. Or, because they had a bad experience and they want to improve the way their subject is taught to the next generation. It is a challenge to come up with new ways to convey learning to pupils that gets them excited about their own learning.

Although there are restrictions placed on teachers about what they must teach within the curriculum, they are the ones who decide what is going to happen in their classrooms. Teaching offers the chance to be creative and really share a passion for the subject we are teaching. Very few jobs provide an individual with so much room to be creative and autonomous each day.

Teachers will find things to laugh about every day. Sometimes it will be silly jokes that are incorporated into a lesson that might get a laugh from your pupils. Sometimes pupils will come out with the funniest statements without realising what they've said. Being around young people everyday will help you remain knowledgeable about current trends and ideas. It also helps break down barriers.

Perhaps the biggest perk of the job is the amount of holiday teachers get each year. Thirteen weeks in fact. These holidays can be fantastic, particularly the six weeks during the summer. They are also conducive to family life, if you want a family in the future, or already have young children of your own, you can be available for your children after school and during the holidays.

However, be prepared for people's views on your profession. Those not involved in education tend to think that you arrive at 9am and leave at 3pm when the pupils do. And those thirteen weeks holiday are uncalled for. Any teacher will tell you that they work more than six hours a day, often taking work home with them. Marking, planning and report writing take up a great deal of time after the school day ends.

Just as with any job, there is pressure to perform, government targets that must be met for each of your classes and the school as a whole. It can be a very stressful environment, where your teaching methods and results are scrutinised. You cannot help to become emotionally involved in the job, after all, as a teacher you want your pupils to do their best, and your teaching is reflected in their results.

Behaviour management can be a challenge for any teacher. Every class is different, as a result, they will respond differently to you and the subject you teach. There will be that one pupil who will try your patience to the limit. Those considering a career as a Secondary school teacher will have to contend the onset of hormones, and the other problems that come with puberty. It takes patience. Part of the skill of teaching is working out how to engage those pupils in their learning.

There are a number of ways to get into the teaching profession. It is important to look at the right course for you, which will suit your style of working and study. There are schemes that put you into the school environment from day one. Such as School - Centered Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) and the General Teacher Programme (GTP.) Under these programmes you will gain your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) while training and working in a paid teaching role. Or you could consider a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE,) focusing on the skills you need to teach, sharing your time between college and your school placements.

5 Signs That You May Be Ready for a Job/Career Change

The right job or career can help fulfill your purpose in life and give meaning to your days. While changing jobs in the current economy may not be as easily feasible as it was in better times, it is still worth keeping your eyes and ears perked for possible new opportunities. We spend a majority of our lives working and if your job/career brings forth feelings of burden and dread more often than feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction, it may be time to consider a change. Keep in mind though, if your situation cannot be changed, then consider changing your attitude!

Do any of the following ring true for you?

1. You no longer feel passionate about what you do for a living - Would you do your job on your own time, even if you weren't getting paid for it? If yes, then that is a good sign that you have a passion for it. One the other hand, if you feel 'blah', indifferent, or like a robot just going through the motions at work, then it is very likely that you have lost interest and excitement about what you do or never had it to begin with.

2. You dread going to work each day - Do you find it hard to get out of bed knowing you have to go to work? Do you sigh or grumble under your breath as you're getting dressed? Do you often find yourself running late for work or calling in sick? These are typical signs of resistance when we have to do something, go somewhere or see someone we don't want to.

3. You are uncomfortable or don't get along with coworkers - When you spend time with people day in and day out for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, month after month, year after year, you want to get along with them or at least be able to tolerate their presence. If you are not getting along with your coworkers or don't feel comfortable around them and have done your best to fix this, then it might be time to move on.

While there is no such thing as a perfect work environment, it is essential that you do not dread interacting with your coworkers. Good relationships with coworkers not only make the day go by and make it enjoyable, but also tend to increase productivity.

4. Your job is not fulfilling - Are you working in a position or a field that does not allow you to utilize your skills and talents? Do you find yourself bored or frustrated with your work? Although we need to earn an income to pay our bills and maintain our lifestyle, when we work to earn a paycheck but feel bored and frustrated day in and day out with what we do, we are likely to grow resentful.

Explore ways in which you can add responsibilities to your position or participate in projects that will tap your potential.

5. You have no desire to be the best you can be at your job - Would you want to hire someone like you if you were the employer? Are you putting forth your best effort or just getting by? You know you are in the right job or career when you put your heart into your work.

When you genuinely care about what you do and want to succeed. If you can't get into this mindset with your current job or career, think about what you could do that would make it so.

Did you recognize yourself in the examples above? Keep in mind that this is a condensed list of signs that may suggest it's time for a change. What other signs do you see? Have you taken steps to improve those situations or is it even possible?

No need to make any drastic, impulsive changes. Think things through and try to improve what you can. Sometimes an attitude adjustment it all it takes. At other times, we need to take further action. Good luck and remember to keep your eyes and ears perked for new opportunities. We have but one life to live, let's enjoy the ride!