Internet Training - E-Learning the Wave of the Future For Business Training?
By Tony Jacowski

Training can be one of the largest expenses in your employee budget. The business world moves fast nowadays and training is one of the number one ways that a business can stay ahead of the curve. But when the economy is slow, adding additional pressures to your budget how do you justify the time and expense of traditional classroom training for your employees? The smart businessman realizes that it is poor business practice to eliminate training so they look to non-traditional methods to keep their employees at the top of their game.

The internet has opened a whole new world of training opportunities. The great thing is that time is on your side when researching training for your business. There is no high pressure from a sales person to sign up immediately or a need to reserve a venue for your training. Making use of these resources not only makes good business sense but can help ensure that your employees receive the best training for the least expense. One way that our connectivity has expanded training possibility is through video conferencing. It is no longer necessary for there to be a trainer immediately in the room. Rather, several groups can teleconference together and share the cost of the trainer. This type of training provides not only costs savings, but minimizes the loss of time, as your employees can participate in this form of training from your in-house conference room.

Another type of internet training that is gaining in popularity is self-directed read and review type training courses. To undertake this type of training an employee simply logs on, works their way through a unit, takes a test to prove proficiency and moves on to the next training level. The great advantage of this style of training is that it can be spread out around the employee's daily work-load, and each employee can proceed at their own pace. Additionally, there are always 'star' employees who wish to progress faster that the group as a whole. For those high achieving employees self directed training is the perfect fit, allowing them to charge ahead at will and apply what they have learned quicker. It is also a great benefit to have some staff ahead of the game to assist less speedy employees.

Online learning, whether through video conferencing or read and review courses is a new and very effective method for meeting your training goals while conserving money. Even in times of economic uncertainty you want your employees to get the best training so that your business can stay ahead of the competition.

About the Author:

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.