I think it is clear to all of us that we live in a process of continuous change that does not allow us to stand still. If we don’t move forward, if we don’t adapt, day by day we are swept away. But no one disputes that we squeeze the minutes out of the day to the maximum and sometimes it is difficult to find 15 minutes in a whole week.
With this same reflection, I could spend the next few lines looking for the best way to manage time efficiently, how to stop procrastinating, how to learn to prioritise and know how to say no?
But I am of the opinion that all people with the right motivation can achieve their goals, no matter how complex they may seem at first.
If what we want then is to find a few minutes to train ourselves, to be able to evolve at the pace that society demands of us, the key is to be clear about what we really want. Because let’s not fool ourselves. People who start a course do not do so “to train” but to be more successful professionally, to expand their circles (social and professional) and, why not, for the pleasure of continuing to learn.
So, my aim is to expose, in an easy and light way, some tips to find the right training for you.
Looking for objectives
Let’s start, as I anticipated, by clarifying the real objective we are pursuing with this intention to train. According to a recent publication by FUNDAE (State Foundation for Employment Training), 5.5 million professionals were trained in 2022 through initiatives managed by its foundation. The average time spent on training according to the same report is 84 hours per year (considering companies’ own training and courses subsidised by FUNDAE). What benefits can we expect for spending around 8h/month on training?
- Improvement of skills/capabilities: continuous training helps us to keep up to date with new trends that arise in our environment, thus allowing us to gain in productivity and adaptability.
- Increased opportunities: whether we choose to deepen the knowledge we already have or to acquire new skills, training opens new doors for us to continue developing within our current company, but also in the rest of the labour market.
- Networking: networking with people from other companies / sectors not only allows you to acquire extra training by providing different views to those of your immediate environment, but also facilitates new future collaborations / job opportunities.
- Personal growth: numerous studies confirm that learning new things creates new neural patterns that in turn help to generate new brain connections. If, in addition, this new learning makes us enjoy it (and it should), our brain generates dopamine, which is our natural antidepressant.
What to ask myself first
Once it is clear what the objective of the training is, it is also important to analyse one’s personal situation.
Do you want to train, but find it difficult to find time in your schedule? Look for “Micro-training” options. Training schools are increasingly aware of this problem and design very flexible programmes with short sessions that can be consumed through multiple channels.
Does your problem come down to face-to-face availability? When you can’t commit to 100% face-to-face attendance, look for hybrid or blended training models. Select which content you want to consume in which channel and organise yourself in time to be able to meet the schedule.
Do you value practice more than theory? Look for programmes that leverage collaborative intelligence as a source of learning. Recently, AI-based solutions are also offering numerous alternatives to encourage practice in digital environments.
10 ideas for selecting your training
If at this point, you still have doubts about how to select the most appropriate training, here are 10 ideas that I hope will help you (9 tips + a bonus):
- Future. Think big. Visualise your “future self” and identify the main skills in which you need to evolve. Focus on them
- Objective. Clarify what is the objective you are looking for with the training and which formats are best suited to you and your current situation.
- Recommendations. Analyse the different options (courses and schools) that respond to these objectives and let yourself be guided by comments from former students.
- Motivation. Plan each step well because it is as important to start as it is to keep going.
- Action. Try to put into practice soon each of the things you learn. This way you will be able to assess the practicality of the content and redefine your itinerary if it needs to be adjusted.
- Career. Appreciate the opportunities that open up by applying new knowledge to your experience.
- Interest. Pay attention to new trends by identifying the ones that interest you most.
- Offer. Once you are clear about what you want to study, look for scholarships or study grants and flexible payment models to facilitate access.
- Networking. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet people who will enrich you during your training. Maintain these contacts once you have finished
Knowledge doesn’t take up space, so never stop learning!!!
