NTGI In The News

Northeast Training Group, Inc. is a PMI Global Registered Education Provider. Courses may be used for PDUs.

April 15, 2004: Northeast Training Group Named One of the Top 20
Software Training Vendors (#14) in Massachusetts
by Boston Business Journal for the fourth year in a row!

How to Choose: A Computer-Training Provider
January 21-27, 2005

By Matt Kelly

For computer training instruction, don't rely on hacks

Computer training is not necessarily a task best left to a book with the word "Idiot" or "Dummies" in the title.

Small businesses scaling up their operations often need to train staff in computer applications or other IT tasks, as they hire larger numbers of employees who might be unfamiliar with a company's specific routines. Boston has no shortage of schools and for-profit businesses willing to provide computer training, but without careful consideration, entrepreneurs can waste time and money choosing the wrong type.

More than anything else, computer-training instructors say an executive must understand what he needs his employees to know - and then find a training provider who can deliver. You can find education centers willing to teach the basics of Microsoft Office, but maybe half your employees already know Excel and Word. You can hire someone to craft a course about developing business applications, but maybe your business analyst doesn't communicate clearly and no new application is necessary at all.

"You can hire a trainer, no problem; I'm sure they're all qualified," says Kevin O'Brien, executive vice president of Millenium Training in Woburn. "But doing the preparation that's necessary, that's the important part."

Executives should always ask training providers exactly how they will do that preparation. Instructors should always be willing to talk with you about what material you want covered and what specific tasks you want employees to master. Equally important, the provider should explain how he or she will gauge students' ability so the curriculum can be tailored accordingly.

"The key thing is the detail before anyone enters the class," says Leslie Lagos, president of Sinnott School Inc. in Weymouth.

Trainers employ any number of methods to do so. Millenium e-mails students 20-question surveys, so it can gauge their ability and determine whether some students should be exempt or excluded; Sinnott uses surveys or short interviews with its administrative staff, who then work with instructors.

Executives should also insist on seeing the instructors who will teach their employees in action. Ideally, observe the person as he or she teaches another class; some trainers even offer a free introductory class of a few hours. Ask for references, or get referrals from colleagues.

Susan Goldberg, president of Northeast Training Group, Inc. in Chestnut Hill, recommends finding a training vendor with whom you can build a close, ongoing relationship. A good trainer should understand your needs and anticipate what classes you might need in the future, and know how to structure a curriculum to meet your needs.

"It's rare that I hear, ‘We need a class in X.’ The job is doing a lot of listening," she says.

Northeast Training provides instruction on more sophisticated topics, such as client-server programming or application development. Goldberg suggests a company examine its own processes to confirm that training is the correct solution - sometimes, people devising a new process just misunderstand how employees work, and consulting them can result in simpler tasks that require less training.