Tap Inexpensive Sources of Training Talent

03/05/07

You know your people need training in program budgeting, but a consulting company just pitched its services at a cool $2,000 a day. Isn’t there a cheaper—yet effective—way to find live trainers? You bet there is. Here are some practical sources.

SCORE
Financed by your federal income taxes, the SBA-sponsored Service Corps of Retired Executives advises entrepreneurs and their companies through seminars, workshops, and individual or email counseling sessions. You, may only have to pay score volunteers out-of-pocket expenses.

An added benefit: The SBA usually tries to find volunteers who once worked in your line of business, so that they and you and your people can talk the same language from the start. Find details at www.score.org

High School and Community College Business Teachers
Many such teachers moonlight by teaching courses for local business owners after hours or on weekends.

If you’d like to upgrade employees’ office technology skills, these professionals usually know the latest versions of mainstream word processing, spreadsheet, database, and graphics programs.

Community College CPE Programs
Larger community colleges have Continuing Professional Education programs to help employers meet a host of training and development needs from writing business letters to Web site design.

CPE program administrators can meet with you, assess the nature and scope of your training needs, recommend appropriate courses (or even create a course), and select qualified faculty all for a reasonable fee. Employees may be able to take classes online through their home or office computers.

Nearby Business School Professors
If your training needs are more complex, you’ll probably find some respected management gurus at a nearby business school. Although you should expect to pay the going rate for their counsel, you won’t have to pay for long-distance travel, meals, and lodging, as you would with out-of-towners.

Find their names by calling your newspaper’s local business columnist, the university’s public relations office, or the dean of the College of Business.

OSHA
Trainers in your local OSHA office will provide safety and hazard-control training for your people, usually for no fee. (Your call as to whether you want OSHA people—all of whom have eyes and ears—wandering around in your work site.)

Red Cross
The local Red Cross chapter can provide onsite training in such things as CPR, health and nutrition, exercise, and other wellness topics for a modest fee.