Talking TAP

September Welcome From Claire Brookes

Hello I hope that you enjoy reading the September issue of the Talking TAP Newsletter... this issue we discuss our Employee Engagement Open Day on the 21st September, read this article if engagement is part of your remit and if you're interested in attending.

In the Website Watch regular feature we continue to update the training tip of the month, so click away to see our advice for September. 

Our featured TAP Qualified Professional of the Month for September is Amanda Hodge who is working towards TAP Master Diploma in Learning and Development, and explains the benefits of the TAP qualifications she has already achieved.

Our Gold TAP Partner of the Month is software firm i2 who develop intelligence-led operations platforms to empower government agencies and private sector businesses, to investigate, predict, prevent and defeat the world’s most sophisticated criminal and terrorist activities. Their training team have adopted TAP as a standard to ensure effective skills transfer abilities.

And lastly you will no doubt all enjoy looking at the pics from our summer staff BBQ.

All the best
Claire 

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Staff Summer BBQ

This summer the staff at The Training Foundation were kindly invited to a Summer BBQ at Nick Mitchell, our CEO's, house. However, with Matthew Hancocks (from our sales team) as head chef we were all slightly worried about food poisoning, but all in all we had a great time enjoying perfectly cremated sausages!

Below are some pics of the evening, fun was had by all, see if you can spot the TTF trainers that TAP Trained you:

(Above Left to Right: Trainer Debbie Mann, Trainer Marie Dolan, Technology House Receptionist Julie Burdett, Trainer John Hill and Foundation House Receptionist Alison Taylor all enjoying a glass of wine!)

(Above: Trainer John Hill during an ice cream eating frenzy!!)

 (Left: Cremated burgers and sausages, and more TTF staff including Ron Mackrell, Jayne Bolstridge, Delia Todd, and Nick Mitchell)

Staff BBQ's are a great way of showing appreciation for hard work, they are also a simple but effective way to build bonds within a team, which in turn helps staff to feel cared about, valued and appreciated.  Caring about people is a very important driver of engagement which is vital when looking after an organisation's greatest assets - people!

To learn more about our work in the Employee Engagement field please contact me, Chris Sutton, Director of Engagement programmes, on +44 (0)2476 411 288 or info@trainingfoundation.com.

Chris Sutton
Director of Engagement programmes

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Website Watch

Welcome to the Website Watch feature, here we update you with new developments on our website.

0. Read Septembers training tip's, just follow this link
0. To view the full agenda for our FREE  Employee Engagement Open Day on the 21st September click here
0. Read the recent testimonials for the TAP Certificate in Learner engagement (one of the featured TAP Courses in Amanda Hodge's article below) click here

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Employee Engagement Open Day 21st September

In the current economic climate many UK employers need to make difficult decisions, yet these can adversely impact on today’s employee trust and engagement levels. That is why both the 2010 CBI survey and the 2010 HR Directors Key Challenges survey identified employee engagement as the biggest threat to economic recovery and hence the number one agenda item.

With this in mind, many employers are now asking themselves if their strategy will effectively equip them for the challenge ahead. Others have yet to think about it.

Either way, the clock is ticking. So what about you? Have you got your strategy in place? How successful is it likely to be?

We are running a FREE Employee Engagement Open Day on the 21st September 10am -4pm.  The event is designed to build high-level awareness of what is needed in a successful engagement strategy. Attendees of this event will have an opportunity to explore and gain insights into the influencing factors that are creating high levels of disengagement in the UK workforce including the findings of the 2009 Macleod Report to Government.

A few places remain.....call or email Matt Hancocks on +44 (0)2476 411 288 or m.hancocks@trainingfoundation.com to discuss this event and reserve one of the remaining places.

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TAP Qualified Professional of the Month, Amanda Hodge

Hello, I'm the ICT Business Applications Analyst/ Trainer for the mhs homes group, a housing association based in Chatham, Kent.

My career started with an IT training company based in Rochester, Kent.  I was fresh out of University following a degree in Business Administration and was not sure what I wanted to do career wise.  I saw an advert in the university jobs magazine for a Junior Trainer which offered to teach Microsoft packages and start training learners after a few months.  I got the job and worked hard to pass the Microsoft Office Specialist exams for Office 2000 and within a month had trained my first group of Learners. 

My first session was not that great, I got through a day’s worth of material by lunchtime and was not confident I had made the right choice in taking the job.  However I stuck with it and after six months was offered the chance to attend the TAP Training Delivery Skills course which built my confidence and gave me an excellent grounding to continue.  I then moved and came to work for the mhs homes group as an IT Trainer.  As the only in-house trainer with the company I had to design and deliver all of the courses initially for Microsoft products but then moving on to all of the housing related software.  I was involved in assessing training needs, booking delegates onto courses and following up with coaching and feedback.  We now have over 50 courses all of which include a manual and online resources.  I have also achieved the Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor certificate for XP,2003, 2007 and was invited to the beta testing for 2010 for which I have passed two of the exams.

Mhs homes is the largest independent manager and provider of affordable accommodation in the Medway area of Kent. Formed in 1990, mhs homes owns and manages 8,000 homes in Medway and has over 20,000 people living in their properties. In addition mhs homes provides;

• Sheltered accommodation for people over 55 years of age
• Young persons foyers dedicated to helping young people aged between 16-25 with their training, education and living needs
• Accommodation for key workers
• New build properties

Mhs homes is continually looking for ways to improve customer service and the IT Training we provide plays a big part in this.  My job role has now expanded into Business Analysis which allows me to work with the business and offer a blended learning solution including formal courses, coaching and online resources.  I have been training for 9 years now and everyday brings a new challenge but always the sense of achievement when I see the learning in practice.

I have been doing the TAP courses for the last 9 years and have built up my knowledge and experience.  I am currently working towards the TAP Master Diploma in Learning and Development, I’m half way through the Theoretical Basis of Learning self study course which on completion will give me the TAP Diploma in Learning Facilitation and have the e-Learning Design course booked in September 2010.  The courses are an excellent way to meet other trainers and learn new techniques for all situations.  I have integrated concepts from each of the training courses into my sessions in the hope that I provide my learners with an all round engaging experience.

I initially chose the TAP qualifications at it was offered during my first job but have continued to progress though the program as it is seen as an industry standard for training excellence.  The most recent course I attended was the TAP Certificate in Learner Engagement – Trainer of Choice with Marie Dolan.  I found this course different to the others in that it made me look in more depth at the emotional side to learning both from the trainer and delegate’s perspective.  I found it very thought provoking and as a reflective learner it captured my interest for further research.

Once I have completed the TAP Master Diploma I am going to concentrate on passing the Office 2010 exams but I will be looking at further TAP courses as it is always useful to refresh and build on your knowledge.  There is also the Foundation Degree which is offered in conjunction with Chester University which I am looking into.

Thank you so much to The Training Foundation for providing an excellent learning experience and to all the staff for their continued support and professionalism.

Amanda Hodge

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My Training Nightmare...

"There had been an administration error (in my previous company not The Training Foundation!) and delegates were sat in a training room in Bristol with no trainer... and I was sat in a training room in London with no delegates!

So it was decided that I would hop on a train and start the course as soon as I could get to Bristol. The group were understandably disgruntled but once we got going they settled down.  We agreed a list of the most important topics they wanted to cover and got cracking!   

We finished late and needed to extend the one day course over two days, when I came out of the training room there was a message on the notice board (no mobile phones in those days!) saying that a hotel had been booked for me that evening so I could deliver day two of the course, phew!  However, it was the first and last time I have ever checked into a hotel with only my handbag as luggage ...and used the free hotel toiletries!"

Louise Talbot
The Training Foundation

To share a training nightmare - email me at c.brookes@trainingfoundation.com

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TAP Partner of The Month, i2

i2 Limited develops a range of award-winning, analytical software solutions for law enforcement, defence, national intelligence and the private sector. Designed to help make sense of the most complex information, these products allow the user to develop intelligence, solve problems and formulate strategies. They also aid and support informed decision-making and effective resource allocation.

Provision of high quality end-user training is extremely important to i2. Whilst their products are easy-to-use, i2 recognises that clients can achieve the best results with training. The aim is to provide high quality training to help users maximise the return on their investment.

Jo O’Connell, training manager for i2, recalls the following: “We are always looking for ways to improve our training, and began searching for best practice train the trainer qualification.  During this search we became aware that TAP Learning System (a holistic series of training qualifications offered by The Training Foundation) exceeded these criteria.  TAP clearly offered an ideal way to ensure that the whole team is using the best training techniques. The courses offered by The Training Foundation offered us an excellent framework for continuing professional development within our training team, which ultimately provides a higher standard of training for our customers.”

“All our trainers have attended the TAP Certificate in Training Delivery.  Key trainers have gone on to achieve the TAP Certificate in Facilitation and TAP Certificate Training Design & Development. Without exception, everyone has come back with renewed enthusiasm for training and confidence in their abilities as a trainer. This is true for both new and veteran trainers.”

“i2 training has always been very well received, but as a result of our involvement with the TAP Learning System, since 2007, we are now regularly achieving  satisfaction ratings of 95 percent or more for our courses.  However, I think the most noticeable change is the number of individual comments specifically about the training style and techniques used in the classroom – I believe that this is a direct result of adopting TAP Learning System methodologies.”

According to Jo all members of the team are now speaking the same language:  “This has resulted in a common approach to training lesson planning and the creation of a standard template which everyone is now happy to follow. The quality of the materials we produce has improved, as has the efficiency of the course development process. It has also ensured that our materials have a more consistent corporate style and branding.”

As a result i2 are a Gold TAP Partner, which means that all training is led by personnel holding a TAP Certificate in Training Delivery, while all courses are designed by personnel who hold a TAP Certificate in Training Design.  This means that anyone considering whether to undertake any sort of training with i2 can be assured that they will be getting the very best available service. This quality assurance has added immense commercial value when tendering for new contracts, as the organisation has a proven process for benchmarking and assessing of training — something many customers consider essential.

Jo feels that i2 has benefited from the TAP Partner status in many dimensions. “I am really pleased that we are involved in the TAP Partnership. It has given us a more cohesive approach as a team and our course materials have undoubtedly improved.  Our training skills have been enhanced and this has increased the amount of fun our users have when learning about our software. I hope to continue to develop the skills of my team and hope that, in time, those who wish to do so will progress to complete one of the five role-based TAP Diplomas.”

Many thanks
Jo O’Connell, Training Manager, i2 Limited
www.i2group.com

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Celebrate Success

Each month we are very proud to celebrate the success of our hard working delegates who have achieved one of our 5 role-based TAP Diplomas.   This month we congratulate the following individuals:

 TAP Diploma in Learning Facilitation:

Rebecca West, Wolseley UK
Nicola Heffner, Aviva
Nigel Poole, Aviva
Anna McCulloch, Surrey County Council
Yvonne English, Discovery Communications International
Sarah Price, Admiral
Peter Mayer, Admiral
Heidi Dawson, Admiral

TAP Diploma in Learning Design:

John Willoughby, AWE
Anna McCulloch, Surrey County Council
Jackie Boyer, University of Oxford
Chris Lamb, NFU Mutual
Becci Marchant, HSBC

TAP Diploma in L&D Consultancy:

Christine Belcher, AWE
Ros Whitman, AWE

TAP Master Diploma in Learning & Development:

John Willoughby, AWE
Anna McCulloch, Surrey County Council
Yvonne English, Discovery Communications International
Chris Lamb, NFU Mutual

We also use this feature to celebrate the success of our customers who have adopted TAP to such a level that they can join as a TAP Partner.  This month we approved the following TAP Partners:

• eHealth Training  - NHS Lothian: www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk   
• IS OXFORD: www.isoxford.com/
• Primecare:  www.primecare.uk.net 
• Admiral Group plc: www.admiralgroup.co.uk

To learn more about the TAP Partners programme please follow this link to our website or contact me on email d.hickling@trainingfoundation.com or tel: +44 (0) 2476 411 288.

David Hickling
TAP Partners Programme Co-ordinator

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The Greatest Challenge for L&D

The pressure on learning and development (L&D) professionals to justify and demonstrate business benefits likely from proposed investments in L&D are highlighted by the findings of a survey recently carried out for the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, the UK’s leading dedicated L&D event, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham on 28 & 29 September.

'Making the business case’ is the greatest challenge when purchasing L&D products and services, according to almost a quarter (24.5%) of L&D specialists who responded.

'Finding the time to research all the options’ is the next greatest challenge, cited by 20.5 per cent of those surveyed, while ‘Making informed comparisons between the options available’ gained the support of 18.1 %. ‘Weighing up cost versus quality’ was cited by 13.9 per cent of respondents, closely followed by ‘Establishing an appropriate budget’ as the greatest challenge for 13.2% of voters.

‘Understanding the market place’ and, perhaps surprisingly, ‘Accommodating the role of procurement managers’ were the least popular of the choices, each gaining only 4.9% of the votes.

”The results of this survey show that both cost and time are key issues for L&D professionals in today’s market. In particular, that proving the business case is the greatest challenge is an interesting reflection of a trend in L&D that, I believe, has been accentuated by the recession,” observed Andrew Gee, Senior Project Manager for the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition.

“However, it is very clear that assessing the various options is also a major issue. Whether it is a case of finding the time to research solutions, understanding the difference between the options or assessing cost versus quality, navigating the L&D marketplace is obviously a huge concern for L&D professionals.  “This highlights the relevance of events such as the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, where L&D professionals have the ability to review the options available from more than 100 potential suppliers all under one roof, as well as network, brainstorm, receive advice and hear about the latest innovations and ideas,” concluded Andrew Gee.

The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition takes place on 28 & 29 September 2010 at the NEC Birmingham. 

To discuss any questions about TAP or our Employee Engagement courses please do visit The Training Foundation's stand we will be there 28 & 29 September on stand B10.

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Brain Teaser

This month's brain teaser was suggested by our Director, Ron Mackrell after reading Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Blink The Power of Thinking Without Thinking'.  Gladwell introduces the following insight puzzle entitled The Doctor... It’s not a logic problem that can be worked out systematically with pencil and paper.  The only way you can get the answer is if it comes to you suddenly in the blink of an eye. 

A man and son are in a serious car accident. 
The father is killed and the son is rushed to casualty. 
Upon arrival the attending doctor looks at the child and gasps, “this child is my son!” 

Who is the doctor?

E-mail your suggested solution (or request for the answer if you can't wait for it to be printed next month) to me at: c.brookes@trainingfoundation.com, just put The Doctor in the subject title,

The solution to last issues riddle, the clever girl, is that she takes the stone out of the bag and drops it on the floor amongst all of the other stones...  To know which one it was they have to look at the remaining stone in the bag.  It will of course be black, so the one she picked must be white!!

Those who correctly solved the clever girl riddle are listed below.

Usman A. Jamil, Presson Descon International (Pvt) Limited
Leslie Channell,  Aviation Training International Limited
Bill Smith, Handelsbanken
Margaret Long, Berwin Leighton Paisner

While these people suggested this alternative solution (she asked the man choose a stone first, obviously he wouldn't do that, or else he would have lost! So she won):

Claire McCarthy, Perth & Kinross Council
Paul Millard, Phase Forward
Jill Mitton, SouthWest One  
Andrew Hyde, HM Revenue & Customs
Nick Mitchell, The Training Foundation
Grant Christopher, Covidien France Holdings Inc

Many Thanks - The Training Foundation

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