6 Responses

1. Training Shop
   The Training Shop has a range of half day workshops for Trainers on a variety of topics. I have attended several and found them to be very useful, both from a training and also a networking perspective.
   Take a look at http://www.Thetrainingshop.co.uk

2. Learn!
   Try booking yourself onto a training course about something other than training, but a topic you do want to learn about – whether it’s selling, finance or even cookery. That way you can engage as a learner, experiencing a training programme as your learners do, you can reflect later on what worked and what didn’t, and you’ll have increased your skills too.

3. Ideas for self-development
   I would recommend observing a really inspirational trainer or presenter – Bill Lucas springs to mind.

   For a book what about “51 Tools for Transforming Your Training” by Kimberley Hare and Larry Reynolds, which has been around for a few years but is full of good ideas and also contains valuable principles for brain-friendly learning.

4. Mike Pedler book
   Hi Lynn
   The best resource I can recommend is ‘A Manager’s Guide to Self Development’ by Mike Pedler-you can find it on Amazon.Don’t worry about the ‘manager’ bit -much of it is generic & I’ve used it many times as a resource for people wondering where next with their careers.It has a lot of stuff you can work through & is intelligent & though provoking.

5. CPD for trainers
   Lynn, while books are great for knowledge, there is nothing to beat human interaction for real development.

   There are a number of forums including this, http://www.UKHRD.com and http://www.trainerbase.co.uk that not only offer discussion boards but groups meet regularly and share experiences, sometimes hiring wellknown presenters to run special ‘in-house’ programmes keeping costs down.

   I have belonged to Action learning Sets in the past (they tend to have a life span) which I have found invaluable.
   Other developmental opportunities include institute branch events (not just your own – most welcome visitors) as well as chambre’s of commerce & business links.

   As a freelance or member of a small business it is about finding cost effective and creative ways of seeing other material & people working.

   Consider putting a fixed % of your turnover into your development.

   Mike

6. sites to visit
   I strongly suggest you visit the following sites:
   http://www.astd.org (American Society for Training and Development)
   http://www.thiagi.com/ (Using Games in training)

   To improve your presentation, communication, and leadership skills, I recommend joining a Toastmasters club near you. (www.toastmasters.org)

   I wish you all the best

   Regards,
   Jassim