Hi all,
Do you think staff are in the dark when it comes to how much qualifications cost?
The reason I ask; we've just run an exclusive offer for members of a Linkedin Group I manage. Money off our range of Advice and Guidance and Careers qualifications. I was chuffed with the response. Folk emailing to ask for more information, which I duly sent and then...
<cue whistling wind and tumbleweed rolling across the screen!>
Despite following-up, getting the beggars to bite has been a bloomin' battle! Those that DID come back to me, by and large, claimed funding was an issue.
I know very well, after many hours of online research over the past seven years, we're not the most expensive provider out there AND we offer flexible payment plans to suit all budgets.
I just wonder what people's expectations are when it comes to investing in accredited CPD? How much DO they expect to pay for a Level 6 Diploma, for example? We're talking "high end" stuff here!
Ade.
3 Responses
I have to say that I’m no
I have to say that I’m no expect in costs/budgets in regard to qualifications, whether it be at a personal or organisational level, but I am interested to hear the experiences & thoughts of others here, mainly because it’s something that comes up frequently at L&D events I’ve been to. Have you found that certain types of qualification/training are easier to ‘sell’ or get businesses to justify the cost to the board? Or is it easier to convince a company with a budget to spend than it is an individual who has to put a value/cost on their own development?
Hi Shonette,
Hi Shonette,
I think for an individual undergoing a qualification that’s funded by their employer, often very little thought is given to how much the qualification costs. Reflecting on my own experience, when I undertook my Careers qualification back in the day, I didn’t think “Blimey! This has cost Connexions £2000, I’d better be a good boy, knuckle down and show my commitment!” I just wanted to get to the end of it as quickly as possible! (That was more to do with how it was delivered, but that’s another story!). I think when a qualification becomes a priority for an organisation and they feel they HAVE to have it, convincing them to sign up is easier. For example, the Level 6 Careers Diploma is now seen as the “industry standard” and in order to compete in times of “traded services” and schools having to “buy in” the Careers service for the first time, having Level 6 qualified staff is a great “selling point” as well as an endorsement of quality.
What surprised me, hence the question, was the lack of awareness I found from a lot of people, who are in a position where they can only self-fund, as to how much qualifications cost at various levels.
Hi there Ade; it’s me again.
Hi there Ade; it’s me again. It’s not necessarily about the cost; it’s about the value it adds. I don’t know anything about your area of specialty but broadly speaking the cost is intrinsically linked to the value. The value in this case would be how does it improve the bottom-line. So that is things like saving money going forward,being future-proofed against new legislation/audit or (if applicable) does it create a potential profit.
If it appears like a nice to have then budget holders are less likely to fund learning for learning’s sake. If they see a clear link between the learning and the value it adds to the company then that is better.
For eaxmple, if the qual costs £2000 over 6 months but is going to bring in £10,000 worth of value – that’s a more compelling proposition. As ever, hope that helps.