Webinar training VS Traditional training

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Certainly there have been many difficulties arising from COVID-19 for New Zealand businesses – ourselves included! However, one positive has been the push that it created for us to launch our online courses. With a number of IICRC and Ascend Foundation online courses now under our belt our Training Manager, Paul Pritchard, has had the opportunity to reflect on how our trainees are finding online training and how it might compare to traditional training. He writes:

Cleaning Systems Limited, Ascend Training Limited, and our Australian-based counterpart, Decon Systems, was the first to deliver IICRC courses online during lockdown for the Asia Pacific region, and the only ones offering three different certifications in WRT, CCT, and UFT. The feedback from students so far has been overwhelmingly positive – they have enjoyed the online learning experience and found they gained the knowledge and training they needed.

Trainees that have been especially happy are those that face the “tyranny of distance” such as the far north of the North Island and even further, Western Australia. There is no doubt that online training has provided an economical way of learning that would simply be too costly, not just in terms of money but also in time and convenience, otherwise. I think this has resulted in far more female technicians and/or business owners being able to attend than I have seen in traditional classes and that is excellent for the industry.

As an educator, I am mindful of the differences between online and traditional face-to-face learning. With the online forum there tends to be less direct interaction between the trainees and I – although trainees can ask questions through Zoom this does not seem to be used frequently and allows me fewer opportunities to pick up on the cues that I would usually watch for to identify if trainees are struggling with a concept. There is also less peer interaction. Finally, the process of taking the exam online (via an independent exam site) differs significantly to doing so in person. Some examples include the strict two-hour time frame and not having an instructor present to explain questions.

Both online and face-to-face training have their merits and it is of course a matter of preference of the trainee – there has certainly been a large demand for online training. So, if you are deciding whether to attend an online or face-to-face course you might like to consider:

  • If distance, time, or monetary costs of training are an issue for you, online training may allow you the opportunity to get the training/certification that you want whilst minimising expenses and inconvenience.
  • If your learning style is more suited to personal interaction or if you are concerned about the use of technology for online learning/the online exam process then you may find face-to-face training more beneficial.
  • If you complete online training and want additional assistance to prepare for the online exam we can offer individual or small group tutoring.

Whichever option you choose our team is committed to providing you the highest quality training and learning support.

Finally, it has recently been announced that the IICRC has applied to have its standards recognised by Standards Australia (and by default Standards New Zealand). If successful such recognition will be in addition to the American National Standards Institute. This means it will be even more beneficial to have IICRC certifications.

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