In May 2002, I got my first job as a Contracts Assistant in a Facilities Management company. After slightly more than a year, I was reassigned to Assistant Project Engineer. Here, the work is more hands-on where I had to do earth testing and continuity testing on some of the installations. I had a Diploma in Electrical Engineering but all the hands-on knowledge has gone since I entered the mandatory National Service for 2.5 years. Just like any knowledge in the world, if you do not use it, you will lose it. I struggled in that position as I had no prior guidance and training. Everything was based on trial and error. It was until I was about 6 months into the job, a senior taught me how to carry out some of those electrical based testing. Not a classroom setting but he brought us out in the field and got us to do it. That was my first work-based training. I enjoyed it a lot and after, I was more confident and effective in carrying out those testing works.
In 2003, I joined a Network Marketing company. I know that look on your face but when I joined, I thought I could achieve my wealth there. That company was very Mandarin-based. Most of the good training workshops were carried out in Mandarin with amateur translation. It was very disappointing. I wanted to learn but the medium of communication was a big pushing factor.
In 2005, I rejoined the workforce in another facilities management company. I was sent for several training workshops because the client had some new wafer fab constructed. Honestly, most of the training was plain crap. Let me tell you why, the trainer will sit at one end of the table, project it on a screen and will monotonously brief us. It was a waste of my time. In 2006, I received a training on regeneration of the mixed bed. I got hands-on briefing unfortunately, the information was based on memory rather than documented materials. I had to come up with the materials so that I can train my successors.
In 2007, I was promoted and tasked to manage a students' hostel. This hostel is no ordinary hostel. It is named Prince George's Park Residences and it is one of the most student centric hostels in the world. There, i was thrown into the sea and was expected to swim. It was frustrating and getting information to carry out my work was a challenge. Staffs withhold information because they felt insecure. They felt that the information that they hold, secures their future.
Why am I sharing this with you? Each paragraph above shows the importance of good training and how training, good and bad, affects my progress. I realized that good training workshop helps employees to carry out their task/duties better. In order for workshop to be effective, trainers must be able to engage with the audience and speak their language. In 2003, I was totally turned off whenever the training is in Mandarin. Why? It serves me no purpose as I do not understand that language. I think I can spend that time doing more fruitful tasks. My presence there was merely making up the numbers. I believe that with proper training, my career will take off differently, i will be more confident in carrying out more tasks, performance gap can easily be bridged.
In your opinion, what are the skills a trainer might require?
http://trainertoolkit.blogspot.com/
