Reports show a significant rise in the number of companies using external training providers to deliver training programmes, and that trend looks set to continue. For organisations weighing up whether to invest in external training, there are several important factors to consider before deciding. This article sets out five questions that companies most frequently ask when looking to outsource the development of their training programmes, along with the reasoning behind each one.
Why invest in employee training at all
The first question is the most fundamental: why invest in training employees in the first place? The answer lies in capability and engagement. Organisations want their people to be better skilled and more able to fulfil their roles than those of their competitors. Getting recruitment right is one step towards this, but the ideal candidate is not always available, and even those who are will need training to reach their full potential and stay ahead of the competition.
Training is vital to the skill mix of any organisation, but employee development is about more than that. It demonstrates a long-term commitment to employees and to their presence within the business, which helps them to become emotionally invested and gives them a reason to engage and to stay. Investing in development shows employees that they are important to the business, and that the organisation values what they are capable of doing.
There is a competitive dimension too. Employees are often the first point of difference between one business and another. Where a product or service is hard to distinguish from a competitor's, the experience employees provide can become an organisation's most valuable asset, helping to build a sustainable, long-term advantage and a positive experience for customers.
How a provider helps you achieve your goals
This is a valuable question, and one worth asking early, particularly when the potential client has a clearly defined set of learning objectives. Although many training companies, including Professional Academy, are ready to deliver courses at short notice, taking the time to ensure the training aligns with an organisation's goals leads to a far better outcome.
Professional Academy delivers qualifications across a range of nationally recognised frameworks, including those of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). The starting point is always to understand an organisation's structure, the wider context and its goals, so that any programme genuinely meets the business's expectations rather than simply delivering a course off the shelf.
One sales leader who completed bespoke training with Professional Academy noted that the programme was built specifically around the skills his team needed, ensuring the workshop covered the areas most relevant to their sales strategy rather than generic content.
How to identify the right people to train
Knowing why to train is only part of the picture; knowing whom to train is equally important. For some organisations the answer is to identify talent and offer a clear professional development pathway. For others, the focus is on specific departments, on under-achievers, or on high-performers whose engagement and focus can be channelled to drive future success. Often, training serves all of these aims at once.
Whichever route is right, a good provider can offer guidance, but there is one consistent principle: development should be something employees have genuinely chosen, so that they approach it with commitment. People who have opted in to their training tend to gain far more from it, which is why Professional Academy always encourages organisations to present development opportunities in a way that invites buy-in.
Choosing between customised and off-the-shelf training
This is a sound question, and it is worth digging into the evidence behind any answer. If a programme is described as customised, it is reasonable to ask how far it can genuinely be tailored. Does the provider have a track record of developing and delivering bespoke courses? Do they take time to understand a particular sector and specific needs?
One learning consultant who worked with Professional Academy on a Chartered Management Institute programme observed that the team took care to understand their requirements and worked closely with them to identify the appropriate modules and tailor the assignments around the outcomes they wanted to achieve.
Understanding the support a provider offers
When engaging an external company to develop and deliver training, there are additional support services worth understanding. Professional Academy can integrate its programmes into an organisation's existing electronic learning system, effectively providing a refractory training knowledge base. It can also give learners access to tutor support, while course material and delivery can be customised or brand-aligned wherever required, so that training fits seamlessly into the wider business.
There is also the matter of accountability. Provision of tuition and learning support carries a duty of care, and the standards underpinning recognised professional qualifications mean a reputable provider must offer robust, auditable quality control and business processes. A final, important question to ask any provider is what track record they hold in delivering results. It is reasonable to ask how many clients a provider has, how many of their students have qualified, and at what level, and to ask to speak to past clients directly.
How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey
Choosing the right external training provider is an important decision, and the right partner will be transparent about their approach, their flexibility and their results. Professional Academy works with organisations to design and deliver bespoke training built around globally recognised qualifications and tailored to each organisation's goals. To explore the options and discuss what the right programme might look like for a particular team, the qualification advice team is on hand to help.
Find out more about in-company training or speak directly with the team.
