Training new electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians is a hefty undertaking! We’ve created a series of ten laws or guidelines to help you cover your bases. You can find the previous five blog posts in this series here.
When students enroll in the NexTech training program, it’s crucial that they fully understand what it entails. A thorough image of the process and goals will invite a smoother journey to your desired outcome.
No One Likes A Bad Haircut
When you go to the salon and sit down in the stylist’s chair, they’ll ask you “What are we doing today?” You might say, “Take about an inch off the sides, but leave the top mostly where it is. I’m trying to grow my curls out there. You can trim the sideburns as short as my beard is though.” The stylist understands what you’re going for and has specific instructions to follow now. What could have happened if you’d just asked them to “make it shorter?”
Don’t risk confusion and unwanted results with your students. Companies don’t have time–or funds–to waste. Especially in a training setting where new employees’ capacity to generate income is on hiatus. They need to know exactly what the learning program entails in order for everyone involved to get the desired outcome, your customers included.
What Can Clear Expectations Help You Avoid?
- Wasted time clarifying and correcting student confusion
- Tension in the workplace
- Students dropping out of the program or increase in turnover
Everyone is Different: Clear Expectations Bridge our Differences
We all learn, interpret and apply things differently. We bring our past experiences to the new places we land. Therefore some students may be equipped for online training where others may have never experienced that and be caught off guard at the idea.
A diverse network of employees is certainly an asset to companies as students will contribute their own experiences to create a well-balanced and rich workforce. And at the same time, a bridge is needed. Having clear expectations for the training program is the bridge here. All service providers will be held to the same standards.
Laying out the Details
The end goal of training is to have a competent and confident technician that can go into customers’ homes and serve as an ambassador for your company. The NexTech Academy program is the vehicle for that training. Students learn foundational skills in the plumbing, HVAC, or electrical trades in addition to soft skills so that they can confidently interact with customers. The program is divided into four distinct levels that can easily be tracked; a clear pacing schedule offers a completion date so students can see at-a-glance when they can expect to be fully trained and generating revenue for the company and themselves. Modules, or lessons inside each level, are smaller items that can be easily achieved on a weekly basis. Most companies set the expectation of at least one module per week to be completed.
There is tremendous value in sharing the grand overall picture of training with the students so they understand that they have a lot to learn, but a plan is in place for them to become trained.
The NexTech learning plan will help you cover your bases and identify what your students will need to know before, during and after the training program. This can include:
- How and when they will learn
- What costs are associated with the program
- How much time they will need to dedicate
- If equipment is provided or not
- What kinds of assessments or progress tracking they can expect
Drafting an agreement, or at least putting expectations on paper, can be an effective tool to help Training Leaders create clear and concise language around what is expected of students. It will also serve as a reference for the students throughout training.
Measuring Progress
Once students begin the program, the Training Leader helps them stay motivated. Inside the system are reports and views that can easily show where the students are and what they’ve been doing. They won’t be abandoned! You’ll learn more about training check-ins and holding students accountable in the next two blog posts.
People need to see the entire picture before signing up for something, otherwise you risk disappointment and dissatisfaction — in the training program itself as well as the quality of service your new employee provides to customers. The best way to have success at every level is to set clear expectations from the start. This makes way for a healthy workplace and healthy business.
