Inzpire's Training Services Division - Change During Change!
09 Jul 20
Collective Training and Services OBU
Inzpire’s unprecedented growth and continued success in developing and delivering training meant that the establishment of our Training Services Division (TSD) on 1 April 2020 was a natural next step. We provide a centralised function that offers ‘training services’ both internally to Inzpire and externally to our broad portfolio of defence and non-defence customers. Our overall aim is to facilitate operational effectiveness with the needs of both employee and employer in mind.
The training services we provide cover a broad spectrum of tasks.
- Consultancy
- Process Improvement
- Needs Analysis
- Job Analysis
- Gap Analysis
- Full Documented Design
- Process Development
- Method and Media Analysis
- Train the Trainer
- Trainer Improvement Plans
- Competency Management Reviews
- Training Quality Manuals
- Training (Needs) Evaluation
- Evaluation Strategies
- Training Audit
COVID-19 (CV-19) and the Changing Learning and Development (L&D) Landscape – Action Quick!
The break-out of CV-19 meant that from Day 1, TSD was faced with an immediate requirement to review how we work, how we train, generally communicate (and socialise). TSD saw a need to quickly explore new systems and processes to support a new ‘normal’. These largely centred on digital and remote means of communicating and learning – learning to use new systems and also how to deliver existing training requirements through new methods.
Standing up during the peak of the UK's COVID-19 pandemic meant Inzpire's new TSD had to immediately review how they were going to work
However, how was TSD to make sense of the plethora of information now flooding the L&D world? What systems and solutions would help us manage and adapt to the challenges associated with remote working and digital learning?
PAUSE! – Evaluate!
TSD quickly set to work to un-pick these questions and scope how as an organisation we could be flexible enough to adapt to meet the changing L&D landscape. What did we actually need to change? Processes? Training methods and media? Did we actually need to change anything?
Inzpire's training experts had to put their evaluation skills in to practice to assess their future training provisions.
Like using the family qualified plumber to fix the bathroom leak or the family qualified hairdresser to cut the children’s hair, Inzpire utilised TSD skills and experience to scope current and future internal and external digital learning requirements. With support from all Inzpire Operational Business Unit areas, TSD analysed Inzpire’s current ability to deliver digital learning, reviewed the gaps in online tools and conferencing facilities and conducted webinar trials. We also reviewed digital content creation and management methodology and evaluated the current level of resource against future requirements. It was clear that CV-19 was shaping a new ‘normal’ and our analysis needed to account for this to ensure longevity of divisional objectives.
Planning for Long Term Success
Taking the time to evaluate and scope requirements confirmed that Inzpire and TSD were in fact not too far off the beaten track. However, analysis has enabled TSD to focus and refine the companywide digital learning capability areas for development. Analysis results have resulted in:
- Enhancement of our Inzpire branded Learning Management System.
- Improvements in our existing suite of video/web/webinar facilities.
- Purchase of advanced digital course creation software.
- Recruitment of an additional two digital learning analysts.
- Development in our course design-creation methodology and processes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed Inzpire and many other businesses to pause and evaluate their internal and external environments
What we have learnt in the past 3 months is that CV-19 has presented both challenges and opportunities and that it is OK to pause, observe and evaluate the world around you before making changes. TSD are now implementing a plan that is evidenced, realistic and which focuses on enabling TSD and wider Inzpire achieve strategic priorities. In taking time to evaluate:
- Have we lost any business? – No.
- Have we gained business? –Yes (we are growing).
- Are developments linked to specific business requirements and justified? – Yes.
- Is it likely that our changes will be short term? – No.
- Is it likely that our changes will be incorporated within our future ‘operating models’ and strategies? Yes – they are.
Iterative scoping and analysis will enable any organisation to review its current and future process, job and/or training requirements. Taking time to articulate requirements will provide the objective evidence that will allow the organisation to configure/implement/develop longer term solutions in support of strategic objectives.
TSD’s internal consultancy, scoping and analysis is just one example of where we have used our skillset to great effect. Our services are context agnostic; they can be (and have been) applied to any defence and non-defence context. If you would like to more about TSD’s consultancy, scoping and analysis services, or even our wider portfolio, then don’t hesitate to get in touch, where one of the team would be happy to help.
This blog is written by Tineke 'Tin' Brooks. Now Inzpire's head of training services, Tin served as a training officer in the Royal Air Force for 11 years and her career included appointments within ground and flying training organisations and also Defence Intelligence. Tin’s final appointment before leaving the RAF to join Inzpire was officer commanding training support for the then Air Warfare School under the Air Warfare Centre (Air and Space Warfare Centre).
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