Skilled-trade employment is expanding—in some cases by more than 10 percent since 2010—and demand is high, according to a recent article on Forbes.com. As Millennials begin to take over skilled-trade positions that Baby Boomers have retired from, training delivery remains a debate in the industry because skilled-trade employee training is of the upmost importance. In today’s technology-driven world, is it necessary to train skilled tradespeople in person or is it acceptable to train online or via live Webcast or prerecorded video?
Companies like mine, Rainbow International, a home and business restoration company, invest a lot of time and money in training because we believe a hands-on approach is the best approach when it comes to skilled labor.
As Rainbow International President Mark Welstead, notes: “There’s no better way to train for a disaster scenario, such as a flood, than to actually go through a flood simulation in person.” In this training at Rainbow International, a model home is flooded with 1,000 gallons of water. Over a three-day period, trainees have to apply the knowledge they learn in classroom studies to the flooded house to ensure the entire interior of the house is completely dry by the time they leave. This house has seen more than 300 floods and helped thousands of trainees learn in a hands-on environment to help them prepare for real-life hazards.
“We’ve found that putting the time, money, and effort into training ensures our technicians are well-versed when they go back home and are equipped to handle anything that comes their way,” Welstead says. “It’s simply worth the up-front cost because how well an employee does his or her job in this field will make or break a local business.”
Should in-person training not be feasible or completely necessary for a business, online training is the next best resource. In today’s market, most new workers are so familiar with technology that a hands-on approach is sometimes unnecessary. In addition, online learning allows trainees to revisit scenarios through video demonstrations if they failed to catch something during the initial viewing.
“We predominantly rely on training our employees and franchisees through an online system because it’s unnecessary to put them through an expensive, in-person training program when they can just as easily learn the information necessary to complete the job at hand online,” says Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance, an appliance repair and service company. “Even when on a job site, if a technician doesn’t quite know the best way to fix a certain brand of washer, he or she can look up directions on his or her iPad. Training online with the help of technology has allowed our service times to be lowered and our franchisees profits to be increased.”
One of the most important items to keep in mind when developing online learning is to try and make the platform as interactive as possible. Short quizzes or interactive games throughout the demonstration will ensure trainees are paying attention and do not zone out halfway through. A longer test should be given at the end of all training, before any board certification test, to ensure the trainee is well versed in the content and has been equipped with the necessary knowledge to pass any certification test required by the industry.
Whether choosing online or in-person training for a skilled-trade business, a solid training platform is one of the most important assets in the industry. A franchise with a strong training platform can be a huge draw to an entrepreneur, creating more business at the corporate level. In my many years of experience, companies that handle large-scale restoration from disasters need hands-on training without exception. Other skilled laborers, such as plumbers or electricians, may be able to utilize online training as long as the platform is interactive and detailed.
Jack White is VP of Technical Service at Rainbow International. Established in 1981, Rainbow International offers home restoration, commercial restoration, and carpet cleaning services through more than 400 locations worldwide. The company’s restoration services cover fire damage restoration, water damage restoration, mold removal, smoke damage restoration, and more. While training is done all over the country, Rainbow technicians experience in-person training, which includes a real-life flood simulation. Visit www.rainbowintl.com for additional information.
