How to Successfully Find a Training Provider

Once you have a clear picture of what kind of course you want to take, the next step is to find a training provider. Whether you want to learn more about a particular subject, such as IT, or whether you want to enhance your skill-set, through courses such as Prince 2 or Scrum training, there is something out there for everyone.

But knowing who the best personal training provider is, is no mean feat. When it comes to finding a training provider, it is paramount that you make sure you choose the best training course provider for your needs. There are a number of training providers throughout the UK – both in person and online – but finding the right one for you will depend entirely on the subject and your needs.

There are various steps you can follow to better inform yourself what to look out for when finding a course provider, to avoid using companies that only meet the bare minimum requirements. With some guidance and diligence, you can avoid the consequences of selecting a second-rate training provider and know what strategies to deploy to ensure you are choosing the very best training provider for you. Thus, we've got 5 simple steps for you to follow to successfully choose a training company for your wants and needs.

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5 tips to find a training provider

1. Check the instructor's background and qualifications

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Instructors are a key component of training courses and can make-or-break the quality of the course. As a result, it is advisable to find out who the training instructor is for the course dates you are looking at – some training providers may have a dedicated team of instructors for each course offered by the company, whereas others don’t and may change depending on the different instructors’ availability. 

If you can find out the name of the instructor, you are able to do some research about what kind of qualifications they have to their name and whether they have a training provider accreditation. This will give you a clear idea on the content quality you will be learning about on the training course.

2. Look at course reviews

Good training providers get their students to leave a review at the end of their course. It is a good idea to take a look at these reviews from past students, to see whether they think the course is worth investing in.

These reviews should help to give you a feel for the company and whether can trust them to provide you with adequate training. However, bear in mind, if you are looking at reviews on their website, take them with a pinch of salt as it is unlikely that a company would advertise bad reviews on their website. If you can’t find any reviews, call up the company and ask to see recent evaluations of former students for your course. If they can’t comply with your request, it should ring alarm bells.

As a result, it may also be a good idea to look elsewhere for reviews, such as Google or Trust Pilot for example.

Another way to check whether the training provider is worth the time, money and effort is by looking at online forums. These are a good idea to assess what other people are saying about the company, providing you with all your needs and requirements. There are several groups and forums out there that exist to search and ask for information, whether it be a dedicated forum or groups on social media, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. This will help to give you a feel for the company and whether can trust them to provide you with adequate training.

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3. Consider the duration of the course

There is no set number for how long courses are, however, when choosing a training course, consider whether the full course will be able to be taught in the time period given. If not, they may not be as thorough as you may need, depending on the subject matter. 

To get a better understanding of what the course entails, you might want to get in touch with the training provider and ask for a detailed breakdown of what you will be learning per hour or day, for example. If you are still unsure, speak to industry experts or ask on forums to get other people’s point of view.

4. Read through the course content

This is vitally important, as if you are paying money to attend a course, you want it to be worth every penny. Therefore, when searching for a course, make sure you find out what the course covers and how varied the curriculum is – for instance, do they offer practical and theoretical work?

If you are keen to partake in a course and are struggling to find the correct funds, it is worth asking your employer whether they would be able to cover some of the cost. Even more so when the course is relevant to your job role.

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5. Check course costs

When looking for the best training provider for you, it is a good idea to enquire about the costs and ask for a detailed breakdown, to find out what is included in the price. It is useful to know where your money is going, to avoid being ripped off, and to avoid the possibility of any additional expenses that may not be in your budget.

It might be worth asking if the course includes the following:

• Food
• Certification cost
• Insurance
• Accommodation (if needs be)
• Travel

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Following the advice in this guide will help to ensure you are on the right path, with the right knowledge and information to ensure you choose a quality training provider for your course. If you want to find out more about The Knowledge Academy, do not hesitate to get in touch.