2010 Resolutions: Education, training and certifications
First, let me offer you my best wishes for 2010.
1. Health to you and your loved ones
2. Peace in these troubled times
3. Political and economic stability around the world
4. Employment for those looking for it
Ah the start of a new year, the start of a new decade, it is the time for resolutions. Sure, we have the usual suspects such as dieting, exercising, quitting smoking, spending more time with family and friends and others. But, what about corporations making resolutions? I believe that all organizations, both private and public, should make the following resolutions in 2010 (and every year thereafter actually)
1. Create and foster a culture based on the acquisition and sharing of knowledge, education and training
2. Provide the means (time, money, and material) to the personnel to achieve
above
3. Encourage the dissemination of the knowledge acquired via
above – Knowledge SHARING is power.
4. Enable the employees to acquire the required material such as books, white papers, articles, knowledge bases, etc.
I know that I have discussed this topic a few times already in this blog but please indulge me as I get on my soapbox again at the beginning of this New Year.
Pop quiz: What is the difference between education and training?
Education is the acquisition of new knowledge
Training is the practical application of the newly acquired knowledge
Training is the continual practical application of the acquired knowledge
Note from Pierre – There is a simpler, more direct way of explaining the difference but it is totally inappropriate in this blog. If you ever meet me in a beverage place, you can ask me then.
Don’t be seduced by certification for the sake of certification. In my humble opinion, a wise person would have the knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and aptitudes to take the literature on a specific topic and be able to apply it based on the needs and requirements of the situation.
We all have to be careful about certifications. A gentleman once showed me a 3 inch (about 7.5 cm) binder full of certificates he had achieved in his career. Did this demonstrate that he had both the knowledge and the experience? In my humble opinion and my dealings with him, he did not. Look, I personally have certificates on technology and software we can probably only find in a box in a basement somewhere. Are the certifications relevant for our current needs?
Too many people think that having a foundation level certification in any topic makes them an expert in implementing it.
<...Please insert sarcastic comments here…>If this was true than I should be an accountant because I took three introductory level accounting courses as electives when I was attending university. I mean no offence to anyone working in any accounting or finance department. They do a great job. I know that three measly introduction level courses in accounting do not make me an accountant.
To me certification means that someone can learn and acquire knowledge. To me, nothing beats experience. Some people are very good at taking and at passing exams. However, can they actually apply the knowledge? On the flip side, there are people who do poorly with exams but a very good at what they do.
We have to look at two perspectives here. The first is that people attend certification courses to acquire the knowledge. They will start applying that knowledge once back at the office. Then we have the other end of the spectrum where very experienced people attend a certification course to “prove’ what they know about what they have already been doing for so long.
Which is better or best?
a) Someone learning something, achieving certification then applying it in his or her work
b) Someone with a lot of experience achieving a certification on something they already have a lot of experience with
c) Both
d) Neither
e) It depends
Pierre’s answer
is neither is better than the other is and there is no “best” answer here. Both situations are valid and useful.
Many organizations believe in continuous education for their personnel. They are not afraid to invest time, money and material (books anyone?). They understand that certification is but one-step in the grand scheme of things. On the other side, organizations refuse to provide education, training, and certification for their personnel.
Quote: “Why would I want to subsidize my competition or any other organization? As soon as my staff gets a new certification, they update their résumé (C.V.) and they leave.”
If you or your organization thinks that way, take a good hard look at resolution number one.
Additionally, which is better and more economical? Educating and training your personnel or hiring a consultant to come do the work then leaves without sharing anything.
In tough economic times, slashing the education and training budget is easy and immediately affects the bottom line. As I have said before, this is a huge mistake. Sure, some pundits out there are going to say that I am biased as I work for a company that sells education and training. These people don’t know me. I have always advocated education and training and I would do the same regardless of the industry vertical I worked in.
Keep in mind that an apple a day keeps the doctor away and that a gram of prevention is worth a kilo of cure
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