Which Modules should I do?

Why should I train?

Training involves a big commitment in terms of time, effort and money. This can be daunting for any business, because returns on that investment are not necessarily instant and sometimes it can be hard to see the specific benefits. However, an ‘I’ve been doing this for ages without fully understanding what I am doing’ attitude, is probably not very professional or good for your customers who rely you as their expert!

In the more distant past, broadcasters such as the BBC put new recruits through long training programs which enabled them to learn about their own role as well as those of many others they would also need to work for or with. The result was that staff who had passed through these programs had a formidable reputation regarding their capabilities and knowledge of the broadcast world.

Over the years, these training programs have been gradually reduced and simplified as cuts and business pressures have taken their toll. And of course, many of those staff categories are no longer directly employed, but are hired as short term contractors or freelancers. However, where staff are employed, the best companies do still see the value of investing in breadth as well as depth of knowledge for their staff and at Training for TV,  we provide bespoke training of this nature to several larger clients.

As professional trainers, we have worried for many years about the freelance contractors and smaller companies.  For this group, training does present a real problem. How do you learn and develop when you have limited time, budget and purchasing power and no structured career path. We believe our new modular approach will start to provide the answer in an affordable and highly flexible form.

Understanding the bigger picture…

For those of us who were lucky enough to get that broad knowledge and training, it is very easy to forget how well it has underpinned our expertise and how much of an advantage it has provided over a long career. Being able to read a schematic diagram, understanding technical standards and rules, being confident with waveform monitors and audio metering as well as appreciating what others did, along with the pressures and problems they faced, and how that might reflect on their dealings with us and how we might support and help them has been invaluable.

In practice, many of the things we learned were not directly related to a particular task or role and would not be part of an employer’s job specification. However, that breadth of knowledge makes for a better producer, operator or engineer: it will add value to the service you can offer and it will provide you with the ability to work and learn independently, allowing you to problem solve in an effective and practical way.

We therefore recommend that even if you are a small player working in a niche area, you look at not only improving your skills and specific knowledge of your craft, profession or vocation but also consider attending a wider range of courses and modules which will give you a much broader knowledge of what happens to a program before or after your own contribution.

Modules for everyone…