How is GMP training managed within your organisation?
There are in essence two ways in which training is delivered to companies; online or instructor-led.
How does each one provide value to your organisation?
The Two Training Types
- Online
Online training, also called E-learning or computer/web-based training, involves an individual trainee progressing through a computer-based training program. - Instructor-led
Often referred to as classroom or face-to-face training, instructor-led training involves a subject matter expert (SME) delivering a course to an audience of trainees.
Both environments have a place in your company-wide training program and offer different benefits. In this article, we’ll take a brief look at some key concepts of the two modes of delivery to help you get more out of your training regime.
Online GMP Training
Courses should be short and sharp to keep the trainee’s attention during their session at the computer. As such, online training is best for induction and refresher training with a structured break-down of content by topics. Good courses include a mix of user-interactions (audio, text, multi-media/visual aids and activities) to facilitate engagement and thereby learning.
Advantages and Benefits
- Flexible delivery – As an online solution, anyone can train anytime from anywhere. This flexibility makes it easy to fit training into your business operations, including during:
- scheduled training blocks
- unplanned staff availability (e.g. unscheduled equipment down-time)
- travel periods
- outside business hours
- Consistency – Content is standardised in modules so the entire training group learns the same consistent messages and lessons that helps support operational efficiency.
- Self-paced – Although multiple people can train in the same course at the same time, each individual can progress through the course at their own speed. This allows each trainee to take the required time to understand the content and commit the lessons to memory.
- Focus on value – All trainees cover the same core content and courses then offer further information via links to websites and documents with more details for the people interested. Particularly for refresher training, people can focus on learning the lessons that are less familiar to them and move quickly through the content that they are comfortable with.
Instructor-led Training
Instructor-led training is generally intended to up-skill people, providing new knowledge and skills, so they can perform their role better or perform a new role. Good instructor-led programs include theory and more importantly a strong practical element that explores the application of new knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Advantages and Benefits
- Content flexibility – With a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the room controlling the course, the content can be tailored to the audience’s needs. This may relate to differences in roles and positions (e.g. shop floor staff to management of Quality and Production) or differences in industry or background (e.g. pharmaceutical and medical device). The instructor also provides facilitation of discussion to direct the lessons and provide value-adding contributions as required.
- Economy of scale – Within a classroom environment there is the opportunity to train a large number of people at the same time. This makes it ideal for scheduled training where staff can be co-ordinated to attend on mass.
- Collaboration – Within the larger audience, trainees can learn from each other through discussions and team-based workshops. This enhances the learning experience and can support team-building and respect within the group.
- Detail – Instructor-led courses can be as long or as short as your company likes, where the environment allows for longer sessions in which more detail can be covered.
Other Considerations
Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and Quality Management Systems (QMSs) offer additional tools to support training administration, such as training requirements, course scheduling, attendance, assessment and records. For both training environments these tools can enhance business profitability through greater efficiency and control of training management and performance activities.
Conclusion
In order to deliver the required range of training appropriate to duties assigned, a range of options must be offered that cater for both the level of training needed and business resource availability. Implementing the right option at the right time allows your training program to be optimally cost-effective.
SeerPharma is the leading Quality and GMP training provider in the Asia-Pacific region having helped companies by developing and delivering both online and instructor-led training programs over the last 25 years.
If you would like to learn more about how online training can help your organisation, please click here.
If instructor-led training is an area you are looking for assistance with, please click here.
Alternatively, please contact us to discuss your needs and explore how SeerPharma can help.
