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Distance Learning and
Certification:
Management issues

Training is a very important management issue.  Well trained staff achieve better results, and that has serious economic implications.  The solution is structured, effective training that provides for today’s and tomorrow’s needs, with measurable goals and internationally recognized certification.

The following is typical in plants around the world; perhaps you face some of these issues:

• A great deal of money has been spent on vibration monitoring equipment and software.
   

• The results and returns from the investment have not been what you expected.
   

• Machines still fail, or machines are taken out with only minor faults.
   

• The vibration analysis system database has not been set up correctly; measurements have not been defined with optimal settings; alarm/reports/automation tools are not fully utilized.
   

• The program 'champion' has moved on, or is likely to move on soon, and you do not have a successor.

And when it comes to training:

• Initial training was taken with the vendor, but little else since.
   

• You are not sure which of your employees/team members are competent/qualified to perform the various activities.
   

• You believe that some of your team members are not confident when performing their activities; whether it be data collection or diagnosing faults.
   

• Training is very expensive: accommodation, travel, meals, and course fees.
   

• You are not happy to lose the team member for 4-5 days while they attend the course.
   

• You do not believe that the training is effective: 3-4 days of intensive training (most of which is quickly forgotten).
   

• You are not sure how consistent the training is – the information delivered depends upon the quality of the material used by the training company, the instructor selected for the class, and the intelligence of the rest of the class (some classes go more slowly than others).
   

• You know that most people do not feel comfortable asking questions in the class because they fear they will look "dumb" - so they go through the course without understanding key issues.
   

• You are not happy with the resources available from the class: reference and refresher training is not available - knowledge gained is quickly lost.
   

• Some of the training courses are a little too commercial - time is wasted with descriptions and demonstrations of new products and services.
   

• You are concerned that the 'nightly social activities' leave the team member too tired to absorb the complex vibration topics in class the next day...
   

• You get very little feedback from the course: what are the goals of the course?; what hands-on experience was gained during the course (or was it all lecture driven)?; what did they learn?; and what are the team member's strengths and weaknesses?

And when it comes to certification:

• The certification offered has no reference to any standard - it is really just a test devised by the training company/vendor.
   

• It seems that the exams measure a person's ability to remember facts instead of measuring a person's ability as a vibration analyst.

So, there certainly are a lot of issues - and you can probably think of other issues. 

We have been involved in vibration analysis and training for twenty years (and longer in the case of three of our instructors).  In years past, we have seen people come and go from courses (and seen their "deer in the headlights" stares).  We have seen vibration monitoring programs fester and fail.  We have heard from frustrated vibration analysts and managers.  We could tell some sad stories - but we can also tell some pretty good stories too. 

The key is training.  Structured training.  Training that serves the "student's" needs today and tomorrow.  Training that makes a person competent to do their job.  Training that offers a growth path.  Training with measurable results.  Training that is effective.

Over an eight week period we will take your staff/team member and provide all of the training via our narrated, interactive, self-paced, computer-based training program called iLearnVibration.  They will be monitored and assisted via our team of internationally recognized instructors.  They will be able to ask questions and converse with other "students".  They will be challenged and tested - but they will love every minute. 

Our training is very interactive.  We have over twenty 'demonstrator programs' that make complex issues seem simple.  Our training is narrated (and currently available in three languages), so it is not necessary to read a lot of material.  Quizzes and weekly challenges help the student to gauge their own progress, and allow us to monitor their progress.

By spreading the course over eight weeks, we can accommodate for busy times at the plant, and at home; we can accommodate for people who learn more slowly than others; and it gives the student time to think about the topics learned during the course while they are actually performing their job.  Compare that to 3-4 days of crammed classroom training. 

Are you convinced that your staff needs training?  Sometimes people do not like to admit that they need training - they think it shows weakness.  And sometimes people do not realize that they need training - how do you know what you don't know.

We have conducted surveys/research, and the two biggest issues that hold back the success of the vibration group are:

• The understanding that managers/supervisors have of the vibration group, and the needs of the vibration group.  (Do you understand what they are doing, and what can be achieved?  Maybe you need training!)
   

• Training: ongoing training, access to good support/reference material, and refresher training.  Vibration data collection and analysis is not easy; there is a lot to know in order to do it correctly.  And it is really is a case of "what you don't know can hurt you."

In relation to the issues listed earlier, here are the benefits of our distance learning classes:

Training effectiveness:

• There is no doubt that our training is less expensive than that offered by "conventional" training classes.  Even if you live in the same city as the location of a public class, our costs will still be lower.  But if you include the time spent away from the plant, and the travel, accommodation, meals, and other costs, distance learning is very cost effective.
   

• If you have a large number of people to train, we can offer "group discounts", or if you need to save even more money, you can purchase our iLearnVibration [Professional] package and perform in-house training.
   

• Because of the lower cost of our training, and the fact that people do not have to leave the plant, you can afford to train multiple people at once.  They can then support and encourage each other.
   

• Likewise, people with more experience within your group can "mentor" the junior staff members.  Our instructors are always there to help, but someone from your team can offer additional insights and experience.  They are saved from having to perform the training; just be there to offer a word of advice.
   

• It is common to see people distracted in the classroom by activities that are going on back at the plant.  Some people miss the course altogether because of events at the plant.  With distance learning, you only need to set aside 3-4 hours each week - and if things get very busy, spend 6-8 hours the next week.  And in extreme cases, the certification exam, and the entire class can be easily deferred to a later date.
   

• The ability to get answers to questions is essential.  First, our forum will have lots of questions (and articles) from other people - a quick search may answer the question in an instant.  Second, a person can post a question to their class.  The instructor or another class member will provide the answer.  And if the person feels embarrassed, the question can be posted "for the instructor's eyes only".
   

• One of the greatest benefits of the class is that you get to keep the CD with the lessons for future reference and refresher training.  It is possible to retake a lesson, search for answers (on the CD and on the Web forum) and generally utilize the training from the class.  We all forget things we have been taught, especially when certain issues are not common (certain fault conditions, field tests, etc.), so this resource like this is priceless.
   

Certification:

• Our certification (and course structure) has been designed to follow the new ISO 18436.2 Category I, II and III standard, and the ASNT SNT-TC-1A Level I and II standard.  These standards are internationally recognized.
   

• In addition to testing people on the specific subjects defined by the abovementioned standards, we have developed software to test a person's ability to perform real-world activities, and solve real-world problems.  iLearnProblemSolver, for example, puts the student in an environment where they have to "buy" data, information, and test results, and they have to order corrective action on the machine - its is a great test of their ability to utilize their knowledge and act under pressure.

Please note that the certification exam is optional, but highly recommended.

Training management:

• We provide a document which lists the topics covered in the course, and the new skills that have been attained.  We then describe the tasks the attendee will be qualified to perform.
   

• We offer a test at the beginning and end of the course and compare the results.  We can then provide a measure of "knowledge gained".
   

• We study the results of the tests/quizzes and exams, and look for patterns - did the student perform more strongly in some areas over others?  How did they perform compared to other students?
   

• Via the training software, we know when time was spent studying the material, and what results were achieved in the weekly quizzes and other activities.
   

It should be noted that we do not charge extra for these reports, however they are optional.  We do not wish to invade a person's privacy.  The reports are designed to aid in the student's education, and in the manager's/supervisor's understanding of their needs.

Once we receive your order, your staff will be added to our course list, and they are asked to complete a "student profile".  We want to know everything about the student: their experience, their needs, their previous training, and more.  This knowledge will help our instructors to provide a better service.

The courses have a specific start date, but training can begin immediately.

Each student will be shipped a CD (that contains all of the training slides, demonstrator and challenge programs, and weekly plans) and a Webcam (to be used in the certification exam).  We also ship our "Vibration Pocketbook" (filled with great reference material, tables, charts, etc.), and a mouse pad (which looks like a mini-diagnostics wall-chart).

The student will be provided with an account on our forum (message board) to post questions, search articles, etc.

Training can begin immediately.  The lessons are very easy to take.  The system tracks the student's progress and activity.  They will be guided straight to the next lesson.  Each slide is narrated - so they can just sit back and listen.  Many slides have animations, or pop-up simulators/demonstrator programs.  These programs really make the lesson more enjoyable, and more effective.

At the end of the lesson there is a quiz.  If the student has understood the material, the quiz will be easy.  If not, they should just go back through the lesson.

The weekly plan also has activities for the student to perform.  Some are recommended activities, like taking a measurement or looking for data with particular characteristics, and other activities require a response from the student - they must solve a problem or answer a question.  These simple yet effective challenges ensure that the training material is being understood, and it allows us to monitor the progress of each student.

You can go through as many lessons and activities as desired.  You are not forced to learn to a particular timetable, however a timetable is offered to assist with the student's time management.

If, for any reason, a person cannot find the time to complete the course in the eight weeks provided, you can simply defer to any future course.  And if a person fails the certification exam, they can simply go through the training material once again and re-take the exam in the future.

But if you get to the end of the second week of the course and decide that this form of training does not suit your staff, or you are not happy with the material or the tools we use, you can simply return the CD and key and receive a 100% refund.  We believe in our material, instructors and training methods, and are confident that you will not even consider this option.

We have been training people for many, many years.  Although the distance learning program is new, the tools that we are using have been used to train thousands of people in over 60 countries.

With your order, we can get started with your staff today.  The knowledge and skills they gain will result in improved results and greater staff confidence and appreciation.

Click here to visit our reseller page - you will find an organization in your region who can take you through the ordering process.  Or you can call 877 550 3400 in North America.  You can also click here to register your interest, and we will get the ball rolling for you.

If you still have questions about our distance learning course, please read through the Distance Learning description.  There are over 20 frequently asked questions in our FAQ section.  Of course, you can just send an e-mail or call us.

Thank you for taking the time to review our offering.  We do want your business, and we are confident that you will be happy with the choice you make.