The CSF Training & Education division is based from our City of London office. The highest calibre IT-specialist tutors use a lecture/workshop style of delivery, ensuring that all attendees receive plenty of supportive practical experience where necessary. Our training centre and rooms have recently undergone refurbishment to the highest standard.

We are able to offer a full range of specialist technical, accredited technical and tailored and standard application courses to our client base. Our range of training options and accreditation options is constantly increasing. Our specialist teams work with other areas of CSF to provide an all-encompassing technology solution. The key to the effectiveness of that being the flexibility that CSF can offer in tandem with the quality that is required.

CSF training has also established partnerships where necessary with other educational providers beyond our own training offering so that we can offer a total training solution to our client base. This is however, still a client solution owned by CSF and subject to our stringent views on quality of solution provided as standard. The selection of partners for education is dependent on these criteria being met.

Education / Training - Basic Procedures and Criteria

CSF states the following as standard in terms of providing effective education:

• Course Profiles: The correct expectation levels must underpin all education. Course profiles must be worked in tandem between the client and the provider so that a constant is achieved. This is a standard for success and must not be compromised.

• Trainers: An effective team of trainers must be established to ensure educational success. These trainers should be selected to fulfil all areas of the process. Through course profiles, TNA (Training Needs Analysis), delivery and floorwalking there should be a constant thread of quality and consistency. CSF wishes to work with a client in partnership so that trainers become part of the client's "team" in any project, although from CSF Trainers need to understand a clients culture and criteria to become part of this seamless process.

• Environment: The importance of effective environment cannot be underestimated. CSF will recommend training at purpose built facilities where possible. Should this differ, the following basics should apply:
  • One Machine Per Delegate Maximum 8 Delegates Per Session.
  • Front Machine for Trainer OHP / Projection Device Available.
  • Disruption - Free Environment Whiteboard / Flipchart Available.
  • When CSF offer the mobile training facility, up to 10 delegates can be accommodated but 8 should be seen as an optimum in a classroom facility.

• Training Needs Analysis (TNA): TNA is the fundamental process that is required to ensure the success of a tailored roll -out. After deciding what courses are being constructed, a multi - skilled workforce requires to be sent on the correct course. TNA acts as a skills audit so that the correct content areas can be applied to the correct delegates. For example, the requirements of a mobile user for Excel may be different from an office based finance staff member. Both have access to the same application, but employ them in different ways. The target is to use TNA to an extent that training is specific, tailored, focused, and encourages "best practices" in the workplace.

• Development: Once profiles and TNA have been completed. Course development can take place. With the chosen trainer team, course content and courseware is created in liaison with the client. The result is a specific, tailored body of works that truly reflects the clients environment, target audience and needs. Then courseware should take the form of a working document during the course, and a reference work post - course. Notes can be backed up by laminate cards etc. to provide a quick and easy reference point if required.

• Scheduling and Delivery: Scheduling should take place in liaison with the CSF Project team and a dedicated "point person" at the client. Course scheduling is dependent on delegate availability when a particular type of course is running. In many cases with hardware upgrades it is not possible to release an entire department at the same time for training. This needs to undergo careful scrutiny to ensure the best possible utilisation rates on courses that are tailored. If a generic course is part of the roll - out criteria, mass scheduling is a great deal easier. Delivery should be viewed as an automatic process once the above criteria have been addressed. The defining success of any education programme is preparation. Thus profiles, trainers, environment, TNA, development, delivery and scheduling are key ground rules to effective delivery.

• Administration Services: CSF will put in place a dedicated team that deals with the essential administrative areas that successful training projects must have as standard. These include room and trainer scheduling, floorwalker scheduling, and delegate scheduling. Scheduling may involve a lot of time spent in contacting delegates and booking them on spaces in line with product rollout. This process means correct liaison with the CSF project team and a "point person". With a number of courses running in tandem, then with floorwalking, effective and accurate scheduling is vital. This includes correct provision of courseware and delegate attendance. At a training centre, even areas such as correct attention paid to specialist delegate dietary requirements, are vital to the success of a project. On a large-scale project, this is a chargeable service. A course guide could be produced that contains all overviews and a background to why the project is going ahead. This will require buy-in from client to sponsor to its staff but could be seen as a valuable aid in gaining internal acceptance more quickly. CSF could suggest that an ongoing "manual" or training directory be produced in liaison with the client to further promote the programme and give greater profile to educational aspects of the project.

• Post Course Assessment / Critiques: CSF would recommend that all courses undergo an assessment process. Delegates will be given the opportunity to give their views on the course to ascertain its effectiveness. This should be a constant process and a "pilot" course should always be in place for the start of a course programme to fine - tune. Delegates can also be assessed by the trainer to allow further courses to be suggested, identifying strengths and weaknesses that can be used in further career / skills development programmes. Both these elements will be made available for clients to peruse results if required.

• Post Course Floorwalking: In addition to measuring effectiveness of courses when delivered, post - course floorwalking is a key element of the training process. By using the trainer team, delegates' post - course can be visited at desk to go over any further areas they are encountering. Further courses can be addressed in relation to delegate assessment and this should be seen as an ongoing process, perhaps even key to areas such as induction. By using the team of trainers in this process, consistency of approach, understanding of client needs and culture is always maintained.

• Creativity: CSF can apply areas of creativity to a training project if required. Other areas that can be included are:
  • Technology Based Training Products (TBT): These can be provided to give a quality solution to training needs, and are MOUS Accredited (Microsoft Office User Specialist) for quality, content and delivery. Learning processes can be enhanced by use of video, audio, text and graphics. In addition "Real time" training can be accessed at desk via the toolbar. Thus skills can be taught whilst a user is still productive in real time. On demand learning such as this can be provided as a solution. Usage reports can be provided to the client to measure each individual's progress. This type of training also allows custom courses to be built for the user base internally as a consolidation for classroom training that has taken place. Pre and post course assessment can also be implemented if required, that ultimately increases knowledge transfer. This integrated approach, combining instructor led and multimedia training can be seen as an effective alternative if required. Should flexibility of delegate availability be a difficulty, a flexible solution via multimedia options can be suggested. Prices on application.