The question often asked on Social Media is “What training programs should I attend?”
Once asked, there are a significant amount of training programs suggested and advice given. We (ISDA) monitored a series of posts that asked this particular question and found that in less than a month over 70 Executive Protection/Security Driving training providers were mentioned as a possible choice.
We can’t imagine how confusing it could be to the person asking the question to wade through that amount of information and then come up with a decision.
So, to assist with the decision-making process, we (the ISDA membership), created a list of questions, that an individual could ask a potential training provider and themselves. We are also confident that we left out a few that should be on the list. If you feel we have, please add them in the comment section.
Before asking “what training should I attend” question, the potential student needs to ask themselves some questions.
- What are your goals?
- In what sector of the profession do you want to work?
- What do you want out of the training program?
However, before you answer these questions, we suggest reading – The Man in the Glass.
Questions to ask the training providers
- To what standard will I be trained to?
- How will I be measured to that standard?
- Where is the standard documented?
- What is the relevance of what I am doing? Is it a marketable skill?
- Who is training me, and what are their credentials?
- How many of the alumni are gainfully employed and employed at doing what?
- How many instructors are there, and are they there every day of the program?
Financial considerations
Be leery of getting a loan to go to a training program. If you have to take a loan to go to the training, you should seriously consider not going. If you use PayPal, understand the terms of your investment. Be aware of what it will do to your credit rating. Don’t come close to maxing out your credit cards as it can significantly impact your credit rating. Take into account the total cost of the training, travel, lodgings and any incidentals.
It is your money, what will be the return of your financial investment?
Social Media presence of the training providers
- Does the training providers website have a blog or article section devoted to sharing knowledge?
- Is their Social Media content knowledge-based?
- Does the provider share their knowledge BEFORE you pay for their services?
Most of the above information is from the ISDA Roadmap to EP Career Success Checklist. Download the Checklist for free here.