If you live in Toronto, Vancouver, or Halifax, there are a lot of trainers and business consultants providing business training solutions where you live, but if you live in Kapuskasing or Clinton, your local business training options may be limited.
That’s the beauty of online business training; through the Internet, you can access the learning materials you need no matter where you live. The downside of online learning is that at its worst, it’s like reading a book. The material is there, but there’s no direction and no interaction.
Many online learning providers are trying to overcome this difficulty by establishing online communities and providing online instructors to facilitate the learning experience and interact with the learner. Only you can decide if this is the right mode of business training delivery for you.
If you do want to learn something business-related via the 'Net, World Wide Learn is well worth a visit. Angela Lovett's annotated links guide you through an amazing variety of online learning experiences, from short seminars through B.S. degrees in Information Technology Management.
Interested in virtual computer-related learning? If you want to learn how to use a particular piece of software or learn about a computer-related topic such as programming, Freeskills.com has a comprehensive library of technical courses on Microsoft, Unix, Lotus, Novell, and Macintosh products, among others.
Besides considering whether you want to attend a class in person or learn virtually, you also need to consider how much you can afford to pay for the business training. That E-commerce Essentials day course led by the superstar guru may sound great, but are you willing and able to pay the $1500 he’s asking?
The federal and provincial governments do a great job of making business training solutions accessible to people throughout the country for moderate or no fees. Canada Economic Development and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), for instance, offer Small Business Info-Fairs that present information about a wide range of federal programs and business services in one venue, with seminars on topics such as "E-commerce and Innovation" and admission is free.
The network of Canadian Business Service Centres throughout the country also offer a great many business-related seminars. In Edmonton, for instance, the Business Link offers Small Business Seminars on topics ranging from E-commerce through Tax-Saving Tips, for fees ranging from $25 through $45.
The Business Link also offers a Guest Advisor Program which lets you discuss your specific business concerns with management consultants, lawyers, accountants and financial representatives who volunteer their time. The service is free and operates on a first come, first served basis. If you live near a Business Service Centre, check to see what seminar topics they offer. My Provincial Programs and Services Library provides links to all the Business Service Centres across Canada.
You should also check with your local community college or university. Many of these institutions (such as the College where I teach locally) have community education or outreach programs that offer business training, from generic business courses through learning how to use specific software programs.
Once you’ve established exactly what you want to learn, how you want to learn it, and what you’re willing to pay for it, you’re ready to start the search for a business training solution that fits your needs and circumstances.
