Erica Gamet

Lately, I’ve heard some disparaging feedback from people who’ve taken training from large national training companies. It’s not that the training was bad, necessarily, just that it left people wanting more.

As a small, local, independent trainer, I hope that none of my students walk away feeling unsatisfied with what was learned in my class. The only “more” I want them yearning for is how to do more cool stuff in their particular software.

Does this mean that all national or large training companies are bad? Absolutely not. I just think that you get a few extra perks – warm fuzzies – when you choose an independent trainer.

For instance, my classes tend to be smaller, not so much of the “herding cattle” approach. This allows me to give each student a little personalized attention, if that’s what’s needed. I can also customize and tweak class content on-the-fly if the group is gravitating a particular way.

I am also able to make myself available to participants outside of class. This might be answering questions about the workbook or topics ahead of time, or follow-up questions emailed to me after the class. And, since I offer post-training consultation, I am able to continue working with a participant and, possibly, to follow up on any issues right in their working environment.

There are a lot of small, independent trainers offering high quality instruction just about everywhere. Here in the Denver area, there are several and I’m lucky to be good friends with some of the best. While we independent trainers might not offer “one-stop shopping” for all of your training needs, chances are that we’ll know someone that teaches just what you’re looking for. All you have to do is ask us.

Don’t forget to check out my Current Training page to see what classes I’m currently offering.

One question I get asked a lot is, “Why should I pay to get software training?” The short answer is, “Why wouldn’t you?” The better answer is that, now more than ever, investing in your future and adding to your skill set will give you an advantage over others in the same job market as you.

Just having a beginner’s knowledge of several “supporting” applications, in addition to your core application(s) is beneficial. For example, if you use Photoshop everyday, you’re probably fairly comfortable with it. Knowing how to do some basic layout in InDesign adds to your design arsenal. Maybe you do a lot of illustration and design in Illustrator: knowing how to create a presentation to show a client your work in Keynote, Flash, or PDF would extend your capabilities.

I think most freelancers understand this concept and many even take the time to invest in their training. Sometimes, employees in larger agencies fall into the “that’s not my job” way of thinking. I gently remind those people that they probably won’t always be working in that position at that agency. Taking the time now to learn new programs and other concepts will take away some of the rush to learn these things while desperately looking for a new job, or trying to land that big client. The current economic reality makes this more important than ever.

Learn now, earn sooner! If you’re looking to learn a new application, or see what’s new in the latest version, you’ve come to the right place. Registration is now open for my 2-day InDesign Intensive and my 1-day Beginning Adobe Illustrator classes. Check back often or subscribe to the RSS feed to be the first to know about new and upcoming training offerings. Feel free to contact me, using the link in the right-hand sidebar to join my class email list, ask a question about training, or just say, “Hi.”