How to prepare to attend a training course if you’re feeling hesitant

Is it a few years since you left school? Are you feeling anxious about going back to studying? Does walking into a classroom feel way out of your comfort zone? Having delivered hundreds of lessons, lectures, and educational programmes over the years, we’ve gathered a few pointers on how to prepare to attend a training course.

After all, we want to help you enjoy the learning process, not dread it!

You’re not alone in feeling nervous about attending a training course

In fact, it’s one of the first things we pick up on at the beginning of each new course, or as the attendees walk into the room or pop up on their Zoom call for a one-day training session.

Whether you have been enrolled in a company training, or you have chosen to complete an accredited training course for your own development, even the most outwardly confident characters amongst your group will have at least one twinge of doubt.

This awkward sense of hesitancy is the training provider’s ‘elephant in the room’ just itching to be noticed. And nobody wants to be the first to admit it.

But, as expert trainers, we are used to dealing with students’ nerves.

The most professional teachers and training suppliers will immediately put you at ease, acknowledge the anxieties, and create a happy and comfortable learning environment from day one.

Be open to learning

You’ve attended a course before. You may think you know everything about your job. But remember you are in this classroom, or have been put forward to attend a training course, for a reason.

There is always something to be gained, even the tiniest bit of new information, a new skill, or a different way of tackling a problem. So when preparing to attend a training course, also think about how you can prepare your mindset and attitude to be open to learning.

You never know, you might even be able to share some of your own experiences and help others learn at the same time.

Join in the discussions. Talk with your fellow students and teacher or lecturer. And show an interest in what you’re being taught. Yes, it’s just as awkward for us as tutors to see blank faces staring back at us. We have a passion for our part in your education, and we try to build that in you too.

Similarly, frustration about something that happened last night, or on the way to the training venue, will not help you take on board the information you’re being given. And certainly won’t help you remember this particular training session.

Prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for whatever tasks and questions lay ahead.

No question is ever a daft question

Getting the best when you attend a training course means giving the best you can too.

So let’s remind you that asking questions is a key element of your learning process. And your trainers will positively encourage you to raise a hand on the screen, or make it known in the classroom that you have a question.

Even if you think it’s a daft one, chances are, there is someone else wanting to ask the same question, so you’re not just helping yourself. You’re more likely to regret not asking a question, than if you do.

Read the joining instructions and pre-course material

This covers multiple areas. You will always be sent clear instructions to help when you’re preparing to attend a training course. You could also be sent some additional course information or tasks to be completed before your training begins.

Make sure you read these carefully, and follow the guidance.

Joining instructions generally include:

• details of the venue (car parking, telephone number, SATNAV address), or online meeting details
• timings for your training, length of the course, availability for your online learning portal where applicable, or an indication of how long a self-study course will take to complete
• what to wear if your course is in-person
• items you need to take with you or have to hand if your course is virtual (including whether you will need lunch, resources, notes or to have prepared some work)

If you have questions about something not covered in the joining instructions, don’t hesitate to contact your trainer or course provider.  

At the Education and Training Academy, we much prefer our students to shout up with anything we may have missed, so that we not only answer the relevant question there and then, but we will make sure we include that information for future courses too.

Know your next steps

How many managers brief their teams before they attend a training course? You might wonder why we include the pre-course briefing in this section?

It is important to set the scene in advance of training programmes and coaching sessions, so that you can manage expectations, ensure the training course is relevant, and then of course review the learnings and takeaways afterward.

We also highly recommend, as individual students or attendees, considering what you want to gain from the training course and how you can implement what you have learned as part of your personal development or as employees within the workplace.

Using this as part of the preparation to attend a training course can give you greater clarity and focus on what you specifically want to learn from it. And could raise further questions relevant to your circumstances, which you might not get the opportunity to ask elsewhere.  

Are you ready to attend a training course with the Education and Training Academy?

Well, now you’ve read our blog, and you have our five top tips on how to prepare to attend a training course, all you need to do now is get out there and enjoy it!

Seriously, you don’t need to worry about the ‘how’ in your learning journey. That’s what the expert training providers and facilitators are here for.

All of the team members at the Education and Training Academy have gone through the same nerves and anxiety you were feeling when we started as students. So when we say you are not alone, we truly mean it.

It is in our interest as your course tutors and trainers to focus on the complete learner journey. And to deliver the best training to you in the most effective way.

So if you are ready to head towards a new career in teaching, quality assurance, or as an assessor in your chosen industry, we hope we have enticed you to attend a training course with the Education and Training Academy! We’re ready to take your call with any queries and to discuss our training courses for your employees and Leadership Teams.