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What Is off-The-Job Training?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Off-the-job training is the acquisition of work-related skills at a location outside than the workplace, like a college or university, workshop, or training facility. Employees can receive off-the-job training to improve the quality of their work or meet new standards, and they can also seek it out if they want to apply for higher ranking positions or make themselves more employable in the future. Employers may sponsor this training or require it and pay for it, in some cases. In others it may be possible to get assistance with fees, texts, and other expenses through a government agency.

In off-the-job training, employees may receive days off from work to pursue training, or they might need to make arrangements in their off hours to get their training. Training can include classes, demonstrations, lectures, simulations, and many other resources. It may provide trainees with direct skills or indirect lessons that could be valuable in their work. Supervisors may grade or assess students and provide feedback on their performance in training.

When selecting off-the-job training, choose a company that has a good reputation and courses that jibe well with your schedule.
When selecting off-the-job training, choose a company that has a good reputation and courses that jibe well with your schedule.

Sometimes off-the-job training is required. Firefighters, for instance, need to participate in regular training outside their regular workplaces to hone their skills and learn about new firefighting techniques. This can include practice burns, classroom education, and simulations. Conversely, professionals like nurses may choose to take off-the-job training to improve their skills. An intensive care unit nurse, for example, might take a class on death and dying so he can better serve his patients.

Off-the-job training can be very useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.
Off-the-job training can be very useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.

Employees may be able to set their own schedule with off-the-job training. Some companies offer videos, recordings, and other media to allow trainees to move at their own pace. This can be valuable when the training is not subsidized by an employer, and employees need to complete the training on their own time. It may also be possible to take classes at odd hours through a night school or similar program.

Workshops may be offered as part of off-the-job training.
Workshops may be offered as part of off-the-job training.

The goal of off-the-job training is to develop new skills that will make an employee more useful and more flexible. It can be very useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills and get acquainted with new developments in the field. It may also be of use for employees in relatively low ranking positions who want to apply for better jobs, either within a company or elsewhere. They can work to support themselves while they pursue the training they need for better opportunities.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Mor

My sister is in the army and she's thinking of going back to university to train in health sciences (or something, I'm not quite sure of the details). If she does, and it is the right kinds of courses, the army will pay for it.

I think she has to agree to then stay in the army for a set amount of years. With the health sciences, she wants to be a medic, or a nurse I think.

Which I am very proud of her for, although it makes me worried that she will have to commit so much more of her life to the army, when you don't know where they will send her next.

But, at least when it's over, she'll have some fabulous credentials on her resume, because of course as well as the university courses, she will get amazing on the job training.

lluviaporos

For a while, my university had off the job training courses for police officers and fire fighters, and it was kind of awesome.

They didn't wear their uniforms to school, unfortunately, but it was really great to have a different kind of student in the hallways.

The fact that they were getting such good off the job training really made me want to consider those jobs as careers, to be honest.

I was friends with a couple of them and they said they got the courses for free, and eventually would earn a diploma, and perhaps even a degree, in addition to their on the job training. It seemed like a good deal to me.

croydon

I've had some wonderful off the job training opportunities through various work places. If you get a chance I highly recommend trying to get some done.

I worked for a bookstore that sent me on a Lotto course, so I could run the Lotto machines they had in store, as well as sell scratchies. That course was awesome, lots of interesting people and good food.

And when I worked in a convenience store, they sent me on a liquor course, so I could manage the shop. That one was also pretty good, and more importantly, gave me a qualification that can be used in bars, and even overseas.

I've also had things like a security course, where they showed us what to do if someone robbed the place.

It's always fun and lets you do something outside the usual routine.

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    • When selecting off-the-job training, choose a company that has a good reputation and courses that jibe well with your schedule.
      By: taka
      When selecting off-the-job training, choose a company that has a good reputation and courses that jibe well with your schedule.
    • Off-the-job training can be very useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.
      By: llhedgehogll
      Off-the-job training can be very useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.
    • Workshops may be offered as part of off-the-job training.
      By: Dmitry Vereshchagin
      Workshops may be offered as part of off-the-job training.
    • Supervisors may grade or assess students and provide feedback on their performance in training.
      By: michaeljung
      Supervisors may grade or assess students and provide feedback on their performance in training.
    • Some off-the-job training programs allow employees to take classes at odd hours.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      Some off-the-job training programs allow employees to take classes at odd hours.
    • Off-the-job training can be useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.
      By: Scott Griessel
      Off-the-job training can be useful for employees returning to the workforce who need to brush up on skills.