How a Learning Consultant Improves Your Business | SkillSource

A learning consultant is a person who has professional experience designing curricula and training programs to improve the performance of employees at all levels. Learning advisors collaborate with businesses on every step of the learning experience to create and implement a specialized training program. They create unique training assignments and administer them personally to ensure they build a partnership with the workers they’re teaching. After the training program is complete, training consultants review its effectiveness and make recommendations to improve it.

What is the Role of a Learning Consultant?

A great learning advisor will position themselves as a resource for any employee that is currently undergoing training or taking on new responsibilities. Trainees need to feel like the consultant is readily available and has their best interest in mind in order to build an effective learning environment. In this way, the role of a training consultant is very similar to a professor or teacher. They are meant to be more than just an instructor, they’re also meant to be the learner’s partner.

However, these sorts of consultants aren’t just important for employees who are undergoing training. They play a vital role in the performance of every worker, regardless of how long they have been doing their job. Even leadership-level employees can benefit from a learning advisor. For instance, an experienced learning consultant is able to recognize bad workflow practices and offer solutions to senior employees before they become habit.

Here is a quick list of some specific responsibilities that fall to a learning consultant:

• Create and administer training programs
• Review performance metrics of all trainees
• Become familiar with trainees and their roles in the company
• Identify the need for further training/learning
• Manage training schedules and agendas

The Benefits Training Consultant Bring to the Table

Professional learning consultants and business coaches benefit companies in several ways ranging from improved worker productivity to increased employee engagement. However, two specific benefits of hiring a training advisor stand out as more impactful than the rest. The detailed training plan your consultant designs and their ability to identify roadblocks to learning are two of the most direct ways learning advisors will improve your business.

A Solid Training Plan

Learning consultants are incredibly organized by nature and will leverage this ability to design a training plan that is specialized to your company’s goals. This is important because no two companies have the exact same requirements. Your training advisor will consider the company’s budget, timeline, goals, and industry when creating a tailored learning strategy. Additionally, a great learning advisor will continuously analyze their plan’s effectiveness and make changes as they’re needed.

Identification of Roadblocks

An experienced training consultant will have the situational awareness to identify anything that impedes the learning process and offer ways of breaking past the barrier. Everybody learns differently, so these roadblocks are usually found by building an understanding of each individual trainee. This is why it is so important for your training advisor to build a partnership with the workers they are training. Without a deeper understanding of individual trainees, learning consultants wouldn’t be able to help them surpass these struggles.

Traits of a Great Learning Advisor

As previously mentioned, the role of a professional training consultant is very similar to that of a professor. Because of this, many of the traits that make a great teacher also make for a great learning advisor. Three of the most desired characteristics for learning consultants are patience, adaptability, and strong listening skills.

Patience: Most people underestimate the level of patience it takes to be an effective training advisor. Sometimes, trainees become frustrated if they’re struggling to learn something that they feel should be easy. In these moments, it’s important for a training advisor to remain calm to encourage agitated learners to take a deep breath.

Adaptability: Because no two people learn in the exact same way, learning advisors need to be able to think quickly. It is the consultant’s responsibility to adapt to the learner, not the other way around. A great learning advisor should be able to recognize the shortcomings of their training plan and adapt it on the fly so that it is effective for every learner.

Strong Listening Skills: Without solid listening skills, a training advisor wouldn’t be able to build the partnership with the trainee that is necessary for an effective learning experience. Learners need to know that their thoughts and opinions matter, otherwise they will just grow frustrated with the learning process. A great learning consultant will take the time to make every trainee feel heard and understood.

Let SkillSource Learning Find the Right Learning Consultant For You

Finding the proper learning advisor for your company can be difficult because of how many factors need to be considered. Your business’s budget, timeline, and required experience will all influence your decision. SkillSource is confident that we can provide you with a training consultant that meets your needs. Contact us today to talk to a representative and let us simplify the process for you!