Micro-read: How to prepare a Training Calendar?

Training calendars are typically designed to promote medium and long-term improvements in performance. This is accomplished by varying the specificity, volume and intensity of the various organizational training and development related exercises, e.g. classroom workshops, outdoor activities, on job training etc. Activities are planned and organized according to periods or cycles within the overall program. A properly planned training calendar systematically varies the focus of the activities. This reduces the risk of under and overtraining. The model develops the employees’ conditioning of skills so they are at the peak of their performance during the most crucial time of the business. Each phase of the training calendar may be further subdivided to make the program more manageable. These periods can last from several weeks to several months, depending on organizational goals. To simplify the whole process of preparing an effective Business Training Calendar, we can break it in following steps:

1. High level Assessment: The first step in preparing Organizational Training Calendar is to take an assessment of the highest levels, including the organization, the industry, and the business environment in general. At the organizational level, meetings with stakeholders to assess the top level corporate and business objectives, the projects and plans for the forth coming year. A deeper look at what the competitive organizations are doing can also be seen. The process of benchmarking results meaningfully to prepare training calendars. Also to identify the employees, their present level of knowledge, skills and profile, those who are earmarked to execute organization’s objectives in various levels.
2. Set Training Goals: What do the managers want to accomplish through their teams in line with the organizational objectives and by when? Accordingly challenging and realistic training goals to be designed. The goal must have an internal passion to achieve. The goal should motivate the participants to run that extra mile to achieve.
3. Plan resources and methodology: The mode largely dictates the nature a specific training should take. The majority of training plans should reflect the specific demands of the chosen goal event. If a sales person needs to know about the products, a classroom method can be chosen, whereas to build is selling skills, on the job field coaching may result higher effectivity. Once the training programs and pedagogy are decided, the budgets to be prepared. The budgets are primarily prepared basis the pragmatic estimation of execution costs and often top down directions. Also one needs to take an assessment of existing and future training infrastructure; classroom space, materials, tools and aids, trainers etc.
4. Establish schedule framework: Once the assessment, benchmarking, goal setting and budgeting are over, the next step is to lay the activities all out. The plan and calendar should have multi-sided approach, the calendar should for training department as well as for the stakeholders. The calendar should focus the priority activities basis organizational objectives with proportionate allocation of time. Also we need to mark on the calendar all information required for scheduling each program or activity. Near the end of every event completion period, scheduling of specific testing period is mandatory to review performance benchmarks and check the levels of knowledge and skills enhanced.
5. Buy in: It is necessary from various groups, e.g. stakeholders, training team members, finance in order to make training plan a reality. After the approval, a multi-level communication is required to provide an overview of upcoming training projects and initiatives and how those activities are aligned with the corporate goals. The communication should also incorporate how and where various stakeholder groups fit in the overall plan and what contribution is expected out of them. 
6. Follow the plan: The apparently simple but most critical step called flawless execution of the training calendar. Training is successful only when the plan is implemented and followed qualitatively. One needs to stick to the plan with highest degree of discipline to get the finest results.
7. Keeping the track: Continuous checking procedure to make sure execution is following the plan. It is also important to take corrective actions on right time.

Hope this small read is handy for the training professionals.