The Locksmith Journal Nov/Dec 2018 - Issue 59 | Page 46

46 • NEWPRODUCTS&INNOVATIONS Something new for the new year? Have you made your new year’s resolution yet? Rather than cutting back on something or quitting something in 2019, why not try starting a new venture instead? Learning something new, or even better, sharing your skills with someone else, could not only make you both feel better about yourselves, it could actually help your business… » » UPSKILLING IS TEACHING an employee additional skill, giving companies and individuals the opportunity to expand their capabilities. It became a big workplace trend in 2018 as companies are getting more and more interested in training their employees and are focusing on continuous learning in the workplace. WHY UPSKILLING? Companies and organisations are encouraged to invest in training programs and courses to help employees develop new abilities and minimise troublesome skills gaps. On top of investing in employees and personal satisfaction, upskilling has tangible advantages for companies, in any market. Gaining new skills allows companies to maintain engagement within the market and with their customers. New skill sets are always valued internally and externally. In the security and access control market, having attended a training and becoming a certified installer can increase the trust relationship with customers as the company’s legitimacy to install a product is higher. Those new acquired skills can also be useful in maintaining market competitiveness. Indeed, if a company is the only one offering certified installations on a specific product or is the only one that knows how to use the latest access control technologies, they will be chosen for the job. HOW TO UPSKILL The first step to upskilling is keeping your knowledge up-to-date. You can do so by subscribing to industry related magazines or companies’ newsletters as they will tell you all about the latest products and enhancements in the locking and access control market. WHAT TRAINING? Product manufacturers often offer training on their latest products, technologies and services, either with a fee or free of charge. While some prefer online courses and webinars for their practicability, others would rather choose a hands-on training for the extra practice. Webinars and online courses have become popular over the past few years with the development of the internet. An online course or a webinar can be followed from your premises and at a time that is convenient for you, which allows for a more flexible training planning. Hands-on (or face-to-face) training is preferable for anyone wanting to get both theoretical and practical knowledge on a new product or new access control system. Those training opportunities allow for live questions while exploring real- world scenarios and solutions as well as product features. A training session, whether face-to-face or online should then be chosen carefully and in line with your companies’ goals. LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | NOV/DEC 2018 Sponsored by ABUS Many locksmiths and electrical engineers have chosen to get trained on access control as this is a growing part of the security industry. Access control is seen by many as an extension to any locking system, and as such is a crucial new skill for locksmiths wanting to expand their business and clients. Choosing the right training is just as important as choosing the right product. The right training combined with the right product will give you the satisfaction of a job well done and will give your clients the peace of mind they need to take advantage of their locking or access control system. With over thirty years of being a global industry leader in access control, CDVI has become the installer’s choice. Find out more at www.cdvi.co.uk