Training Outside of the Box (or Book)

Simply put, your company’s success can live or die by the training it gets. Or the training they do not receive. Autodesk relies on its ATC’s (Authorized Training Centers). Your ATC is here to support you and your training needs. However, not all needs are created equal. This is where you need to think outside of the box.
There are many companies that make courseware for all the Autodesk products. Almost all of them only create essential level curriculum.  Those curriculums are great for users learning the software for the first time, but what about the experienced user? What do YOU do when you need more than the ‘essentials”? I assume most of you go to various websites and look at the courses being offered and look at the topics they cover. I bet the topics you find only cover some of what you need or half of what is being offered doesn’t apply to you at all! This is where your ATC can help!
Do not settle for “Out of the Box” offerings. Call your ATC, like Synergis, and tell them what you need. For an example, you and your team of 5 users need training that will make your team more efficient and productive. Most of the time you may not even realize there are tools that can help you, so let your ATC assess your needs. At Synergis, we will ask you important questions like:
What level are your users REALLY at?
Users should be placed in classes with other users of their same skill level. We have all been in classes where the slower students are disrupting the others or the class “brain” is too busy showing off his knowledge and brings the others down. Having your users placed in the right class is important! Synergis has methods to assess your users and place them where they belong!
Should you be learning new commands or new workflows?
After a Synergis professional assesses your knowledge and what you do, it may be determined that you are using the right commands. Perhaps your workflows need to be addressed more than the commands you use. Your ATC should be able to develop workflow training that will help you use the commands you have already mastered more efficiently.
How much is your firm loosing due to inefficient standards and procedures?
This is a difficult to address. Again, you may not know what the problem is, but you know there has to be a better way. While being assessed by your ATC, they can look at your overall design standards. Often these “standards” are broken or non-existing causing problems beyond the users control. So, before you do ANY training, look at those standards, have them “fixed” and train your users the way they should be using the software…..YOU COMPANY’S WAY!
More about Synergis Autodesk Training Centers:
Synergis is one of the top ATC’s in the country. In fact, they have 2 Autodesk Certified Instructors (ACI) currently on staff with 4 more candidates testing in January. One of the instructors have been named Autodesk’s “Trainer of the Year” two years running. So we have the expertise. Let us help you. Call Synergis, or your local ATC and ask them the right questions to get the best bang for your training $!!!
As Project Manager, AEC Solutions, Jim Law is responsible for overseeing implementations, custom training and assessments for Synergis customers.  He has been training and supporting Autodesk applications for over 19 years and is an Autodesk Certified Instructor,  He started on release 9 and is efficient through the current release.  He has ‘graduated’ almost 3000 students in his career.