Supporting the Field-Based Trainers Who Support Us
Feature Story – By Nannette Nolan
Field-based trainers are high performers whose potential and success have put them on a unique development path and who serve as a bridge between the home office and field teams. Often, field trainers are tasked with onboarding and guiding new hires. They are depended upon to motivate, instill confidence and help develop core skills in the field-based teams. Field trainers are also called upon to develop and deliver training and assist in special projects. You might think of them as our Swiss Army knives.
What exactly does a field trainer need to know in order to be effective? Just how do you keep a Swiss Army knife sharp?
We put that question to the LTEN Field Trainer Committee, a group comprised of senior training leaders who currently or previously led field-based teams. Their mission was to define core and advanced competencies specific to field trainers shared across their different organizations.
The months-long exploration culminated in the Field-Based Trainers Guide to Success, a Web-based guide outlining key competencies and aligning them to the resources and trainings that LTEN offers to its members and wider training community. You can find the interactive guide at https://www.L-TEN.org/page/field_sales.
What’s Inside the Guide?
In addition to the list of the competencies, users will find:
Self-Guided Microlearning
We have introduced a special LTEN eLearning Lounge bundle for field trainers.
The self-guided, virtual lessons are comprised of six microlearning modules. Topics include adult learning principles and learning styles, instructional design and delivery, learning modalities and engagement strategies. Learn more at www.L-TEN.org/eLearning.
LTEN Focus on Training Field Trainer Issues
The guide lists every special field training edition of LTEN Focus on Training magazine we’ve published to date (including this one!). Each issue takes a deeper look at this special role by sharing key insights from across the life sciences.
Self-paced, just-in-time resources, video, studies, specific articles and webinars provide a robust self-guided learning opportunity for field trainers. A user can click on a competency topic and find self-paced tools that support that specific skill set.
Recommendations for In-Person, Live Trainings
In addition to supporting the wider training team, field-based trainers also have additional nearly full-time responsibilities that make virtual, just-in-time learning ideal. However, live workshops allow trainers of every stripe the opportunity to get hands-on and gain a deeper understanding of facilitation, instructional design and the science of learning.
Going Beyond the Guide
Although we hope the guide is a helpful and convenient tool, we also want to encourage field-based trainers to join us at the LTEN Annual Conference in Kissimmee, FL, from June 8-11. In addition to the many workshops and microlearning labs focused on every aspect of learning and development, we also offer an entire conference track specific to field-based training.
Scholarship Program
The LTEN Annual Conference also boasts networking opportunities – a chance to meet training partners and trainers from every experience level from across the entire industry. The committee felt so strongly that the conference was a valuable experience and untapped resource that this year we have introduced our first-ever field-based trainers scholarship, which will allow two trainers to attend the event for free. You can read more about this exciting, new initiative in the sidebar article and also find more information online at https://www.ltenconference.com/scholarship/.
Want More?
If you’re looking for more – or different – resources for field personnel from LTEN, please do let us know. Your feedback, suggestions and guidance are always appreciated.
Nannette Nolan is marketing and communications director for LTEN. Email Nannette at nnolan@L-TEN.org.
Meet the Field Training Committee
The field resources and scholarship program were guided and created by the volunteer members of the LTEN Field Training Committee:
- Cheryl Bucina, Bausch+Lomb
- Amity Cutaia, Astellas
- Jill Fenton, Quantum Learning
- Thomas Hood, Bayer Healthcare
- Melissa Lowe, Philips
- Chris Platanos, Alnylam
- Alison Quinn, Bristol-Myers Squibb (chairperson)
- Cathy Smith, Curtis Learning
- Jason Zeman, Bausch Health
LTEN Field Trainer Scholarship
By Alison Quinn
Are you a field trainer? Have you been working on a training project that is making an impact? Would you like to focus on your development at the LTEN Annual Conference? Would you like to be recognized for your work?
LTEN is happy to announce the launch of a field trainer scholarship to attend the 49th LTEN Annual Conference, June 8-11, 2020 in Kissimmee, FL. The scholarship will highlight the work of two field trainers who have completed innovative training projects. These scholarship winners will receive their registration fee for the LTEN Annual Conference paid in full, as well as recognition at the conference and in LTEN Focus on Training magazine.
While the application period for the scholarships closed Feb. 20, we would like to highlight the details of the criteria. All nominees should currently be serving in the role of field trainer in their organization.
Submissions should include:
- Direct manager approval documentation
- At least one professional reference
- A detailed description of an innovative training project the field trainer completed, including:
– Business impact
– Delivery method(s)
– Technology used (if applicable)
– Measurement metrics, such as number trained or impacted, survey results and cost savings
– Any attachments or visuals detailing the project
Winners will have their registration fees for the LTEN Annual Conference paid for, but are responsible for other costs, such as hotel reservations, all transportation outside of conference shuttles, food outside conference meals and incidentals. Two LTEN field trainer scholarships are available to be awarded each year, with a limit of one recipient per organization per year.
Scholarship winners are determined based upon project merit by a panel of training leaders, with the final winner selections made by the LTEN Board of Directors. Winners will be announced around April.
Alison Quinn is oncology field medical portfolio trainer for Bristol-Myers Squibb. Email Alison at Alison.Quinn@bms.com.
