Decide What Kind of Training You Need ✓ Easy Reading

People learn new things all the time. Often you don’t even know you are learning.

For example, you hear new words on the bus. Or you see new things on TV. Or you try new games or food when you visit friends.

You can learn new things almost by accident. But training is the opposite. When you train, you do it on purpose. You want to learn something important. So you choose your type of training.

Sometimes you need more than one kind of training. And that’s OK. You can learn something each time.

Here are some of the different ways you can get the training you need:

• You can volunteer.
• You can take a short course.
• You can find a person to job shadow.
• You can find a tutor.
• You can learn on your own.
• You can find a mentor.
• You can take a program.

Do you know what kind of training is best for you? If you don’t know, you will need to decide.

You can volunteer

Look for Work

11 Ways Volunteering Can Help You Find a Job

Volunteering can give you a chance to build your experience and skills and demonstrate your employability.

Many places or groups need extra help. Your son’s soccer team may need a coach. Your city or town may need help for a festival. You can volunteer to help. When you volunteer, you are not paid. But you can learn important skills. These skills can help you reach your training goal.

Pros:

• You can learn about different jobs.
• You can feel more sure about your skills.
• You can volunteer for short periods of time. For example, one morning a week.
• You can meet new people. Sometimes these people can tell you about a job.
• You can help your community. Helping can make you feel good.
• You can learn new skills.

Cons:

• You are not paid for your time.
• You may be asked to volunteer more. That may take time away from other things that you enjoy.

You can take a short course

A short course gives you a small amount of information. It teaches you only a few skills. It does not take a long time.

The skills you learn in a short course can be important. For example, a first aid course can help save a person’s life! And you can get your first aid certificate in just 2 days.

Pros:

• Training is short.
• Often you will get a certificate. You can write this on your resumé.
• You can find short courses in many places. For example, online or in classrooms.

Cons:

• A short course can cost money.
• It can be hard to recall details when you learn things in a short time.

You can find a person to job shadow

Job shadowing happens when you watch someone who has a job that you want to learn. You follow this person like a shadow. This person can show you the skills you need for the job. It can help you decide if you like this job.

There are 2 ways to find a job to shadow. You can ask a person who has a job you like. Or you can go to a company where you want to work. You can ask the manager there if you can shadow someone.

Pros:

• Job shadowing is free.
• It takes a short amount of time.
• You can see what a job is really like.
• You can decide if you like the job.
• You can see what skills you will need.

Cons:

• You have to find a person who you can shadow.
• You are only there to watch. You can’t learn by doing.

You can find a tutor

A tutor is like a teacher. But a tutor teaches only you. You can visit a tutor at a school or office. Or a tutor can come to your home.

Some tutors are free. But other tutors charge money. Some tutors work alone. Some tutors work for tutoring companies.

It’s easy to find a tutor online. Type your town or city name into your search engine. Then type “tutor.” Then click search.

Tutors know about many things. For example, reading, writing, and math. But good tutors also know ho to teach. They think about your learning style.

Ask how your tutor will teach you. Ask about your tutor’s experience. Ask what it will cost for the tutor. Tell your tutor about your learning style. Do this before you hire the tutor.

Pros:

• A tutor teaches what you need to know.
• A tutor teaches at your speed. For example, your tutor will teach some things more slowly until you understand.
• A tutor can try different ways to teach you.
• A tutor may come to your home.
• A tutor will work with you when it fits your schedule.

Cons:

• A tutor can cost money.
• It can take time to find a good tutor.

You can learn on your own

Some people like to learn in a group. But other people don’t. They like to learn by themselves. This type of training is called self-study.

There are many ways to study on your own. You can read books, watch videos, ask questions, or go online. You can choose your learning style. For example, you can watch, listen, or do something by yourself. You can learn many skills this way.

Pros:

• You can decide what you want to study.
• You can decide how you want to study.
• You can decide how much or how long to study. There is no schedule.
• You can decide how fast or how slowly you want to study.
• You can learn new skills.

Cons:

• There is no schedule. You must control your time by yourself.
• There isn’t another person to share ideas or practise with.

You can find a mentor

Succeed at Work

Find and Work with a Mentor

A mentor is a trusted advisor who guides and encourages you in your career. Having a mentor can help you succeed at your workplace and in your career.

Look around your community. Do you know someone with lots of skills or experience? Do you need these skills and experience? Will this person share these skills and experience with you? This person can be your mentor.

A mentor is someone you trust. A mentor can help you reach your goals. A mentor can be a family member, a neighbour, an Elder, or someone at work. Mentors can help you grow a garden, save money, raise a child, or train for the job you want.

Pros:

• The mentor cares about you as a person.
• The mentor often knows many people and can tell you about jobs.
• The mentor may give you a job reference.
• The mentor will advise you when you have problems.
• The training you get from a mentor is free.
• The training is based on what you really want to know.
• You can learn new skills.

Cons:

• If you don’t trust your mentor, the training won’t work.
• If you don’t listen to your mentor, the mentoring may stop.

You can take a program

OCCinfo

Post-Secondary Programs

Discover which institutions offer programs of interest to you, how long it takes to complete each program if you attend full time, and what type of credential you earn when you graduate from the program.

A program can teach you many skills. A program is made up of many courses. It can be part of your training for work. When you finish the program, you may get a certificate or other documents. You can find programs at schools. Sometimes part of the program takes place at a workplace. For example, apprenticeship training programs. These programs can take longer than a year to finish.

When your training program ends, you will have a ticket (also called a certificate) or a diploma or a degree.

Pros:

• You can learn with others.
• Your classes will be at the same time every week. This lets you plan your schedule.
• You can ask your teacher questions during class.
• In some classes, you can practise on expensive equipment.
• You can learn many new skills.
• When your training finishes, you can get a ticket or a certificate.

Cons:

• Taking a program can cost money.
• It can take a long time.
• You must learn the same things at the same time as everyone else.

Now you know what kind of training you need. It’s time to take your next step. It's time to decide where you want to get training.