What are good training planning behaviours?
Through discussion between you and your training officer, the training plan should be reviewed and amended as often as is needed. To achieve a good training plan we recommend that you:
- use the Curriculum Library and Work-based Assessment Standard extensively in order to understand the workplace-based assessments that need to be achieved
- map out when the workplace-based modules will be undertaken over the 3 years
- set up a learning agreement with clear expectations of trainee and training officer obligations
- be flexible and if necessary, adapt the plan to fit in with your circumstances as a trainee
- respect the trainer as the professional expert
- ensure there is communication and collaboration between yourself, your training officer and all other departments involved with your training
- have regular review meetings with your training officer – in these meetings, you as the trainee could take the minutes and define actions
- have an outline plan for at least the full academic year so that, for example, you as the trainee know where you are going for rotations
- as the trainee, you should lead and own the training plan as time goes by, identifying any gaps and periodically working with the training officer to check progress is being made and then agreeing and setting milestones for future progress together
Training planning tips
Here are some tips to help you with planning your training plan.
- Agree achievable SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, time-based) objectives, for example setting deadlines for specific training activities.
- Talk to your training officer about your skills and previous experiences. Discuss any skills gaps with them and consider what to do to resolve those gaps. Also, consider your strengths and weaknesses.
- Discuss your personal circumstances – they will need to be factored into planning.
- Ensure that you fully understand what should be included in your evidence.
- Ensure that you know what is required from you regarding your academic programme. Allow for protected time for academic study, and for preparation for university exams and assessments.
- Think about your research project from day one.
- Your training officer will communicate the training plan to the whole department and all departments involved with training, giving them as much information as possible to help with your training.
- Don’t leave all the hardest thing to the end.