I realized that these steps are really simple and helpful to be used in SMEs which posted by the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
Best Practices for Small-and Medium-size Enterprises
The time horizon for small-and medium-size enterprises is short, often measured in months rather than years. Available resources are fully taxed. They are often in the midst of a rapid learning phase through uncharted waters and have few specific plans for training, education or professional development. Since they cannot afford to have their own in-house training departments, they depend heavily on public seminars/short courses offered by universities, associations and private sector providers.
The training or development of people that an SME is prepared to consider arises normally out of the job and current situation, and must be focused rather than generic in nature. The activity must be highly relevant and take the shortest possible time and minimum resources. Finding the needed expertise or source of experience is often a major barrier.
Many of the training options that are easily accessible take too much time, are too expensive, are curriculum and course oriented and do not match the needs of the enterprise.
In spite of these barriers and concerns, some SMEs have developed useful practices that contribute to the lifelong learning accomplishments of their staff, as described below.
Best Practices for Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs)
- Ensure that at least one member of the staff is fully competent and trained in the technical and engineering aspects of the business.
- Plan to invest some time and money in skills and knowledge development.
- When teams are working on projects, enlist their help in sourcing the skills and knowledge required.
- Consciously use some of the resources available in the day-to-day business activities, such as interactions with customers, suppliers, colleagues and industry associations. If questioned and engaged these can be valuable sources of knowledge and skill.
- Ensure that someone attend at least the principal conference or symposium of direct relevance to the venture.
- Have someone attend the trade show of most relevance to the venture.
- After the purchase of equipment or software, ensure that someone attends the training on these new tools and stays connected to the ongoing development of the tools.
- Identify external people who can facilitate or instruct relevant internal tutorials or symposia, or who can assist as consultants in projects.
- Encourage senior experienced people to mentor and help develop younger people and others with potential.
- Identify fast learners in the enterprise and ensure that there are changing roles and other opportunities for them to develop a broader range of relevant skills and knowledge.
- Encourage staff to belong and participate in professional organizations and technical societies.
- Put some emphasis on complementary training areas such as communication, interpersonal and business skills.
- Maintain contact with technical schools, community colleges, regional or municipal economic development officers and IRAP's Industrial Technology Advisors. These contacts will frequently provide an accessible pathway to new technology for smaller firms.
- For the more technology-intensive firms, maintain contact with universities, a major source of new advanced technology.
- Look for opportunities to engage in collaborative technology under-takings, to reduce costs and to broaden exposure to new ideas.
