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Funny lady Linda Smith used to say, “I love Waitrose – it’s that little bit more expensive.�
Sad but true, until the recent credit crunch, all of us allegedly believed the view that “Expensive equals quality�, or “Let’s be honest, cheap equals crap�. The marketing boys had it all sewn up – picture the juicy shots on the M&S ads, with “This is not ordinary food, this is….� At the other extreme, the food shops low cost ranges were bought by the penny pinchers but most of us didn’t give a second glance.
In IT training, the high end “luxury market� (aren’t they superior - if you can afford it - why else would they be so well known?) convinced us that colleges exist who’ll teach IT for less but be careful, it won’t be as good.
Then lo and behold, the economy is in tatters, and all of a sudden value becomes our mantra! Many householders limit their trips to Waitrose, and instead choose Aldi and Lidl. Investment bankers and their large bonuses are frowned upon, and we all think again about what we buy.
Maybe we’ve been taken in by companies charging more? Look a little closer into the country’s IT training market, and you might be surprised. Just because there’s a great need for more skilled programmers and networking professionals, should we really be paying 5k–8k to get qualified, or are these prices outdated? It’s a bit ironic that many IT trainers are behind the times - supplying a workforce for the digital age using old fashioned methods. Why do students have to read through books when anything can be downloaded onto discs? Is it necessary to drive to training centres, paying even more for our overnights to support their overheads? Anytime Interactive support should be available for me anywhere – at my convenience, but not at my cost.
With more comprehensive, easier training options around now at a fraction of the cost of these prices, shouldn’t we acknowledge the fact that in terms of electronic learning, value means lower cost for higher quality. A new order is asserting itself in IT training – in the words used by supermarkets, it’s “Taste the Difference� goods for “Basic� prices. In this uncertain world we’re living in, I’d say that’s a step in the right direction.
(C) Scott Edwards - www.learninglolly.com. Scott Edwards has been involved in the IT and Training Industry for 30 years.
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