Developing Entertaining Tech Training
Automotive technicians are often ‘told’ to attend OEM training by their boss, because the OEM has told them they need to send more techs.
So the techs aren’t there because they want to be there, nor because the Service Manager thought they'd benefit from that particular course (many Service Managers acknowledge the benefits of OEM training on workshop performance and staff motivation though).
The techs are there because they have to be there, and quite often enjoy a break away from work. This might not be the most conducive environment to learning, but it is what it is, and I adapt.
Rhythm
First up, technicians are not used to sitting in a classroom, so it's important to vary the content and pace to keep them engaged. I use the following techniques.
Self-introduction: I ask techs to tell the group their dealer, how long they've been there and their hobbies. I ask a few questions, and often others in the group will chip in with questions too.
Early practical activity: I try and schedule a practical 30-60 minutes after the introduction, to give the techs a taste of what's to come and keep them positive. I don't want them to sit there for three hours the moment they walk in the door.
Share stories: If a conversation or lesson reminds me of a work-relate story, I share it. Most of the time techs are interested in what a 35-year veteran has been up to. It also makes the teacher/student relationship more 'personal'.
Side-tracking: If a tech doesn't know what diesel engine runaway is, I'll show them using YouTube. If a tech suggests that a particular video is interesting, and it's related to the training, I'll show it (for a few minutes). This shows the techs they have a say in the training too.
Frequent practicals: Every 60-120 minutes. Even if it's only an 'exploratory' practical where the techs only have to find components on the car, at least they're moving and using their brains.
Kahoots: Bless Kahoots! Techs love them, and get quite competitive. For each topic I'll have a 6-10 question Kahoot, 3-4 times a day.
Classroom activities: Lesson related tasks or challenges, that are conducted in groups.
General activities: These are generic boredom buster team activities or brain teasers. I use a book by Derek Good & Craig McFadyen called "101 Training Activities" for inspiration. I don't use these very often for techs, but they work well with open-thinking groups, like Service Advisors.
Engagement
To keep the techs engaged I employ a few techniques.
I ask them questions about their personal experience, knowledge or opinions.
I develop team classroom activities where each team has to present their results to the whole class. For example, at a BYD training course I had different groups explain different heat pump cycles to the class. One tech explained, with their group members coaching them.
All techs hate a final test, so for one course I had the techs write two test questions/answers each on pieces of paper, and I used those for the final test. From a group of 15 techs I had 30 questions/answers to choose from so I only chose the best ones.
Boredom Killers
Most techs will do their best to stay awake, and I give them the tools to do so.
Lollies: Individually wrapped sweets are a must. A combination of the mouth movement and sugar fix help most techs stay awake.
Gadgets: Rubix cubes or other fiddle gadgets are also good for staying awake. A momentary distraction is better than sleep. Just make sure they're not noisy gadgets.
Good food: Select light but well prepared food, not heavy fried or meaty food. The improvement I see in concentration when the food at training is good is significant. Plus, it enhances the overall experience for the tech.
Music: During breaks I play music through a Bluetooth speaker. It gives the training a more casual, personal feel.
Try some of these 'tricks' at your next training course! Let me know if you have other ideas!