Need Training? Stay Up-to-Date on Our New Course Offerings

KnowledgeCity has a new LinkedIn Showcase Page.  To keep up to date on all the new courses coming to KnowledgeCity over the next few weeks log in to your LinkedIn account and follow us.

Some of our upcoming courses include:  Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction, Microsoft Word 2013: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Introduction, and Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Advanced.

Do you need to learn how to use the new tools in Excel?  Would you like to restore an old family photo?
Do you want to learn how to communicate effectively with your team?

If you are looking for courses to update your skills, or even if you are wanting to learn something new, KnowledgeCity has courses for everyone.

For a quick and easy way to stay connected to all the latest and greatest courses we have to offer follow our New Courses Showcase Page on LinkedIn. This page will let you know what courses are in the works, what courses will be available in the coming weeks and alert you when a new course is available on our site.

If you need to train your staff in a cost effective and efficient way, look to KnowledgeCity.  With over 7000 training videos, expert instructors, administrative and training needs analysis tools, and the convenience of 24/7 access from any location or device; KnowledgeCity is your solution.

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New Features of Excel 2013: Tools that Make Life Easier

When you first open Excel 2013, right away you see how much more visually appealing the program is.  Microsoft has also created new features that help save time and increase productivity.

In the Backstage View, you can choose a regular sheet or choose from the many template options.  If you have been working on a file, the program now has a “recent” section that shows all the files you have been working on so you can have quick and easy access.

When working within a document with a large amount of data, Flash Fill saves time, by recognizing patterns in your data, this new feature automatically fills in the information based on the pattern in the data.

Recommended Charts and Chart Tools can help you display your data dynamically.  You can easily edit the look and feel of the chart you choose with filters and pallets.  There is also a preview that shows what your data would look like in each chart.

 

Use OneDrive to save and share your files online and on any device.  You can even collaborate in real time on the same document.  There are features you can use to lock sections of the document, as well as, permissions and password protection features that help keep your document safe.

These are just a few of the useful productivity and time saving tools that you can learn in our new course Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction.  With all the new features, you could play around with them and try to figure each out.  Or you could learn from an expert in Microsoft Excel.

Look for our new courses coming in the next few weeks: Microsoft Excel 2013: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Introduction, Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud: Advanced and many more on the way!

Visit www.knowledgecity.com to find these and our other great courses in Business, Computer Software, and Safety Compliance.

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Job Hopping, A Strategic Career Move?

Job hopping.  It may seem like something you do when you are in your twenties.  I mean, aren’t we expected to settle into a career by our thirties?  Think about our future, put down roots in a company that has all we need for security, such as: decent pay, health benefits, a retirement plan, and a solid foundation for future growth within our field. 

Job hopping was once a sign of instability.  However, today it just may make you more marketable.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S. the average number of years that workers have been with their current employer is 4.6.  Younger workers aged 20-34 had a tenure average of only 2.3 years.  The reasons people leave their jobs vary, but job hopping does not have to be seen as a negative.

Job hopping gives you a diverse background.  When you work in different jobs you gain experience and knowledge in each.  You are exposed to different people and ways of doing things.  It also allows you to build a network of friends and colleagues that can be beneficial in your next position.

Another added benefit of job hopping is that it allows you the opportunity to find a job that fits you just right.  When you experience different jobs, you learn what you enjoy.  When you find one that is a good fit, you have the choice to make it your career.  Finding something you love to do is a great reason for job hopping.

There are potential downsides, such as: potential employers may be hesitant to hire you because you lack staying power.  Employers do not want to have to keep replacing employees. This means you have to prove yourself time and time again as you move from job to job.

In an article by CPGJobs, Is Job Hopping a Good Career Strategy? job hopping can be used as a means to obtain a promotion, increase your salary and expand your skillset.

The key to job hopping is to do it correctly.  Do not just randomly move from job to job; have a plan and try not to burn any bridges.

Although the idea of having a stable career that will last all your adult years is sound advice, sometimes job hopping can be an asset if used correctly.

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The Future of Training: Moving from Learner Centric to Business Centric Model

The future of Learning and Development is moving away from Learner Centric, or employee needs model, and moving more towards Business Centric, or business needs model.  The reason behind this trend is that the business needs of the company should be considered when developing a training program.  To have a measureable effect on productivity moving to a Business Centric model is a must.

According to David Grebow, in his article The Future of L&D: Business-Centric Learning, “Before the learners ever see the content, it needs to pass the test of alignment with the business needs.”  

As an example: If one of the goals of the business is to increase and measure customer service; in the Business Centric model, the Learning and Development team would design training to address this goal of the business.  Courses might include: Customer Service Essentials, Retaining Customers, Improving your Customer Service Skills.

In a recent article in Training Industry Magazine, Key Trends 2014; Shifting to Business Centric Learning, Doug Haward stated that the Learner Centric model “missed the mark on the most fundamental principle for success: ensuring that training is aligned to the needs of the business first.”

Learning and Development has been focusing on the skills gaps for some time now.  The trend is to continue to evaluate what your staff knows and what they need to know to align with the business needs of the company.  An important trend to this model is consistency. 

In a rapidly changing industry, training is in fast forward: mobile devices, video integration, digital content, open source and flipped classroom.  Sometimes it’s hard to decipher what content can be used or applied to a specific training program.

Many businesses seeking to maximize performance are using the Business Centric model with a virtual component.  Moving to E-Learning allows companies to create a training program that is across the board for all employees and yet can give that element of Learner Centric while still meeting the Business Centric model.

Training is made more efficient and effective by online education companies like KnowledgeCity.com, that can create custom training paths designed to choose courses for each employee’s skill level and job responsibilities—courses that are most relevant to the work they do or need to be able to do to reach the business goals set by the company.

KnowledgeCity uses a proprietary algorithm and training advisors to choose the best courses, and the employee’s own manager approves or modifies the user’s final course list. By enrolling in the KnowledgeCity Training Need Analysis program, a company ensures that their employees receive the best training for their position in line with the company goals.

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