03 March 2020

What to look for in a training venue

Training is incredibly beneficial to both staff and the organisation, which is why it is vital to find the right training venue. A training venue  with classrooms for hire, with no ventilation will put your staff to sleep (or at least their brains) and a venue that is too cold will have their teeth chattering louder than the instructor is talking.

The training venue itself

Remember, your staff are going to have to sit (or stand) in the training room during the session so it’s important that it is somewhere comfortable and convenient. Where possible, you should take a look at the facilities either in person or online so that you can make sure it is appropriate for your needs.

Flexibility

A training space needs to be flexible so that all of your needs can be accommodated. This includes the seating arrangements you would like (such as theatre, classroom, boardroom etc.) as well as the amount of free space if you would like to have an area of floorspace for practical tasks. A good team of staff at the venue should be able to help you make the most of the arrangements in the training room.

Lots of space

You need to make sure that there is enough room in the venue to fit everyone in so that they are comfortable and have enough room without anyone being cramped in. Also, you want to avoid having a space that is so cavernous that voices are lost and the attendees cannot be close enough for interaction. You will also need to make sure that the venue has somewhere you can take a break, whether that is within the same room or in a separate breakout area.

Easy to reach and access training space

Your training space needs to be convenient for the learners to reach so that there is less risk of them avoiding training through difficult journeys. Any training venue you engage for your educational sessions needs to meet the requirements of all your staff.

Accessible training venue

It is important to consider the needs of all your attendees. If some would have trouble ascending stairs, make sure that you pick a venue that has an accessible training room and specify that you will need this room when you book to make sure that you get it. You should also be aware of any other concerns, such as those who would be benefited by having a hearing loop at the venue and if you will need a large screen with appropriate font so that everyone can read it with ease.

Ample parking and transport links

One aspect of choosing your venue that you will need to consider is its location and how people will be travelling there. You’ll need a venue that has good transport links – be they by rail or road – and it will need to be in a suitable location. After all, you don’t want to travel to the end of the country for training if you could just get it down the road instead. The location will need to take into consideration any remote workers and how the journey will be for them. If you have people arriving by car, ample parking is always recommended so that no one is late from trying to find a parking space.

Good training facilities and extras

While some of the main points have been covered above, you should also be thinking about the below points, as these are the ones that will help to enhance your training and make sure that everyone is fuelled and rested for it.

AV Technology

Depending on the type of training you are giving, you may require extensive audio-visual equipment and if that is the case, you should speak to prospective venues to see what facilities they can offer you. Even if your training will not involve projectors and speakers, you will need to find out what lighting and climate control they have, as you will want to make sure that the room is well lit enough and not too hot or too cold to encourage learning.

Refreshments and breakout areas

Whether you want a nice, hot meal at the end of your training for the purposes of team building (and nourishment) or plenty of snacks and drinks throughout the day, it’s important to make sure that the venue you choose can provide this. If your staff are hungry and don’t have an area for appropriate breaks, they are less likely to be able to pay attention and will produce less significant results at the end of the training.

Accommodation at your training venue

If you are hosting training over more than one day, you may need to consider accommodation for your employees. You may also wish to organise accommodation if you are doing team bonding activities in addition to your training.

To book our training venue in Swindon, contact us on 01793 819 000 and we will be happy to help you get ready for a productive training session.