Trainers with their heads in the sand will get kicked in the rear

The new Training and Assessment Certificate (TAA 04) was released in November 2004.

It is not obligatory for learning and development professionals to hold this qualification - but there are many compelling reasons why you should be upgrading your existing certificate to the new benchmark in training.

We preach continuous professional development to our students but need to ensure that our own skills are current and in line with the latest trends. Other professional groupings such as medical practitioners, the legal fraternity and financial planners are obliged to obtain professional development points.

Trainers fulfill a vital role in education and training and ensuring the vibrancy of the economy – and yet there is no obligation placed on them to update and maintain currency.

Trainers who are serious about training work towards continuously updating and refreshing their skills and knowledge. If we are to be expected to be taken seriously at a Board level in our organisations, we need to have the credentials to talk on that platform.

The previous BSZ never provided sufficient knowledge for this high level of discussion. The TAA, through its broader scope, does encourage trainers to hold serious discussions about HR issues that have an impact on any organization – addressing skills shortages and talent retention among them.

As training packages are updated every 3 years, requirements for training and assessment of these packages will start reflecting the new TAA units of competence.

Trainers will then be expected to hold certain TAA units in order to deliver and assess the relevant certificate. Develop yourself at your own pace to achieve the 300 hour certificate and avoid a last minute dash.

The new TAA is a far broader qualification and expands the training context into areas that are critical for placing learning in a prominent position on an organisation’s agenda.

If we are to move organizations forward in their thinking about the value of learning, the previous certificate did not go nearly far enough in providing trainers with skills outside the training room itself.

Placing the TAA onto your CV is an indication to employers and clients that you do not hold qualifications that are obsolete. The TAA is not going away.

It is an attempt to ensure professionalism and consistent standards in the industry. Yes, it does involve change in how we think about training and it does take the effort of compiling evidence to complete your portfolio.

It is however worth the effort to constantly move forward along the journey of lifelong learning and to gain a qualification that sets a high level requirement for involvement in the L and D industry.