have you experienced any changes in the demand for training in “quarantine” months?
Alexander Shalaev: the Decline in demand we just did not notice. Many understand that self-isolation will end sooner or later, and will benefit those who used this time for their own professional development and training company. Also be aware that construction is a strategic industry, one of the growth drivers of our economy. Training of workers involved in the construction, improves the quality of projects and implement them more efficiently.
Training center Glavgosekspertiza of Russia reacted quickly to the changes and have adapted to the new realities of quarantine. Back in March, we began to translate our in-person seminars online, which greatly expanded the geography of participants. They had to come to Moscow or to the sites of our affiliates, now actual knowledge from the experts of the state expertise can be obtained from the comfort of home or directly to work.
moreover, in April we launched a new product – a free monthly webinar where experts of the state expertise explain recent changes in town planning legislation. We have already held two events and was attended by more than 1500 people of the state and non-state expert organizations, representatives of companies-developers and designers.
the Second large-scale Federal project launched a Training centre during the period of quarantine, was the “School of effective customer”. The objective of the program is to increase the skills of managers of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and other state allocators of budget funds. The program covers the entire life cycle of object of capital construction, special attention is paid to the preparation of tasks for design. In addition to professional knowledge, the programme enables participants to acquire the skills of effective communication, project management and team work. The pilot edition of the School, which was held at the site of the Kazan branch of Glavgosekspertiza of Russia took part more than 350 leaders and representatives of state customers of the Volga Federal district. In the future the project will cover all regions of Russia, training will be carried out not only for executives but also for employees at all levels – middle management and the performers on the field.
Launch projects in crisis is risky. What’s the key to your success?
Alexander Shalaev: I would like to quote one of the heroes of the series “Game of thrones”: “the Chaos is not a failure, chaos is a ladder”. Here’s how I look at the situation that is now unfolding. We must use every��the opportunity that is given. A crisis, as you know – a time of opportunity. And we never miss it. A key factor for us is the careful approach to the design of educational programs.
In the preparation we use data for industry and company, analysis of automated information system “state expertise” and connect them with your expert opinion – do a deep analysis of common errors and their causes. We also consider requests of our students, their wishes and needs.
for Example, in the preparation of the pilot project “School of effective customer” together with branch collected requests from all regions of the Volga Federal district, have analyzed the structure of the construction industry in the regions, the best practices – all to ensure that the participants received maximum benefit from training. When the product is customer oriented when he made his requests, then he definitely will be in demand.
Past two months, the education has gone online. Which way will further the development of educational services?
Alexander Shalaev: Despite the active development of online education and its boom provoked by the “quarantine” conditions of our lives, it has never been the most effective. Yes, online learning allows access to knowledge from anywhere in the world or even to be trained at the most prestigious universities. But passing the online course, you get only professional knowledge, and communication skills, ability to work in a team and other soft skills are not affected. Learning is after all a competition, the formation of social networks on future personal communication with an expert in a group or one-on-one testing of new knowledge through trainings and seminars.
Many experts agree that the most effective learning format one that includes a component of both online and offline, that is, mixed format, or blended learning. In this training online and offline formats Supplement each other and contribute to a multifaceted development.
I am Sure that after the lifting of all restrictions practice this training will be the most common. Moreover, this approach is not only effective, but also fills the needs of people who long time were limited to living people.
does the Training center of state expertise to introduce the principle of blended learning in their programs?
Alexander Shalaev: it is Better to say that we will continue to use it in our programs. So, the School effective to the customer, which I mentioned earlier, after the period of isolation training will consist of online modules and face-to-face activities that will allow participants to operate in the Coveorking and freely share their successful experience. This year we are preparing to launch a program of improvement of qualification of experts, which also include an online course, webinars and in-person practical training.
as for the already existing programs, the shining example of a mixed approach to learning is our project “Examination of the future.” We have several years and combine online lectures and webinars, and face-to-face trainings, project activities and large conferences.
How is the project?
Alexander Shalaev: Initially, we conceived it as a project to improve performance and team building proactive and professional workers exclusively Glavgosekspertiza of Russia. Hosted two editions of the program, and its graduates have shown good results both in the development of proposals for the development of state expertise and expertise of the Institute in General and in terms of professional and personal growth. Taking into account many of the requests received from expert organizations to enable their employees to the program this year, in addition to an internal track that will be on the program the previous two years of study, the project will replenish a track for external participants.
In the end, analyzing the development of the project, today we can safely say that the project “Examination of the future” has entered a new stage of development. Now this is not just a corporate programme of the Glavgosexpertiza of Russia, but a project to create educational and innovative environment for the dissemination of industry best practices.
