Interview with a Senior Practitioner -- Anthony Harmetz

09/28/2011 4:13 PM | Paul Venderley (Administrator)

Training Program Sustainability
Interview conducted by L'Oreal Battistelli, OS Online Editor

Training veteran Anthony Harmetz said in a recent interview that training program sustainability “is the holy grail of many training departments.”  

“What does he mean by sustainability?” one might ask.

 “The term sustainability refers to a training program’s ability to survive over time,” the 18 year training veteran said.  “Many corporate training programs are provided only once, and then are never offered again.”

ASTD past President Harmetz is a training professional who has been mentoring and coaching people since he was a child, long before he had heard of the training and instructional design fields. 

“There are different ways to  think about your program’s potential sustainability,” Harmetz said, “One way to start would be by asking yourself three questions:” 

  • 1.      Will the training program survive past its initial offering?
  • 2.      Will it outlast the people who created it?
  • 3.      Will it outlast the initial sponsors who requested and championed it?
 Anthony Harmetz is a Training Consultant based in Orange County, CA.   Currently specializing in train-the-trainer, presentation skills coaching, and improving workplace communication, Anthony has extensive experience designing, developing, delivering and implementing comprehensive curricula.  Prior to initiating his own consultancy in 2006, Anthony established and for 13 years led the training function for Bally Total Fitness, a major services sector corporation operating out of more than 400 retail and administrative facilities in 30 states, where he was responsible for the training of Bally’s 25,000 employees.

Sustainability was the topic of discussion at a recent ASTD-OC Training Management Meet Up.  Harmetz said that the discussion focused on the various components that improve the chances a training program will stand the test of time.  

“While the group certainly didn’t come up with an exhaustive list,” Harmetz said, “and while some programs last without all of the components the group discussed, paying attention to nine factors  in particular should increase the odds that any training program will be sustainable.”

The complete article is in our OrangeSpiel Online.  Members, log in to review Anthony's Nine Factors that Improve Sustainability.





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