The days of completing your education when you are a teenager are long gone. In fact these days, many people continue to study throughout their career, and even into retirement. In today’s fast-paced technical world, constantly updating your skills and knowledge is essential if you want to keep in touch with thought leaders. Put frankly, the benefits of life-long learning cannot be underestimated, neither for individuals nor business owners.
This theory is supported by a Government report called The Impact of Further Education Learning which was published in January 2013. Research carried out on behalf of the Department of Business Innovation and Skills
concluded that further training and education had far reaching benefits.
Those who completed courses saw improved job, pay and promotion prospects, as well as better job security. The wider benefits associated with learning and qualification attainment included better teamwork, communication and social skills, and on a personal level, improved confidence and self-esteem.
The importance of lifelong learning became a concept of interest for professional bodies in the early years of this century as they adopted a belief that it is important for everyone, no matter what their occupation, role or responsibility within an organisation, to ensure that their skills and knowledge remain up to date. From this was born the concept of continuing professional development (CPD).
Continuing professional development has been compulsory for dentists since 2002 and for dental care professionals since 2008, emphasising the individual’s duty to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills via lectures, seminars, courses, individual study and other activities. Currently, dentists must carry out 250 hours of CPD every five years, and dental care professionals 150-hours, which must include three highly recommended subject areas -
medical emergencies, disinfection and decontamination, and radiography and radiation protection.
In the past decades there have been huge advancements in specific industry-standard qualifications. Taking the
computer industry as an example, some job advertisements will specify the Microsoft Certified professional qualification as a prerequisite for any applicant. There are many benefits to having an industry-standard qualification, and one of the most important is that any potential employer can see at a glance, an applicant’s qualifications and know exactly what level of expertise they have reached.
Software of Excellence has taken on-board Microsoft’s philosophy and hopes to replicate its success in relation to developing the practice team skills. Launched earlier this year, SoE’s Academy of Excellence aims to revolutionise practice training for every member of staff within a practice. It has created a multilayered professional accredited training scheme that it hopes will help practices improve efficiency, knowledge and profitability.
Based on the martial arts grading system, this new qualification focuses first on ensuring staff are getting the best from the practice management software. Dental nurses, practice managers and reception staff can gain white, yellow and green belt certification based on the competency they display, specific to their role within the practice.
Following on from this, the practice itself can then progress through ‘performance’ levels, achieving red and then black belts as the business improves and revenues grow.
Robert Powell, head of the Academy of Excellence, said: “Not only does further education and training strengthen your current skill set, but it leads to new skills, and a highly motivated team. Our qualification path is beneficial not only to practices and their staff, but to the industry at large. For practices recruiting staff, if they arrive with a white, yellow or green belt, they will know that person has reached specific competency levels.
The qualification tells any potential employer this person is motivated, has a good work ethic and has attained a certain level of skill.”
The settings in which people learn have also changed in the last decade (advancements in technology and faster
internet speeds) make learning accessible in any place and across multiple platforms. Learning organisations are
adapting to these changes and offering a range of solutions that suit all students and budgets. Academy of Excellence courses can be delivered in a traditional classroom setting, on-site, or via online webinar sessions, which
are low cost and accessible at convenient times. Importantly for registered professionals, courses include CPD.
Robert explained: “These days people lead busy lives so they want to access education and training when it suits them. For the Academy of Excellence, the important factor is that people complete the training programme and progress through the competency levels. To aid that, we’ve produced course packages at different costs and made training more accessible, so people can choose their preferred option.”
Robert said the academy was created because Software of Excellence realised there was a knowledge gap across the industry: “From our own research and learning, we know optimum use of Exact really improves business outcomes, so it follows that with improved staff training practices could achieve much better results. Knowing we can make a huge difference to the efficiency and ultimately revenue of thousands of practices is a fantastic feeling.”
References available on request.