Training outside work hours

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MooPoo

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#74793 7-Jan-2011 07:40

Hey

For my job I may be doing a polytech course soon as the boss wants to move into a different area of operations and we need to have qualifications to do it.

This course will probably be a night course. 2 - 4 hours a night, one night a week for 20 weeks. It works out to be around 68 hours.

This will be over and above my normal working hours, although he is paying for the course.

My boss isnt all that keen on paying overtime on my salary so what should I be expecting as compensation and what does he have to offer me?

I assume that time off in lieu would be the norm?

Cheers

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Dunnersfella

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#424883 7-Jan-2011 07:57

I'm not sure about legal obligations...
But from a personal perspective, if I'm ever offered training, I take the opportunity - whether I'm reimbursed for my time or not.
If I doesn't say yes to training for that reason, someone else does... they'll get promoted, and I won't.
It's just how the world works...

LookingUp

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#424885 7-Jan-2011 08:32

It's hard to give an absolute answer without knowing the type of training and potential future benefit to you, but assuming that there will be benefit to you, then I wouldn't expect any "compensation" for time invested in training, and I'd be grateful that the boss is paying the fees.

If you boss is looking to move into a different area of business and needs someone with a specific qualification to fill a role, his options include making your position redundant and employing someone else into the new role. ie. be careful that you aren't providing your boss with an opportunity to let you go.

Putting these two together I'd suggest grabbing the opportunity for training with both hands, and securing your position in the company!

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xpd

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#424893 7-Jan-2011 09:02

My work covers all my training costs but dont compensate me for anything else as they already allow for some personal development time during normal work hours. Also, its in my best interests to do the training because gives me more ammo when it comes to pay rise time :)

Other companies dont have PD time available so would request you do training in your time, but if you start asking for compensation, they may also look at your commitment to the company, putting in 2-4 hrs a week extra of your own time isnt a big thing for most people.

One way to look at it is, if you dont do the training, will it cost you your job long term ?

XPD / Gavin

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tonyhughes

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#424895 7-Jan-2011 09:12

I have worked for companies large and small over the years, and aside from training during normal work hours, I have never been (nor asked for) compensation for time.

Your employer would normally pay all costs associated with training (including travel if its more than a short trip), e.g. accomodation, course fees, materials etc.

oxnsox

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#424906 7-Jan-2011 09:44

Your Boss is offering you the opportunity to upskill/improve your skill set, and that makes you both more valuable to his business and potentially more valuable to other businesses.

Offering to pay for the course is I believe a good compromise, as any motivated person in the company (or similar one) would upskill themselves at their own own expense if they saw that it opened up opportunities for them to improve their job prospects and paypacket.

If you want to move ahead in life you have to take some risk... wanting your employer to take it all for you won't give them any increased confidence in your abilities, and can hardly be seen as empowering for you.

cormackp

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#424912 7-Jan-2011 10:04

In a perfect world our employer would value us and yes cover all the cost for training and compensate us for the hour, but it's not a perfect world !
So man do the training and it will make you more useful to your current employer and it will build your skill set so you can be more usefull to another employer.
There a saying Knowledge is POWER , get the KNOWLEDGE and you will have the power to ask for a fairer deal eventually. Do the training and work your but off and become indispensable.

PS I'm a techplease excuse the gramma and spelling.

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scuwp

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#424918 7-Jan-2011 10:30

Free training, you just need to put in the time and effort?...oh man grab that with both hands and take some responsability for your personal development. It's only one night a week to get a whole new set of skills. ka-ching!

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

minimoke

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#424946 7-Jan-2011 12:06

Ask not what your boss can do for you, ask what you can do for your boss!

He's given you a job, a wage, an opportunity for professional development and he's paying the course costs.

Just goes to prove the lack of value a "qualified' person actually brings to a business. Shame people can't go on courses for an attitude change.

Batman

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#424948 7-Jan-2011 12:20

no way jose! training that is paid is the max norm incentive. don't expect to be paid. or get time in lieu. UNLESS there is "education leave" in the contract ... now that's a different story

MooPoo

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#424990 7-Jan-2011 15:40

OK OK Sheesh.

I didn't mean to make it sound like I was ungrateful or not going to do the training or anything.

Its just in the past I have worked 14 hr days with no offer of anything so i was wondering if I was entitled to anything. Not that i was going to demand it!

Thanks for the advice people.

bazzer

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#424996 7-Jan-2011 16:09

No harm in asking. It's not like it's only for your advantage. Your employer is also getting something out of it. For the study I do, I get days off to study, incentives for passing, etc.

It depends hows you look at it. I appreciate the support of my employer, but we both realise it's mutually beneficial. You're putting in the hard yards with the study, the least they can do is pay for you. Maybe if you pass, they could hook you up with a couple of days in lieu at the end, a pay rise, etc. Like I said, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Still, if you've been working 14 hour days and they haven't offered you a day off here or there, then you're probably out of luck.

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webwat

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#426191 11-Jan-2011 16:36

You might be able to finish work an hour early to give you enough study time, and your boss may give you a day off for revision before the exam if its a difficult course. You should expect to keep the certificate to prove you are qualified, and the amount of time you put into it will be reflected in your results and value.

But its not easy to allocate a couple of hours after work to study, since your brain probably doesn't want to concentrate much when you are tired and need a rest. Good luck with it!

Time to find a new industry!