The competency framework identifies critical skills; management prioritizes the importance and required level of competence needed in those areas of skill and the training needs analysis proceeds to identify where the company needs to focus their training efforts.

There are a variety of ways to conduct a training needs analysis. One popular way is to attach it to performance management. At the regular performance management interview the manager will look at the competencies required to perform the role and assess the worker against those competencies, generally on a sliding scale of level of expertise. If this method is used there needs to be a central database that is fed by the performance management process and which organises and records assessments against common competencies across the organisation. The competency framework is the driver of this system. When performance management is undertaken data is recorded within the framework to identify common areas requiring  attention and also individual needs for training. There are a great number of commercially available performance management systems that will address this need.

Another way to conduct a training needs analysis is to do regular, say yearly, audits of training needs through surveys of management and/or staff or both. It is often difficult to construct these surveys so there are some basic surveys that can be found on the internet or purchased online and downloaded. If the organisation is looking for something specific to their needs a training manager should be able to design a relevant survey, based on the competency framework.

A third way is to engage a consultant to develop the competency framework, the training needs analysis and the training plan.

It may seem like a lot of trouble to go to and can take a bit of time to accomplish, however the training needs analysis allows for focused training efforts that will ensure the training dollar is targeted to the company’s training needs. This will stop the slow bleed of training funds to training that may not necessarily contribute to the bottom line.

How valuable is your training manager?

What is competency based training?

The opportunity to make money with Liveperson.com

The internet is becoming our go to resource for education. If you have expertise and experience in one or more areas then, by simply sitting at home on the computer, you can make money. As an expert on Liveperson.com a customer can search for what they need and contact you.

When you create an expert account on Liveperson.com you set your charge per minute on live real time chat, email or telephone. For example, you can make yourself available as an internet marketing expert. People will talk to you on live chat paying per minute for advice.

The benefits to making money with Liveperson.com

The work is entirely flexible. You can work for 1 hour a month or eighty hours a week. How much you do is entirely down to you. How much you earn is down to your cost and expertise. All you need is a computer, an internet connection and the software.

One of the big advantages to making money on Liveperson.com is your ability to multi-task. The Liveperson software alerts you when someone wants to pay for your time, so in between you can work on other things.

The more successful jobs you complete on Liveperson.com, the higher your rating. The higher your rating, the better the chance of getting further customers.

The problems with Liveperson.com

There are a few problems with Liveperson.com. You may have a good hourly rate set and the expertise to warrant it, but without the customers you have no income. The major problem with Liveperson.com is, a lot of the help you are able to get is freely available from community members on forums. And most people know it.

Making money from Liveperson.com may reliable if you can find a niche. Find a subject you know which people are looking for help on, with little competition and start with low prices until you grow your feedback.

2. Do your share of the work. If people are forever needing to pick up your slack, they are not going to appreciate you, as a co-worker, over time.

3. Do’t flirt. Much, Don’t flirt with the boss. It will not provide you with job security and it will make you the object of water cooler gossp.

 4. Be kind. Help the new-be get acquainted and settled in. You will make a friend.

5. Share what you know about the job and the business in a positive way. Be enthusiatic about your work. If you can’t do this,  then star circulating your resume. Think about getting another job where you will be happier. It’s eight hours out of five days of your week. You need to feel good about what you do and where you do it. Don,t get sucked into the “You ought to be happy just to have a job in these hard times” mindset.  You desserve to have a job that brings you satisfacition and  fulfilment.

In all organisations there are a set of competencies that are necessary to do the required work. Some of these competencies are technical skills or they relate directly to the way a person performs the functions of their position. Others are competencies in skill areas that are not quite so specific but can still be measured such as: communication, organisation, people management, decision making, strategic planning, relationship building and maintenance (and the list goes on).

All workplaces rely on a set of competencies to be able to do the work required. A good training manager can develop a competency framework for your organisation. This framework identifies all the skills required across the organisation; technical skills, management skills, communication skills, etc. Once the framework has been identified the training manager can perform a training needs analysis which will survey how the staff measure up to the competency framework.

It is not possible, and neither is it necessary, for all staff to have a high level of competence in all areas, so management needs to look at the results of the training needs analysis and prioritise those competencies that they feel will contribute most to the success of the organisation and which people need to be trained in this area. This is where the training manager receives direction – the high priority areas are the areas in which to organise the training agenda.

The competency framework does not stand on its own – it has to work hand in glove with performance management, staff appraisal and professional development. If these areas work well together succession planning and staff retention become issues that are addressed as well. This will provide your company with a sound business platform and a capacity to move forward.

How valuable is your training manager?

Could your training manager develop a competency framework for your organisation? If it hasn’t happened already then make it a priority. Get focused on what needs to be trained rather than using a scatter gun approach to training.

Training managers must be inquisitive. They need to know how every section operates and what the section  goals are in the greater scheme of delivering the business. They also need to know the range of functions all employees within the company are required to perform.

So, why do they need to know all of these things? The answer is simple. Training is about competencies. Every person who works in the organisation is working towards goals. They may be sales goals, or marketing goals, or production goals; everyone is working towards getting something achieved. The only way to achievement is to have workers who are competent at the tasks you require them to do.

Sometimes your workers will come to you fully competent. You employ them simply because they have a skill you need and they can adequately demonstrate that skill to the level you want them to use it. This is often the case when employing technical people who have a specific focus on a specific skill.

However it becomes more difficult if you want to employ people who are multi-skilled or who need to work in an environment that has multiple demands. Often this requires a set of competencies; a range of skills and some adaptability and flexibility in how those skills are used.

In order to address training needs in an organisation training managers need to have the capacity to identify and articulate the competencies that will deliver business objectives. Workers in the organisation can then be assessed against these competencies to ensure their capacity to complete the strategic objectives.

If your training manager is going to be valuable to your organisation they need to be aware of and familiar with the set of competencies your workers need to get their jobs done. Once they know these competencies they can develop a framework that identifies them for all positions, works hand in hand with your performance management system and easily identifies skill areas that require training, or emerging skills that your staff will need to learn.

A good training manager will keep an eye on how well your company is developing its skill base, opportunities for training and rewarding people who are doing a great job and learning new skills to support your business.

Every time one of your workers wants to attend training your training manager should be able to identify how this will support your business. Every training program should clearly link to achieving outcomes that you have identified in your business plan. If the outcomes are not clearly linked you may be wasting resources, both human and financial. A good training manager can clearly articulate the links between training and business improvement and should also be able to predict what the return will be on your investment in training.

If this is the case in your organisation give your training manager a pat on the back – they are doing a great jo and they are valuable to you.

Are you an ebayer who is tired of all the fees that ebay has added to your auctions? Well I am. I have been selling online with ebay for quite some time and even opened an ebay store. For years, I made some very good money selling on ebay auctions and through my ebay store, but in the past year, ebay has gone wild with seller fees. In the last few months, I have had to close my ebay store because I could no longer make a profit. And now, I very seldom sell anything on an ebay auction because of all of the fees.

But have no fear, I have done some research and have found that there are lots of alternatives to selling on ebay. The internet is full of other online auction sites that do not charge any fees at all.

So if you are trying to sell online but can no longer pay the ebay fees just check out a few of these auction sites.

Wensy.com is an online auction that has no listing fees, no closing fees, and offers a free store to it’s sellers. It allows you to add pictures of your items with no cost. And you can sell auction style, dutch auction, fixed price or list in the classified ads. There home page address is

http://wensy.com/index.asp

The next auction site is 2made and is also a completely free auction site. There are no fee charges at all. You can list free and pay no upfront fees or closing cost fees. And they also offer a seller store which is also free to set up and sell your items. There home page address is

http://www.2made.co.uk/2mCapLESI.html

Another auction site is FreeAux. This auction site also does not charge any fees. They even state that they do not like fees. You can create a standard auction, sell your item, and pay no fees of any kid. They also have the option of opening a store for selling, if you sell a large number of items and need more exposure. They do offer some extra features for sellers that do require a small fee such as an upgrade in the appearance of your listing or special placement preference on the site. These fees can be found on their site, but these extras are no necessary for selling with them. FreeAux’s home page address is

http://www.freeaux.com/index.php

Bidjunk is also another free auction site that not only lets you sell items in an auction style listing, but also offers a free store for your items. They do not have any fees for listing items and no end of auction fees. You can check this auction site out at

http://www.bidjunk.com/

Gas to liquids or GTL technology has been around for several decades but has received much more attention in the past few years, thanks to rising crude prices. Using GTL technology, natural gas and coal bed methane  can be converted into longer chain hydrocarbons such as gasoline, diesel and even jet fuel.

In fact the world’s first commercial passenger jet powered by GTL fuel made from natural gas recently flew from Doha to London.  The  Qatar Airways jet, an Airbus A340-600 aircraft,  was powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 556 engines using gas to liquids derived jet fuel.

Shell produces a new type of jet fuel, called GTL Jet Fuel, which burns with lower sulphur dioxide emissions that can be used to lower air pollution at airports with low air quality such as Hong Kong and Mexico City. The fifty – fifty blend of GLT fuel and conventional jet fuel is being touted as an economically viable and more eco friendly alternative to conventional jet fuel.

There are two main processes used to turn natural gas into more complex fuels such as diesel. The Fischer – Tropsch process and the Mobil process which was developed by the company formerly known as Mobil Oil in the 1970’s.

Most natural gas can be used for gas to liquids conversion however gas that is higher in methane content is preferred.  Gas from unconventional reservoirs such as coal bed methane and shale gas are both rich in methane content and ideal for GTL conversion.

Swimming In Natural Gas

As the price of oil rises, both due to scarcity and the decline of the U.S. dollar, the price on natural gas remains low. There is such an abundance of natural gas in the United States that some companies such as EOG are actually capping newly drilled wells until prices rise. The break even point for companies to make a profit is somewhere in the $4.00 per MMBTU range and as of the writing of this article natural gas is trading at $4.40 per MMBTU or Million British Thermal Units.

The reason for all of this natural gas is the discovery of enormous shale gas reservoirs in the United States and the fact that unlike oil, natural gas is not easily transported around the world. Horizontal drilling, or the process of drilling natural gas wells sideways across an underground reservoir, has unleashed a vast supply of natural gas in the U.S.

Shale gas reservoirs such as the Marcellus shale, the Haynesville shale and newly discovered ones like Eagle Ford shale  in South Texas mean a stable source of natural gas for GTL fuel conversion. The relative stability of natural gas prices may allow refiners to produce gasoline, diesel and jet fuel cheaper from natural gas than from crude oil as refining costs come down.

As GTL conversion refineries become larger and an economy of scale takes over, the price per gallon cost of GTL conversion will drop. The Syntroleum corporation of the United States has reported that their cost of making a barrel of crude from natural gas is somewhere in the $20 per barrel range.

Is GTL Better Than CNG As A Motor Fuel?

GTL or gas to liquids derived fuels can solve  many of the problems associated with using natural gas as a motor fuel. Currently the main problem associated with powering vehicles with CNG or compressed natural gas, is lack of driving range. By concentrating the energy of natural gas in a liquid form, a GTL powered car will have the same range and power as one powered by conventionally derived gasoline. Using GTL also solves the problem of having to install costly CNG conversion kits and tanks in millions of vehicles.

For more about the United States shale gas boom see: The Marcellus Shale Gas Boom

We now have more natural gas than we know what to do with, thanks to a new technology called directional drilling and the discovery of vast reservoirs of natural gas such as the Marcellus shale, Barnett shale, Haynesville shale and Eagle Ford shale.

Experts have estimated that we now have over one hundred years worth of clean natural gas in the United States. Natural gas may one day power our vehicles, trucks, trains and even planes thanks to a technology called “gas to liquids” which enables natural gas to be converted to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Shale reservoirs have been known about by petroleum companies for decades but never seriously considered as a source of production since traditionally drilled wells could not expose enough of the reservoir to produce any real amount of gas. Directionally drilled horizontal wells can expose thousands of feet of reservoir profile and  increase natural gas production to an economically viable level.

What Kind Of Natural Gas Jobs Are Being Created?

For years the only jobs available in rural areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia were in the coal mining industry. Coal mining left many scars across this rugged land and unfortunately no real lasting economic benefits. Low wages were typically paid by mining companies and profits from production often were invested elsewhere. 

The discovery of one of the biggest natural gas reservoirs on earth, the Marcellus Shale, underneath much of the Northeastern United States may provide more lasting economic benefits. The reason for this is that unlike coal, for which entire mountains are removed, a natural gas well occupies only a small amount of real estate, as little as a couple hundred square feet of area once it is drilled and continue to produce for years. Natural gas wells in the Marcellus shale are predicted to produce for decades before depleting.

These wells require production employees called pumpers or gaugers who inspect the wells and verify daily production. A gauger or pumper may take care of twenty or more gas wells. His or her duties may involve checking the level of produced condensate or water in tanks with a hand held gauging tape (hence the name) and doing routine maintenance on gas dehydrators, separators, pumps and other equipment.

In addition to production employees such as gaugers or pumpers shale gas reservoirs create jobs in areas such as pipeline construction and maintenance, trucking, heavy equipment sales and service, accounting and service industries.

The infrastructure that supports a large shale gas field such as the Marcellus shale is vast and complex. To transport the gas via pipeline to market there will be large gas compressor facilities that require round the clock workers such as mechanics and operators.

The Trickle Down Benefits Of Natural Gas Production

In the Bakken shale formation of North Dakota, which is both an oil and gas shale reservoir,  it has been estimated that the number of jobs created by one drilling rig is over two hundred. This is in addition to the rig workers or roughnecks drilling the well.

While the exploration phase of the Marcellus and other shales will create hundreds of jobs the real boom will come in the years to follow as all of the revenue from these wells trickles into the local economy. Most of the royalty money from Marcellus shale wells will be paid to private landowners. These landowners, who may get royalty checks of as much as $30,000 per month from a single well, will spend this money in the community where they live. All of this wealth trickles down to businesses like car dealers, real estate companies, restaurants, home builders, etc. As we have seen in the Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex, where the Barnett shale is being developed, the impact on the community has been dramatic. New schools, roads, hospitals and other infrastructure has been built in the last ten years, thanks to shale gas money.

What The Future Holds For The Marcellus Shale And Other Shale Gas Reservoirs

There are many obstacles to the development of the Marcellus and similar shale gas reservoirs. These include appeasment of environmental and community groups about potential groundwater contamination, noise, sediment runoff from drilling rig sites, etc. These obstacles have been successfully dealt with in the Barnett and Haynesville shale, allowing for their development.  One thing is for certain, and that is in terms of lasting economic impact the Northeast and in fact the entire United States will never be the same once the Marcellus shale is developed. For more on the Marcellus shale see: Marcellus Shale Information Site

image source

1. Conduct your own market research. 

State and federal governments collect lots of useful data – so do trade associations and local chambers of commerce.  Know your target market and potential costumers.   Find out what they want.  Study the product you intend to offer, and test if it would work out for your target consumers.

image source

2.  Study the environment – and the competition.

Keep apprised of the legal and technological changes affecting your business.  Watch what rival organizations do and how successful they are.

3. Get involved selectively.

Become a member of the professional and trade associations with real stature in your industry and community.  This will keep your name in circulation.  If appropriate, sponsor a local team or an event related to your field.

image source

4.  Pay attention to details. 

Do you have a distinctive logo?  Maybe you need a design overhaul; outdated stationery serves as a negative advertisement.

image source

5.  Use direct mail.

Buy appropriate mailing lists or generate your own.  To distinguish your letters from junk mail, print addresses directly on the envelope, and use first-class stamps instead of metered or low-rate postage.  When using email, do not spam. It devalues the image of your company.

Image via Wikipedia

6.  Toot your own horn where warranted.

Don’t overlook the publicity value of new services, products and employees.  Send brief press releases to local newspapers and trade publications, which are hungry for material.

Image via Wikipedia

A white paper is a business and information technology buzzword that companies are acquiring as their own (buzzword, that is). Highly paid consultants tell companies that they need to write these documents because it will give them the edge over their competition, so they do.

Think of a white paper as a cross between a a marketing brochure and a technical document. Most white papers are written by people just like you, and are presented to Executives. This document plus other white papers on similar topics help them to make informed decisions. So, when you write one, write it simply enough so that Executives can understand and explain to other decision makers, but technical enough to keep the techies happy.

An Executive Summary comes first in this document. If the Execs read nothing else, they’ll read this. This 1-2 paragraph narrative tells the reader what he/she should expect in the paper..Why so short? Consider your audience.

Next comes an introduction and background. This should be 1/2 – 3/4 of a page. Keep it simple and basic. No fluff, just short and sweet.

The next section is the “what is the project?” section. Describe the solution or product. This will probably be the largest section. Keep it under five pages.

The final section should answer the question, “what do you want me to do about it?” What action point do you need the reader to take in order  to follow through with this project?

There you have it. If you include all of those things, you should have a decent paper. The goal is to keep the white paper to under 10 pages.