Ten considerations to help you choose the very best training venue

1:  Choose a training venue that is easily accessible from major roads. Consider an out of town location which will be easier to reach during rush hour. Why is this important? Difficult journeys increase stress levels. If your delegates have an easy journey they will arrive in a positive relaxed frame of mind ready to learn.

2: Look for training facilities with free on-site parking. Why? Because it is very stressful to arrive in an unfamiliar location having to find a space to park. Onsite parking prevents this frustration.   

3: Training facilitators need to be able to control room temperature and daylight. What impact can this have? If your delegates are too hot or too cold, they will be concentrating on how uncomfortable they feel and not on the training. Similarly, it is important to be able to control the light in the room. Glares and reflections make it difficult for delegates to see presentation screens. Take control by selecting a training room with radiator thermostats, and windows that open and have blinds.

4: Check the acoustics in the training room. Why? For course participants to learn, they require optimum sound levels so it is advisable to avoid training venues with high ceilings; the tutors voice will simply sail up into the rafters. Similarly, avoid rooms that are too large, the tutors voice will be lost. It is also important to make sure that the presentation equipment has built in sound amplification – otherwise important learning opportunities will be lost.

5: Have a check list of questions to determine what facilities are available in the training room and what is equipment is included in the cost of the room hire. What questions should be on your room hire checklist?  Here are a few suggestions. Does the room have free high speed wi-fi? How many electricity sockets are available for delegates to use for laptops and to charge phones? Is there a clock available which is clearly visible for the course tutor? What table layouts work well in the room? Be aware that many training venues charge extra for screens, flip charts, conference paper etc so determine what is included in the training room hire. Ideally look for a training venue which includes all of the essentials in the room hire charge.

6: The training room layout is crucial. What should you look out for? Check with the venue that all participants will be able to see the screen comfortably and make sure they are close enough to the tutor to hear easily. Give thought to the amount of space needed for your course workbooks and any other learning resources and if necessary, check that the training room tables are large enough. If you are providing a skills-based workshop, consider a classroom layout as this encourages discussion and participation. Find out if the venue has the flexibility to accommodate this? Find out if the training room will be set up for you prior to arrival or will your course tutor need to do this upon arrival. Find out how early the venue opens as your course tutor might want to access the room an hour before the event starts in order to set up.

7: Food and refreshments are an important consideration when choosing a training venue. Why? Looking after your delegates physical needs ensures that they are comfortable and can concentrate fully on the training. Providing food that has a WOW factor has a positive impact on delegates overall impression of the training event and makes them feel valued.

8: Look for a training venue with free, reliable, high speed Wi-Fi. Why is this important? Some training course rely heavily on wi-fi connections, for others wi-fi is simply needed so that delegates can check their e-mails at lunch time. Both are very important considerations so check that the quality and speed of connection is suitable for your training event. If your event relies heavily on wi-fi, then it is advisable to visit the venue and check that the wi-fi speed is suitable for your purposes. If you participants are going to be completing tasks online, then look for venues that have managed wi-fi access points. 

9: If you are providing an ‘open course’, it is not always possible to predict the needs of your delegates until closer to the event date. Why is this a consideration? It is important to look for a training venue that can cater for participants with particular needs like wheelchair access and hearing loops. Food allergies and dietary preferences are another important consideration, so check that your venue can cater for all types of special dietary requirements.

 10: Choose a training venue which has event staff available throughout the day. What difference will this make to my event? A good events team will be available to give your participants a warm welcome and familiarise your delegates with the layout of the building. This enables the tutor to set up and prepare without interruption. Check that event staff are on hand to provide help and support when circumstances change. For example, can they provide support setting up the IT equipment, can they give you access to photocopies if an extra delegate turns up for the course.

When you are booking a training venue, it is easy to over look small but important details so we have created an easy to use checklist. You can download it free here…there are no forms to fill in, just click and print.