4 Things Businesses Needs For A Computer Training Facility

Modern computer training facilities have taken a huge jump in aesthetics and usability in recent years. While the training room of the 90s would be oppressively drab and boring, today’s training centers are stacked with technology and look like places that people may actually want to spend time. That’s should be a major relief to professionals everywhere, as continued education and training has never been more important. Companies expect their people to keep learning and keep improving on what they learn, and that’s particularly true where technology is concerned. Every business has to deal with technology on some level, so every employee needs to be comfortable with computers to an extent. A computer training facility is essential for building that knowledge, but it has to be outfitted properly if trainees are to get the most out of the experience.

A/V and Training – a Mandatory Pairing

There is no doubt that A/V technology is essential for most professional training. It’s difficult to imagine how a company could do without it. Dry erase boards and printed material just don’t cut it anymore, and they are much slower, in any case. And if the goal is to teach workers how to handle their computing resources better, well, deep A/V integration is a must. But what does proper A/V integration look like when setting up a computer training facility? There are a handful of technologies that should be standard in most training room setups, though their exact configuration is something for the company to decide on with their integrator partner. Some of those critical technologies include:

1. Digital displays – Most computer training facilities have a fairly standard organization, though some companies get creative with theirs. In most rooms, several tables are arranged with laptop workstations, all of them facing an instructor. The instructor will usually, but not always, have a lectern in front of them. They will almost always have digital displays behind them or next to them for presenting information.

Digital displays provide extremely high visual quality, so they can be used to present any kind of media needed. This includes videos, PowerPoint slideshows or media embedded on the web. LED technology is the emerging favorite for enterprise solutions, as LED displays last many years before they require maintenance. LED is also unaffected if left on indefinitely and it is very controllable.

A/V integrators can assist with display selection, ensuring that the company’s other technology is compatible with it.

2. Interactive displays – Some companies go a step further with their displays, opting for interactive capabilities on top of the high quality picture. Interactive display technology has made deep inroads among educators, but also has applications in the corporate world.

Interactive displays are, at a minimum, engaging tools for trainees to work with. They allow instructors to step away from the podium and control a presentation with nothing but their hands. And of course, an interactive display comes with all of the media compatibility and visual fidelity that a standard display offers.

Imagine this scenario, too. An open computer training room with a central hub organized like a traditional training space. Except in this case, there are several breakout spots arranged around the room, each with cozier furniture and more intimate spacing for group training. Each breakout pod is fitted with an interactive display that trainees can get hands-on with. Alternatively, several instructors can each present a part of the overall lesson, keeping trainees engaged by moving them around the room and working with knowledgeable teachers face to face.

3. Video conferencing hardware – A video conferencing system means instructors can be piped in from anywhere in the world. Scheduling conflicts are a thing of the past, as an expert can jump into a lesson in seconds flat, no matter where they are. As soon as a video conferencing system is installed in a training space, companies are able to get much more out of their experienced personnel. Consider the true power of video conferencing, that it allows the most gifted instructors to train thousands of people in a single month.

Video conferencing has come a long way in the last 25 years, and it’s possible to get full HD quality at 30 or 60 frames a second, as long as the bandwidth is there. Video conferencing in a training room is normally of the room variety, meaning it is designed for use with a medium sized group. For auditoriums, though, a fully immersive solution can solve the additional space issue. Modern conferencing solutions are also a cinch to use and can be paired with all kinds of enterprise collaboration software, so setup is rarely a problem.

4. Audio amplification technology – Some spaces are too large and some instructors too quiet to make for an easy presentation. And even instructors who are plenty loud won’t want to strain their voice if they are delivering training content regularly. Audio amplification is a standard method of increasing spoken volume, and it’s in place in schools and lecture halls around the country.

Such technology is extremely simple for an A/V integrator to handle, and normally consists of a standard microphone and speaker system. The microphone can be worn by the instructor, installed into the lectern or even placed in the ceiling, if there’s no room to install it anywhere else. Speakers can be mounted around the room and zoned so that the outputted audio is even and comfortable.

Although audio technology is easy for an integrator to handle, managing the acoustics in a space is not as simple. Fortunately, integrators have modeling software that allows them to measure how sound moves through the space. Using this, they can effectively model the acoustics in a computer training room. With this knowledge, an integrator can determine optimal placement for speakers and audio zones.

A computer training room is where professionals improve their understanding of technology. It’s only appropriate, then, that technology is used to make the training accessible and engaging for people. With a full complement of A/V solutions, from displays to audio amplification, integrators can transform a simple training space into a hub for advanced learning.