Sometimes known as remedial or continuing education training, refresher training is a process aimed at providing individuals with the opportunity to hone the skills and talents they already use in the workplace. At times, the focus of this type of remedial training has to do with helping the individual to discard habits that have crept in over time, effectively aiding the employee in regaining efficiency that has been lost over time. In other cases, refresher training allows the individual to revisit some aspect of former training and be exposed to new methods or technology that enhance his or her ability to perform. Training of this type takes place in professions ranging from computer science to the medical field.
One excellent example of a field that routinely makes use of refresher training is the medical field. In many jurisdictions, nurses are required to attend periodic training sessions in order to remain licensed. While in the past this sort of training usually had to do with teaching established nurses how to deal with irate patients or how to use the latest in medical equipment, other information is often included now. It is not unusual for a nurse to go through continuing education courses in order to learn how to use the latest charting software or to receive training on how to function as a charge nurse.
Other professionals with some connection to responding to health emergencies also engage in refresher training. Paramedic refresher courses help emergency medical technicians or EMTs to stay on top of the latest strategies and techniques relevant to emergency care during transport. Lifeguards and educators participate in occasional CPR refresher training, allowing them to provide assistance in a life-threatening situation. It is not unusual for various office personnel to receive first aid refresher training, making sure there is someone nearby who can offer aid in an emergency situation while professional medical support is on the way to the scene.
Not all forms of refresher training are connected with life-threatening situations. A refresher class may focus on helping people to rediscover how to use all the tools associated with a particular software product. Factory workers may receive remedial training that helps them to abandon habits that slow them down on an assembly line and hamper their productivity. There are even math refresher courses for individuals involved in academic pursuits, or research where the use of mathematical formulas is crucial to the success of the research.
At its best, refresher training helps to increase the competency and knowledge base of the individual participating in the training. In many cases, people who undergo this training find themselves with an increased level of satisfaction in their work and their ability to perform efficiently on the job. Since continuing and remedial training tends to increase both productivity and builds self-confidence among employees, many employers find the time and resources devoted to this type of training effort to be well worth the effort.
