Online (or virtual) learning has become very popular since the pandemic. While that may work well for college students and some professions, appliance repair is a true hands-on business. For this reason, it is something where you would preferably receive in-person training.
We wanted to go over a few of the key advantages of hands-on training in this industry rather than virtual training.
Improving Speed
There is nothing like repetition to improve performance. When first starting out, you will find that you move very slowly and carefully as you learn your way around these appliances. By working hands-on, that speed will eventually increase while being able to use the same care. In this industry, time is money, so the more efficient you can be with your time, the more successful you will be. That, of course, does not even consider how much happier the customer is when they have their appliance back up and running quicker.
Learning How to Handle Your Tools
Part of being a successful repairman is learning what tools work best in what situation. Rather than fumbling through your tool kit when you first start out on the job, all of that trial and error takes place during your training. It will not be long before your mind just automatically clicks, telling you which tool to pick up for each scenario.
Developing Muscle Memory
This ties into our first point of picking up speed as you go along. There is a reason our first responders and military train in the same scenario over and over again. When that time comes, muscle memory kicks in and instincts take over. While this is clearly not a battlefield or emergency situation, muscle memory will help you be more effective, especially in multitasking. The more you train, the more your instincts can take over when on the job.
This is the Time for Questions and Mistakes
One thing you will notice with virtual learning is that it is mostly instruction rather than practical experience. This means your trial and error period happens on the job, which is not exactly a good thing when you are dealing with appliances that can cost thousands of dollars. By taking a hands-on training class, you can make your mistakes without jeopardizing a client’s appliance. More importantly, you are getting immediate instructor feedback on how and why the error occurred. This will help you avoid mistakes in the field.
Understanding the Appliances
Go take the back off your toaster oven and look at the mess of wires and panels you will have to navigate. Now go to YouTube and look up a repair for that toaster oven. The problem with virtual learning is that the videos tend to zoom in on the specific area where the repair is taking place rather than helping you navigate your way through the mess that is there when you first remove the panel.
As you can see, while hands-on training is likely more expensive than virtual learning, the pros far outweigh the cons. You may even find that the time you save on the job, as well as the lack of mistakes, more than offset the higher cost of earning your certificate in-person rather than through a virtual school. For more information about our training classes, click here. If you would like to speak to one of our team members to learn more about our classes, give us a call at (817) 222-0145.
