Apple Train the Trainer So Far

I know I haven't posted anything substantial in a while, but the train the trainer program that I am currently going through has been quite time consuming, keeping me busy. I must admit that there was a lot going into this training that I was not looking forward to, in particular the "how to teach adults" section. As I have an advanced degree in adult education, I thought it would be a waste of my time. Suprisingly enough, it hasn't been. Let me tell you why.

Day One: Presentation Style
The first day we spent time working on presentation style. This was everything I was afraid of, and confirmed my fear that I was going to be covering a class that my advanced degree already covered. We started by giving presentations on subjects that we already were familar with and were not related to the technical side of things. This was, as you might expect, pretty standard. But it was a great opportunity to receive feedback, and focus on presentation skills. Anytime you have an opportunity to fine tune your presentation skills from a critique from your peers is a good thing.

We then went to the Apple Training Department Christmas Party, which was really cool. We got to meet a lot of people that we have only spoken with on the phone, and that was a great opportunity. It was also a great opportunity to get into the Apple campus, and see what the culture is like. As you can imagine, it fits most concepts of Apple is all about. It was very relaxed, though the security is quite high. And there are coffee stands everywhere. Apparently they spend a lot of time working, and need a lot of stimulants to keep going in the day.

Finally, we had an opportunity to go to the Apple Company Store. That was the best experience for the first day of training I could have had. The employees have a considerable discount on merchandise there, and our trainer vouched for us. I got a lot of my Christmas shopping done that day, and I am looking to get more done on Thursday (the last day).

Day 2: Presentations
Day 2 was spent mostly going through presentations that we had prepared. This was an opportunity to not only show what skills we have, we now can show what we know about the subject. That was a good experience as well, since Apple has specific terms that need to be referred to correctly. It was also an opportunity to learn some very obscure material that is not covered anywhere in any reference manuals.

We also got to go to Caffe Mac for lunch, where Steve Jobs occasionally visits. We didn't get to meet him, but it was a really cool experience to meet others from the Apple camp. No news on what is coming for MacWorld, though, because no one would crack.

Anyway, I'll fill in more details about the training experience at another time. Stay Tuned!