There is hope in the air as we hear news of COVID-19 vaccines. We are hoping for a return to meeting our families and friends face-to-face again, and for most a return to at least some trips to the office to meet with colleagues – our second families. Millions are also looking forward to their children heading back to brick-and-mortar classrooms.
Similarly, training customers who prefer face-to-face training but have had to take virtual classes are looking forward resumption of face-to-face instructor-led training. But, what’s the plan? If you are an organization looking for training, what are your requirements for having an instructor show up on-site? If you are a training delivery organization, what requirements will you make of your customers before you are willing to send a valuable trainer to deliver face-to-face on-site training?
I addressed these questions with one of TCCI’s training customers, one for which we have delivered on-site training in the past. I am by no means a medical expert. But, I am a business person who values the health of myself, my employees and sub-contractors, and my customers and their customers. Just because a vaccine exists, doesn’t mean its automatically “safe to go back in the waters.” So what is your plan? Below is a list of TCCI’s policy for resuming on-site training. I present them here as a suggested starting point. If you find the list useful, great. If you have suggestions for additional requirements, feel free to leave them as a comment.
The policy:
This policy intends to help protect the health of individuals involved in a face-to-face on-site delivery of classes performed by instructors of The Computer Classroom, Inc. (TCCI), including instructor(s), students, or other staff (catering, cleaning, etc.) that participate in or support delivery of the class as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and starts more face-to-face contacts.
The underpinning principal is that all lives are precious and valued, and that a healthy life is more productive and satisfying to everyone. As such, while we know that we cannot eliminate all risk, TCCI does its best to mitigate risks to the health of our staff, contractors, and customers.
To that end, TCCI stopped delivering on-site training during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a COVID-19 vaccine is now in use, this policy details under what conditions TCCI will resume offering its customers on-site, face-to-face training delivery. TCCI requires that the following conditions be met in addition to any other contractual obligations for an on-site, face-to-face delivery:
- The instructor(s) and each student must have taken an approved vaccine within a period designated by applicable government authorities as the effective period of said vaccine.
- The instructor(s) tests negative for COVID-19 72 or less hours before travel is to begin. Booking reservations will not happen until this item is met.
- The students each test negative for COVID-19 72 hours before the start of the first day of class
- Each day of class, either on entry into the building or into the classroom, the instructor and each student have their body temperature taken and that it be within .3 degree Fahrenheit of that person’s normal body temperature, not to exceed 98.9.
- There is a mitigation plan for students that fail the initial or daily COVID-19 and temperature tests.
- There is a contact tracing plan in place should it become necessary during or after the class. This plan must include anyone (students, trainer, support staff, etc.) with whom students or instructors come into contact 10 days before, during, and 10 days after the class.
The mitigation plans must include the following items:
- If a student fails any test, the ability for the student to attend virtually and have the instructor deliver a blended-mode class, or reschedule their attendance at a later date should they become unable to participate in all or part of the intended face-to-face delivery.
- If the instructor fails the Covid test, we don’t book the tickets for THAT instructor and offer these possible mitigations:
- Re-staff – we can run the course with a different staff member, if one is available
- Re-schedule as soon as possible after the instructor tests negative and / or is finished quarantining. TCCI will pay any difference in airfare or cancelation fees. The client will reimburse the initial reservation amounts payed by TCCI as though the class had taken place.
- Deliver the class virtually at the price for the virtual class, with any appropriate change in fees.
Failure to follow this policy may result in the customer paying the full price of the class and the instructor being withdrawn immediately for their safety. Comments / suggestions welcome.