It may not be business as usual because of Covid-19, but at ACM Training we passionately believe that working from home, social distancing and self-isolation shouldn’t mean it can’t be training as usual. That’s why we’ve already converted many of our most popular face-to-face workshops into online courses and we’re busy authoring more - so you can continue to learn and, let’s be honest, we can continue to earn.
That said, we appreciate many of you have been made redundant, furloughed or financially affected in some other way by the pandemic which is why we’re offering many our online courses free of charge. To qualify for this special offer simply email us and we’ll send you your personal 100% discount code.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
ACM has been providing media, communication and organisational development training to a wide range of clients from the government, corporate and voluntary sectors since 1995. So it’s our 25th birthday this year although singing "happy birthday to us" twice while washing our hands isn’t how we expected to be celebrating! We had something altogether grander planned for our 12,500 individual delegates and 2,500 corporate clients. But what the heck? Think of the offer as our gift to you!
CAN PAY DO PAY
All we ask is that if you or your organisation can pay you do pay because we’re determined to be around as a company for our 26th birthday. Our self-guided online courses start at under £10. And our fully interactive, tutored courses are under £50 per module – much less if all the modules are booked at once – which buys you small groups (12 is the usual maximum), live facilitation and the same knowledgeable, friendly and engaging trainers that run our face-to-face workshops.
ZOOM, WEBEX, SKYPE, GOOGLE MEET, MICROSOFT TEAMS...
We use a range of platforms to deliver our live, interactive and facilitator-led training. Our first choice is Zoom because we reckon it's the easiest for non-techy trainees to get to grips with. But we know some organisations are concerned about its security so, within reason, we're happy to use whatever system you choose. And because we want your training to be as effective as possible, we offer free familiarisation sessions. They’re your chance to chat to our trainers, explore our approach and test the technology. We call them Free Taster Tuesdays because, well, they're on a Tuesday and - you get the picture - they're free...
NOT INTO THE BOOM ZOOM?
We absolutely get that not everybody wants the full-on, interactive experience of a virtual training room – even without the coughs and sneezes; that some of you would much rather learn at your own pace, in your own time, in private. So we’re also offering a series of how-to videos – each one in the box set short enough not to induce screen blindness or deep vein thrombosis. If at any point you’d like a bit of supplementary one-to-one help from our trainers then you only have to ask.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S ALL OVER?
One thing’s for sure – we'll continue to offer online training. When the time is right we’ll also schedule face-to-face workshops once again (and reschedule those that we postponed). You’ll see we’re being optimistic and we’ve got a partial programme running from mid-summer. This, of course, may have to change. Which is why we give you our coronavirus guarantee: that if for public health reasons you can’t attend or your workshop is postponed then your place is transferrable free of charge to a future date or can be converted to an online session. For many of our more popular courses there will be several dates to choose from up to six months or more ahead so you should be able to find a suitable alternative. And if you can’t? Your money back. Guaranteed.
FREE TASTER TUESDAYS
Taster Tuesdays are your chance to chat to our trainers, explore our approach and test the technology - all for free - before you buy an online course from ACM Training.
You need to register in advance to attend a taster session.
COURSE LIST
This icon means it’s an online course.This means it’s a face-to-face workshop.
Click on the magnifying glass to see a short overview of each course or on the name to read the full description.
Zoom has rapidly become the go-to platform for home workers everywhere. But few are using it and other services like Microsoft Teams to their full potential. So this two hour online workshop will help you make the most of the Zoom boom by guiding you through the technical, editorial and presentational barriers to effective communication.
Module one covers the interview process and how to manage it by shifting the emphasis from question and answer (all very well if the news is good and the questions are friendly) to question and response (which is better in all circumstances and especially when the news is bad and the questions are unfriendly). Puts interviewees in control of being interviewed not the interviewer. But not in that slippery and evasive way the worst politicians do.
In module two you'll learn how best to plan for media interviews using a simple planning matrix to capture your key messages, evidence them with carefully chosen facts that persuade your audience rationally and a narrative that engages readers, viewers and listeners emotionally.
Module three explores how interviewees can promote their key messages using practical techniques such as repetition, tagging and something we call conveyor belting. As with the first two modules there's plenty of opportunity for delegates to do hyper realistic practice interviews.
Module four is optional but highly recommended - especially for those who are soon to give real-life interviews. With a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:1, it gives individual trainees the chance to be put through their paces in a series of tailored, highly realistic and challenging practice interviews. The interviews are recorded and played back to provide the opportunity of private, detailed and constructive personal feedback. If you've already attended one of our face-to-face sessions this module can be sat separately either as a refresher or as an extender.
Hour-long interview sessions via Zoom aimed at those who've already attended our (or other companies) broadcast media training and want to develop their broadcast skills further. Can be booked as a one-off session, perhaps as a dress rehearsal in advance of a significant real life interview or as a series of sessions over a period of weeks or months.
Awkward customers. Prickly colleagues. Meddlesome managers. Difficult behaviour can manifest itself in many ways in the workplace. But whoever it comes from, one thing’s for certain: the stress it causes can really hurt - even to the extent of illness and absenteeism. It also takes its toll on productivity and can be extremely time consuming. So, in this practical workshop you’ll learn how to deal rationally with difficult people whose behaviour can become demanding and aggressive. Find out how to say no and mean no. Discover how to be more assertive. Develop skills to cope by not taking things personally. And recognise the key stages in conflict escalation.
In module one we show you how to design and build a compelling presentation using a planning matrix to structure your content so you grab the attention of your audience at the outset and keep them hooked until the end. In this module we also look at the importance of defining one’s purpose - what you’re selling –and the barriers to communication that might get in between you and your audience (the context).
Module two explores the importance of style. It shows you how to play your voice like a musical instrument with high and low notes and fast and slow sections. And it looks at choreography – the relationship between you and your audience and the physical and/or virtual space you collectively occupy with considerations such as as whether to stand or sit and how much to use your hands and arms to “speak.” We also show you how to rehearse (practice makes perfect) and wean yourself off an over-reliance on notes.
Module three gives delegates the chance to deliver a short presentation via our online training portal. Guided by the trainer, the audience then offers constructive feedback. This module also shows you how to tackle the terrible trio of: nerves; hecklers; and technological breakdowns. Plus, why you should always have a Plan B.
How can you use Facebook to help you achieve your organisational aims and objectives? Can you Tweet for profit (or however else you measure success in your business)? Does blogging actually work and if so how should you go about it? Should I start a YouTube channel? What about pictures to Instagram? And isn't LinkedIn just a place for job seekers? If you've been grappling with these sorts of questions then this workshop is for you.
Module one explores the qualities and traits of a good trainer. It looks at how to create effective on and offline learning environments from a physical, virtual and psychological perspective. The first of three modules, it also helps trainers understand the characteristics of adult learners and how they differ from children. And it examines different learning styles and how best to match these to learners.
Module two deals with the really important business of knowing your learners, personality, world views. It looks at motivational considerations – what to do when someone doesn’t want to sit your training course and is a conscript rather than a volunteer. The module also explores active and passive training methods and effective questioning skills.
Module three explores the pros and cons of training aids (and the challenging absence of them in virtual training settings). It deals with training plans and how to write aims and objectives in an observable and measurable manner using Blooms Taxonomy. And, because it's the final module, it covers effectively ending your training session and how to leave a lasting, positive impression on your trainees.
Some courses are fiendishly difficult to categorise so if you can’t find what you’re looking for under this heading maybe it’s listed elsewhere. You can check on the complete range on our A-Z course finder page.
"An excellent course that was very well presented by a trainer who was clearly experienced in his field and put his message across in a relaxed and good humoured manner. Thank you."
means it’s an online course.This 
means it’s a face-to-face workshop.
