In a previous blog post I talked about the Evolution of the VA Industry. With that evolution – especially the fact so many newbie VAs are now coming from little to no experience in an office or admin environment, and others straight from school – the importance of getting training in running a business, or in a specialist niche area, is probably advisable for some. However, not all trainers are alike. You have to do your homework and ensure you’re getting what you pay for!
The latest episode of The Virtual Business Show talks about this in detail. Check out the show here.
Remember: the VA industry is unregulated and there is no over-arching regulating/certifying body … therefore NO training can be “certified”. Getting a certificate at the end of a training isn’t the same as that training being certified. If your proposed trainer is telling you their training is “industry certified” … it’s not.
If you are looking for training, here are links to some legitimate, valuable trainers and organisations who know their stuff:
- Sharon Williams – Online International VA Convention
- Craig Cannings – VA Classroom/Freelance University
- Anita Kilkenny (formerly Kathie Thomas) – VA Trainer
- Tracey D’Aviero – CAVA
- Tawnya Sutherland – VANetworking
- Ingrid Bayer – The VA Institute
- Susan Mershon – The Techie Mentor
For specialist Author and Speaker Assistant training visit here.
This should be plenty to get you on the road to a successful VA practice!