It’s time to cut your teeth, to hone your skills like a student putting themselves through their paces. Why? Because on the treadmill of business it’s vital to increase your speed every now and again. But herein lies the rub – it can be a nightmare to make Training yourself cheap, easy and still efficient.

If you’re an employee in a large company, you’ll have a hard time getting your boss to shell out for a costly training programme. And if you’re a boss, justifying the expense to yourself can be a hard sell. What’s more, time itself is an expense. Are your workers going to miss too much labour time for training? It’s a balancing act. But the options we’ve listed below are either free or come at a reasonable price. Even the most penny-pinching boss won’t be able to resist.

Distance for the better

Universities are highly respected bastions of learning for a reason – they’ll provide you with the best environment for a solid education. But in a world of increased connectivity, it’s possible to bring the world of a University Education to you. Distance learning has taken off to soaring heights since the dawn of the internet, and it can cater to vocational degrees particularly well.

That means you can undertake a Master of Business Administration MBA from the comfort of your Workplace or home, or chip away at a course on leadership during your lunchbreak. Suppliers of distance learning courses stem from all over the world, however bona fide universities like Anglia Ruskin University get our vote for supplying degrees that are recognised by professional bodies and new employers.

While an online course will still cost you a few thousand pounds, it cuts the price of a university education in half, saving you and your company cash.

App-tacular

A quick search on the Google Store can reveal a huge number of training apps designed for the workplace. Some of them are free, while others will cost you a couple of quid. Skill Pill is one of the best, offering a diverse range of courses that can enhance your knowledge of workplace skills. The miniature courses, or ‘pills’, on offer include management tips, customer service primers and marketing wizardry. Other eLearning platforms include Blackboard Collaborate, Lynda and E.Learning Age – they’re all fantastic and can contribute massively to your training.

Track down freebies

Training is a time-suck, a vacuum cleaner holding its nozzle to your productivity – but if it’s entirely free, your boss can’t complain. Search for training programmes in your local area. This might mean networking events (some of which require a nominal fee), mentoring days or simple tutoring sessions. Apart from travel expenses, these aspects of training won’t cost your employer cash. And they could lead to you gaining new connections and, in turn, a wellspring of new opportunities for your company.

That’s our list. Can you think of any other great methods of training we haven’t listed here? Then let us know in the comments below!