Trainee Section - Low Traffic... Why?

[SparkyChick]

Hi all,

This message is from the staff and we'd like to hear your thoughts/comments.

As you probably know, we have an area of the forums set aside for members who are on electrical training courses. This is 'staffed' if you will by members with the 'Forum Mentor' badge and staff.

The idea is that trainee's can ask questions in there in relative safety, free from the fear their competence will be called into question by those who may have forgotten how clueless they were when they first started their journey.

However, we've noticed that there isn't a lot of traffic in that area. A good example would be a competition recently run by @essex which attracted hardly any entries.

Our question is... why might this be?

We want to increase traffic and usage of the trainee section. I have a competition idea ready to go, but I'd like to think that it will get more than a couple of entries.

So... if you've got a suggestion on why traffic in the trainee section may be low, why people may be reluctant to have a go at competitions designed to help them, why might people be reluctant to ask questions or you've got a suggestion on how we might improve things, please post here.

If you'd rather not post your comments and views in public, then don't keep quiet, start a conversation with me and let me know what you think.


Thanks

SC

 

[DavidSpark]

Perhaps people just miss the post? I know I mostly check the homepage for new threads on the stream and some times if it's been a few days you miss a few threads.

When these trainee posts go up does everyone registered as a trainee get a private message and email? This could help grab people's attention if not.

Another suggestion could be if the forum has a pop up box window feature, a message could be displaed to members registered as trainee saying there is new context directly related to their learning and they have to click OK to continue or click the link in the box.

 

[GMES]

Just to echo sparkychick , it is really confusing at times as to what has changed in there.
I don't mean to sound like a broken record but me and paul m used to dedicate a lot of our time in there ( a couple of years ago now ) and the place was always busy, loads of threads and questions, competitions.
So what As changed is it that the trainees back then where more interested in getting advice from the mentors, are the new trainees just a different breed now as in do they not want to spend their spare time doing what could be considered even more study.
We just want to understand what you are all thinking.
Essex was a good example, the guy got stuck into trying to boost the place about a month ago now while he did get some interaction, it was nothing like what I experienced a couple of years ago.
It must be a bit disheartening for mentors like Essex when they don't get the interaction they deserve.
I have checked the stats in that place and it showed that all the trainees we currently have do log in every month so that's not the problem.
Does anyone have any suggestions how we can get more trainees to sign up for it.
Finally I will leave you all with this thought, how would you feel if one day it was gone, would it bother you or not.

 

[Loki]

I also tend to check the home page for new messages but I do check multiple times a day

 

[GMES]

Perhaps people just miss the post? I know I mostly check the homepage for new threads on the stream and some times if it's been a few days you miss a few threads.

When these trainee posts go up does everyone registered as a trainee get a private message and email? This could help grab people's attention if not.

Another suggestion could be if the forum has a pop up box window feature, a message could be displaed to members registered as trainee saying there is new context directly related to their learning and they have to click OK to continue or click the link in the box.

There is a link to the trainee forum on the main page so that shouldn't be an issue, it should grab your attention as soon as you log in.

Also without sounding too harsh if trainees need to be prompted constantly that isn't good, by that I mean there is a completely free section of the forum dedicated to them where they can get some of the best information available for free, I would hope that when a trainee logs on to the forum then the first place they should be heading is that free resource.
I'm hoping the trainees can prove me wrong but I personally think that it's a simple case of the new trainees have different needs to the old trainees we had.

 

[Loki]

I agree new trainees will tend to ask more questions but existing trainees will tend to ask more complex questions. They also tend to research the answer for themselves more

 

[GMES]

@Loki
Thanks for your replies, so what is it you would like to see in there, how about a sticky on information you can read in there.
In fact isn't there something like that already, I'm off to have a look.
If it turns out there is, does it maybe just need updating and keeping current.

 

[SparkyChick]

What sorts of resources would trainees like? I'm preparing a basic guide about IP networking at the mo, anything else people want?

 

[GMES]

@SparkyChick and mentors and trainees, I have created this sticky in the trainee forum.
Have a read and do what you can.

https://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/threads/useful-data-resources-pdfs.170260/

 

[Loki]

@Loki
Thanks for your replies, so what is it you would like to see in there, how about a sticky on information you can read in there.
In fact isn't there something like that already, I'm off to have a look.
If it turns out there is, does it maybe just need updating and keeping current.

Maybe some sticky posts explaining different subjects like ie: earth loop impeedance, 3phase, testing, fault finding etc. this way trainees can the look at these stickys depending on what subject their studying.

 

[GMES]

Loki, look above at my posts before this one

 

[Loki]

Loki, look above at my posts before this one

lol beat me to it

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Could the forum software not be configured so that trainees when logging in to the site 'land' in the trainee section so that is the first thing they see?
If they want to navigate to the main section then fine.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Perhaps the Trainees generally post on the main forums because they all also want input from the various intellectual and knowledgeable giants who are just regular members that have no access to the TF?

More opinions, if they're not totally crazy, have to be a good thing.

 

[FatAlan]

Must admit that when I come on to the site I look at ‘new posts’ first. I have placed a few items on the trainee section but when I generally have a question I’m quite happy to advertise my ‘incompetence’ on the main forum as the stupid questions are always the best.