Head of training (HFP): Experience and tips from Rolf Opitz - leading training courses professionally and competently
Can you please introduce yourself briefly?
My name is Rolf Opitz. I am the Managing Director of Rolf Opitz Coaching und Beratung GmbH. I originally completed an MBA degree in environmental protection engineering. I started my professional career as a construction and project manager in the field of wastewater treatment plant construction with projects of up to 30 million euros. I then moved to a company that builds reverse osmosis plants - seawater desalination plants for North Africa. I worked there as Manager Sales and Services. I then progressed further and further into management as Head of Project Management. This was followed by a move into industry. In mechanical engineering, I started as a project manager again and worked my way up to General Manager Customer Service with 40 employees in eight countries. I then realized that this no longer really suited me, I wanted to have more to do with people. Today I am a qualified training manager as well as a qualified coach and supervisor. As a coach and supervisor, I work for people and train other people in various areas.
Who would you recommend training to become a Head of Training (HFP)?
I would recommend training to become a qualified training manager to anyone who basically enjoys working with and for other people. These people should be happy to put themselves in front of other people and want to teach them something. They should be happy to support other people in going their own way. The background is rather secondary.
What is the challenge in training managers?
The challenge of training managers is different every time. Around 15 people take part in leadership training, all of whom have different backgrounds and current challenges. So every day is different when working with these diverse leaders. Every day is varied and this makes it very exciting for me - especially when the training lasts several days.
How do you know if your training methods are working?
Especially during breaks between training sequences, I can easily see what worked and what didn't work. I can see where I need to use additional tools to impart knowledge and where my teaching concept has worked. It's great to see how the managers develop and try things out. Of course, they are allowed to make mistakes from time to time. Those who try out new things continue to develop. In this way, they slowly get closer and closer to their goal of being a good manager. Whatever a good manager may mean, the perception of it should be different.
What did you yourself particularly like about attending the further training course to become a training manager with a federal diploma?
I completed my further training as a training manager with a federal diploma at the Lernwerkstatt Olten (LWO for short). I was inspired by the versatility and individuality of the lecturers. We dealt with a lot of examples of roles where you can take something away for yourself. I was also impressed by the flexibility and the way they responded to individual needs. I particularly liked the exam preparation. This was done in a new group. It was easy to see how quickly the trainers were able to bring this new group back together. This very quickly resulted in good productivity for learning. Examination scenarios were set and also practiced. I really enjoyed the respectful interaction with each other and experienced a great deal of mutual support. The networking among the participants is also very good, as you spend several days together. This is a great way to connect with other graduates, get to know each other and support each other. You also know who can help you with a particular topic in the future.
What was the atmosphere like in the Olten learning workshop?
The atmosphere in the Olten learning workshop was very appreciative and supportive. But also demanding. It is required that you prepare and participate. The day becomes much more lively, colorful and exciting when all participants bring in their own topics.
What are you offering today?
My offer includes coaching and training. This includes:
- Coaching for managers
- Coaching for people who want to get ahead
- Training for managers
- Team building
- Train the Trainer - training for people who want to train other people later on
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