Pros
As an independent training consultant, thought it would be a great way to find new opportunities. I was impressed that they did 'auditions' locally before bringing together a group of selected training professionals to help them learn Skill Path workshops.
Cons
Once I got to their 'corporate' HQ, I quickly understood that they are simply a sales organization, pushing public workshops and book. The pay rate to professional trainers was the lowest I've ever seen in my 15+ years partnering with companies like Skill Path. I mean REALLY LOW - equivalent to the average pay of a HS graduate. They explained the money was made by selling books and tapes. And the 'training guides' they had were the most horrible excuse for training materials I've eve seen. Just bullet lists after bullet lists. The same lists were shown in multiple workshops. They taught us how to make bullet lists exciting! There was no talk of understanding client learning needs. No talk of engaging the learner or making a workshop interactive--it was al about how to sell for them. Many of the people in the session I was in were appalled--some left before the session even ended. Many of those that stayed were very inexperienced (or no experience!) trainers desperate for work and so they dealt with the low pay and their roles as marketers of bad materials instead of standing up to the joke we were experiencing. After doing a few workshops for them---and having to fight with them to pay me (as did others I know contracting with them) and listening to customers complain to me of the horrible quality of what SkillPath provide for the HUGE amounts they charge clients, I left the organization, as did many other trainers I know. Very unprofessional as it relates to understanding, designing and developing meaningful training. I'm so glad to be partnering with truly professional learning organizations like the CARA Group in Chicago.