Instrument/Software Navigation Course vs. Course with us:

If you are thinking about attending an instrument training course, you will no doubt be considering whether you need some sort of instrument navigation course for the instrument(s) you have available. Analysts usually only get a chance to attend one instrument course, and if this is the main investment in instrument training for yourself or lab staff, you may wish to consider the following analogy.

Analogy:

Most people learn to drive a car with an independent motoring school. Car dealers and manufacturers are good at demonstrating you the functions and specifications of their cars, but in reality you want to be trained on the techniques to drive a car – and not just the model of car you learnt to drive in. When you train with an independent training school, you learn about techniques. The focus is on techniques: button playing not button pushing.

Top tip: focus on learning the techniques to apply - not which buttons to push!

What will you learn on a course with us?

1. Instrument Navigation

   Learn the techniques that will ultimately allow you to figure out your way around your instrument by playing with buttons, when and where to push them, versus just knowing where they are.

2. Analytical Techniques

   By teaching you about the techniques and when to apply them, you will be positioned to think through key analyses you are commonly faced with, and work out the best way to approach them. This will be a life long skill you will be able to take with you throughout your career

By sitting in front of the steering wheel and starting off slowly, on quiet roads and building your confidence by getting faster and taking on more challenges like driving in rain and snow? After you passed your driving test, did you go out and drive exactly the same model of car as you learnt in, or did you choose to drive another car model?

The reality is, the best and most confident drivers on the road are those who get behind the wheel – applying the techniques they learn step by step.

Let's talk about instruments

Instrument navigation is actually the easy part. Just like all major software, most modern analytical instrument systems have developed self-explanatory button icons and functions and are supported by extensive help menus and manuals. In fact many of the instruments have exactly the same functions, but are perhaps just located in different places or used in a different way.

Think about this: which laboratories only ever contain only the same instrument models from one manufacturer? Very few! The reality is, most laboratories have a range of instrumentation models, across a range of different manufacturers: some old, and some new. Learning the techniques will mean you can use different ones!

The reason many analysts struggle to understand how to fully utilise their instruments is because they don't start by truly understand the application of the functions of the instrument, and the range of techniques that should be applied – when and where.

If you've already learnt analytical software on one instrument, you will certainly find it comparatively easier to learn anaytical software on a different instrument model. Just like once you´ve learned to drive on one car model, you will easily figure out how to drive a different car model, even if the functions are positioned differently within the car.

Quite often, analysts simply opt to start employing a method reported in a journal or developed by someone else – because they don´t know where else to start.

Imagine the power at your fingertips if you were able to systematically think through and develop the best method for your samples – and everyone want to copy yours. You would instantly become a lab hero!

Not only that, but your management would also see the benefit of such a skill set in impacting on other samples work they could bring and attract to their departments, as well as

Our courses not only equip analysts with techniques, but also provide tips and tricks to overcome common problems and pitfalls. Once analysts know about these, and how to overcome them, it is easy to find and employ the relevant functions and techniques on your instrument.

Just like learning to drive, after some time you will automatically become an instrument pro - without ever realizing it. You will naturally start to use the range of functions available on your instrument, and within a matter of time, you will also start to realize the limitations of your instrument for your applications.

You will then be a true asset to your finance department as well, because you will be well positioned to advise on future instrument purchases, or lab investments for the samples coming into your department.