Training is essential in every industry, from construction to healthcare to corporate environments. Yet despite the value placed on developing skills, many organisations still treat training as an informal exercise. Courses are delivered, attendance is taken, and certificates of participation are issued. What is often missing is something far more important: formal assessment and reliable records that prove what has actually been learned.
This leads to a simple but significant question. With so few training programmes including proper assessment and documentation, what impact does this have on competence, safety and quality?
The problem with treating training as a tick box
Many view training as something to complete quickly and with minimal disruption. If a person has attended the session, it is assumed that they have learned enough to do the job. The reality is very different. Attendance alone cannot demonstrate competence. Without checking what individuals understand, training becomes a tick box exercise rather than a genuine development activity.
Informal approaches can lead to:
- inconsistent skill levels
- no evidence of individual competence
- limited accountability
- increased operational and safety risks
- weak compliance and poor audit outcomes
These issues become even more pronounced when classroom delivery is combined with unverified, internally marked assessments.
"I was there so I am competent."
Classroom assessments: assessors marking their own homework
In many training settings, the person who teaches the course also designs, delivers and marks the assessment. This creates a situation where the trainer is, in effect, marking their own homework, meaning:
- No independent verification – If the trainer controls the entire process, there is no external check on the validity or fairness of the assessment.
- Little evidence of individual understanding – Group discussions, verbal responses and shared tasks are often used as proof of learning, yet they rarely confirm what each individual has understood. It becomes easy for learners to say, I was there so I am competent. Being present is not the same as being capable.
- Pressure to pass everyone – Trainers may feel obliged to ensure high pass rates. This can make the assessment process lenient, inconsistent or unreliable.
- Lack of auditability – Paper-based assessments, varied formats and inconsistent storage make it difficult to provide evidence when clients, regulators or auditors request proof of competence.
Why organisations avoid formal assessment
There are several reasons why structured assessments and proper records are often overlooked.
- Perceived inconvenience – Managers believe assessments will take up too much work time leading to a reduction in productivity.
- Confusion about purpose – Some view assessment as a traditional, academic test. In practice, it is a simple and structured way to confirm understanding.
- Limited tools and resources – Historically, assessments required exam rooms, invigilators and administration staff. Without digital systems such as online invigilation software, organisations defaulted to simpler but weaker methods.
- Fear of exposing skills gaps – Identifying gaps can feel uncomfortable, when in reality it is far safer than leaving them hidden.
- A culture driven by completion, not competence – When training success is measured by attendance rather than learning outcomes, there is little incentive to invest in more rigorous assessment.
Why formal assessment and record keeping matter
To ensure training delivers real value, organisations need structured assessment and reliable documentation. The benefits are significant.
- Verification of competence – Assessments confirm that learners understand the material and can apply it correctly.
- A defensible audit trail – Clear records show what training was delivered, when it took place and what standard was achieved. This strengthens compliance and quality assurance.
- Insights that support better decision making – Assessment data highlights strengths and weaknesses across the workforce. This helps organisations target further training effectively.
- Reduced risk and liability – If an incident occurs, organisations have evidence that staff were properly assessed. This reduces both operational and legal exposure.
- Greater trust in training outcomes – When assessment is taken seriously, staff and employers can trust the results. Competence becomes something proven rather than assumed.
How technology removes the barriers
Digital tools have transformed how assessments can be delivered. Modern platforms now make it possible to carry out secure, independent assessments without the logistical challenges of traditional exam environments.
TrustTest by COSAC simplifies the process through:
- online exam invigilation software that allows secure testing without a physical exam room with user choice on when, where and how
- verification of learner identity and behaviour
- exam invigilation software features that provide objective and consistent oversight
- a solution that automatically stores records and supports full audit trails
- flexible assessment delivery that makes formal testing possible even for short or routine training courses.
By combining convenience with rigour, TrustTest helps organisations move away from attendance based training and towards evidence based competence. The result is training that is trusted, traceable and genuinely impactful.
Conclusion
Training has true value only when it produces real competence. Attendance alone cannot provide this assurance and informal classroom assessments often fail to show individual understanding. Formal assessment and proper record keeping are essential if organisations want training that stands up to scrutiny.
With modern online exam invigilation software now removing the barriers, it has never been easier to adopt secure, fair and credible assessment processes. If we want training to be trusted and effective, it is time to move beyond the idea that being in the room is enough.