[PLUG] A training cooperative?

[Tyler F. Creelan]

Charging people for the class would place pressure on the teacher to
make it high quality. Since we don't have a lot of
time to dedicate towards teaching, this pressure might not be welcome.
Charging by the hour might also pressure the teacher to keep the class
under an hour and could discourage questions. Personally, I would also
feel discouraged from teaching subjects that I enjoy but am less
knowledgeable in.

So generally I would prefer a free class, both as teacher and student.


Tyler


On Thu, 29 Aug 2002, Phil Tomson wrote:

>
>
> On Thu, 29 Aug 2002, David Mandel wrote:
>
> >
> >     A training cooperative is an interesting idea, but I think it
> > would have to be a bit more involved than some of the postings
> > would lead one to believe.  Basically, I don't think one can do
> > an effective training cooperative without charging.  People need
> > to get paid for their facilities if they are used very much,
> > and the instructors should get something as well.  The truth is
> > it costs money to maintain space and equipment, and it generally
> > costs an instructor a bit of money just to teach a class.  On the
> > other hand, I don't think one needs to charge the sort of rates
> > most commercial training companies charge which seem to run from
> > $30 per student hour for low level classes and well over $50 per
> > student hour for higher level classes.  For example, PEAK in Corvallis
> > ran a pretty decent training program that charged $10 to $15 per
> > student hour for many years.  (They have since closed it.)
> >
> >     As far as facilities,
> >
> >     -  I would be willing and interested in using the area we
> >        used for the last Advanced Topics Meeting for a training
> >        cooperative if it made financial sense to me.
> >
> > or
> >
> >     -  I'm sure MicroSharp would be interested in some sort of
> >        an arrangement.  Potentially, they have space for multiple
> >        class rooms.  Unfortunately, they are in East Vancouver,
> >        but they are close to main roads.
> >
> >     Likewise, I think we could make deals for furniture, white boards,
> > projectors, and so on.  Some of these would be pretty poor to start
> > with, but that is life.  (By the way, Allen Montgomery from Alliance
> > Internet Solutions is loaning PLUG a projector for four months.
> > It has some problems, but it is nice to have.)
> >
> >     I guess, I think a good goal would be to charge $15/hr retail
> > with some sort of discount available so most "PLUG members" paid
> > about $10/hr.  This might be broken up as:
> >
> >               $5/hr to any reseller who signed someone up.
> >                     (However, discount cards would be passed out at
> >                     PLUG meetings, so meeting attendees could sign
> >                     up without this fee.  Or something like this.
> >                     Also, the discounts would be available to other
> >                     Open Source Groups like the Eugene and Mid-Valley
> >                     Group.)
> >               $5/hr to the instructor.
> >               $5/hr for facilities and PLUG.
> >                     (most of this would go for things like paying for
> >                     broadband if it is at my house and equipment.
> >                     Maybe PLUG could eventually afford a projector.
> >                     Maybe PLUG could afford to get 501(c)3 status?)
> >
> >
> >     Ok, I'm a bit unsure about all the details, but this is the
> > general idea.  Is this something that would interest people?
> > Or is this a dumb idea?
> >
>
>
> I guess a lot of people were thinking that it should be free so that folks
> who are out of work can afford it.  Most classes out there (like the two
> or three day classes out at OGI) charge something like $2000 - there's
> no way people who are not working can afford this.  They may have the
> money, but since they don't know when they'll be working again they want
> to save it. If it's cheap enough for people who have no current income,
> then charging may make some sense.
>
> Phil
>
>
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