Pamelia (Pam) Evans has been a technology professional since 1973 when computers were just hitting the mainstream… and the mainstream was wondering what the heck to do with them!
“I once installed a computer lab for an organization that had computers donated to them by IBM,” says Evans. “No one knew what to do with them, so they were just sitting on the floor in a room. I set the lab up, got them all connected, and wrote programs to get them started.”
Early in her career, Evans was a technology instructor with General Motors, installing their first-ever computer in the early 1980s. Since then, she has served as a college computer instructor (launching several first-of-their-kind computer programs at several schools), a corporate contract trainer, and an entrepreneur running her own training company.
As part of Savvy Training & Consulting’s training team, Evans brings all that amazing background to every project, but also a love for people and learning.
“I enjoy meeting people, teaching them how to improve and enhance their skills,” says Evans. “It has just been a pleasure doing training. The field is always changing and I have to keep abreast of all the changes. When people come back and say, ‘I really learned quite a bit that I can use in my work. Thank you!,’ it’s such a joy to me.”
Recently, Tyler Hurn, Manager of Information Systems at Scott Douglass & McConnico, had this to say about Evans after she completed a Savvy onsite training project with them:
“People were really impressed with Pam. People went out of their way to track me down and tell me how much they liked working with her. I had one partner come to me and say that he was really impressed by how well she handled different personalities, skill sets and the pace of the learners. I realized that if you have the right trainer and the right method, people are enthusiastic to come back for more.”
Evans says she even finds it fun to teach resistant learners (including older law firm partners).
“You can’t try to change people,” she says. “You have to work with them in the ways that accommodate their needs and personality. If they only want to give me 10 minutes, then fine! I will help them as much as I can in 10 minutes.”
Evans tells the story of an attorney who did just that: He told her, “I can only give you 10 minutes a day for training.” Evans said, “OK!” And she created 10-minute learning plans. At the end of each session, she’d smile and say, “I’ll see you tomorrow, same time!”
Evans also has a certain amount of empathy for resistant learners.
“I’m a Baby Boomer so I know how to deal with Baby Boomers,” she says. “Back in the day, when they were being taught skills on computers, they were told, ‘Don’t touch this! Don’t do that!’ There is a certain fear built in because they were always told they could break everything. I do my best to first make them comfortable. They aren’t going to break anything. In fact, one of my favorite sayings is: ‘The only way you can break a computer is to throw it out the door past me.’ The participants usually laugh and become relaxed, ready to learn. And it’s ok to be repetitious until they get it down pat. It takes a personal touch.”
Evans says she enjoys being part of the Savvy team because there is a perfect amount of preparation and then the Savvy team lets her run with a project.
“I have had an excellent experience with Savvy,” she says. “The team is on it. And flexible. We can work on the fly together. I really enjoy working with Savvy.”
Savvy Training & Consulting is very proud of its trainers and we plan to write more trainer profiles throughout 2020. To nominate your Savvy trainer for a profile, contact Janalee@SavvyTraining.com.