Written by Oonagh Montague, Senior Training Manager.
Ten years ago, if I thought about the term ‘Technical Writer’, I thought nerd. I thought nerd with specs and a pocket protector nerding out at their laptop, disappearing down rabbit holes of data and content and boring the pants off anyone who came close.
I am now that nerd, and judging by the cut of my colleagues, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Because a technical writer is me, but it’s also you. Turns out it’s everyone. If you work in an industry where what you commit to the page is important, then you already are a technical writer. Whether you’re a good one or not, that’s the tricky bit. And if you’re only ‘ok’ at writing what’s in your head, you inadvertently cost your company time, which costs them money.
That’s where we come in. We are all about saving company time and money.
In my role as Training Manager for TWi I can teach technical writing skills to everyone, but in particular, we focus on the Life Sciences, MedTech and Tech industries. In these industries, precision is key. You need to say exactly what you mean, with no wriggle room for error. So, I teach how to create clear and concise content. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But writing simply is not easy, unless someone shows you how. The worst thing is, we are all surrounded by people who think they are writing well, but they really aren’t.
The best way to explain it is this: when you started school, you had to learn how to write one way. So, you did. Then you got to college and you had to learn another way. So, you did. By now you thought you had the writing thing licked, but then you get to work and realise you have to learn a whole new way.
It’s like swapping hats, but no one tells you how to swap hats. They just expect you to create succinct emails, clear reports, and perfect documentation. So, we all learn the hard way, by getting it wrong until we get it right. Which, frankly, is a pain in the face. It causes us hassle and it costs employers. Companies lose out because of poor documentation. Our technical writing skills course gives you the tools to hit the nail on the head, which in turn gives you the confidence to tackle any kind of content, from a one-line email to a 600-page report.
So, whether you’re in an office, laboratory or on the factory floor, if you’re in aviation, MedTech, the life sciences or tech, if what you say needs to be bang on, then you need technical writing skills. We can help you with that. You don’t need a pocket protector, but I won’t judge you for wearing one. Well, I might a little. Depends on how you rock it.
