B&P: How long have you worked with Front Runner, and how did the relationship start?

James: I've known Front Runner from their beginning when they were at Bay and Bloor streets, about 10 years ago. I've always been impressed with the calibre of clients they work with and the support they extend to their trainers.

B&P: How did you get into training?

James: Like many a trainer I've spoken to, I got into training indirectly. I'm a graphic designer and in just about every place I've worked I was always the computer "go to guy". I was approached by another training organization to do some Adobe Illustrator training in the evenings about 17 years ago, and I got hooked. It was a lot of fun and presenting in front of a group helped in my design presentation skills with my own clients.

B&P: What do you most enjoy about training?

James: I find I enjoy it a great deal when I see the "light bulb" suddenly go on over someone's head. Great satisfaction on both sides I'm sure. You meet a lot of people in this profession and you can learn a lot from their different points of view and approaches to problem solving.

B&P: Who would benefit from learning to use Adobe CS, and why?

James: Anyone who creates designs for print or web would find this software indispensable. Many design employers need to have staff with core skills in layout, imaging, drawing and presentation. Adobe CS is expected to be on the résumé. Established professionals looking for alternatives to the "big Q" (Quark Express) find that InDesign can take on projects of any scale.

B&P: What's the biggest challenge people face when learning Adobe CS? What do you suggest for getting past this challenge?

James: Well, Adobe CS is a big suite of programs and it can be rather daunting at first glance. It appeals to so many professionals in different areas of design, and learning the tools that are going to help you in your specific area can be a real trick. Taking training can give you the leg-up needed in the shortest possible time to find and examine these specifics. Some people balk at the cost of training or the time away from the office during a course, but if you look at the alternative of several months with a book on your lap building through trial and error, training is clearly the better approach to learning and the best use of a person's / company's time.

B&P: How can people coming to learn Adobe CS get the most from their training?

James: Part of getting decent training is communicating your needs to the training organization you've selected. That's something Front Runner insures prior to any session. Finding out what specific needs a client has, then passing that information along to the instructor prior to the session is critical to its success. I can then focus the session on specific areas of each software program rather than structuring a general overview of the whole thing.

Sometimes the training need is so specific that I'll use the client's actual project files instead of the generic courseware samples. That way, the client leaves with a clear understanding of how to do the projects they are being asked to do at work. Also, they take away the completed project on disc with them. So I guess you could say that's two big pluses to taking a training session right there.

B&P: Do you have any suggestions for how someone can effectively describe or demonstrate their proficiency with Adobe CS in their resume or portfolio?

James: Make sure that you know the products well enough to do the work for which you are being hired. Employers need people to immediately hit the ground running and be able to use the tools of the profession. And do indicate on your résumé which applications you are most familiar with rather than write "Adobe Creative Suite". The interviewer will likely ask you about your proficiency while reviewing your work. That will give him or her a pretty good indication of your skill level.

If you wanted to take the guesswork out of indicating your proficiency to a future employer, you could take certification testing in the Adobe CS software you already know. That will prove to the interviewer that you are as proficient as you say you are.

B&P: Look into your crystal ball and tell us what you see in the future for Adobe CS.

James: Artificial intelligence would be nice! No, seriously, some people have wanted a single product from Adobe that would combine Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Certainly computer hardware is up to the task these days but I wonder about the usability of the resulting behemoth program.

B&P: Finally, do you have any stories about interesting, funny or weird things that have happened to you as a trainer?

James: At one particular out-of-town training session, one of the participants looked very familiar to me. Both his name and his face were definitely ringing bells. I spoke with him at break time and he confessed to having the same thoughts. At the end of the day we narrowed it down until we hit upon it: we were in kindergarten together and hadn't seen each other since. It's strange how the mind works. Now if I could only remember where I parked my car!

B&P: Thanks for speaking with us.