External training is training provided from outside the electoral manager's office or staff using external consultants, specialists, or organisations. There are many different types of external training, including:

• information exchange with other national or international electoral managers;
• secondment of staff into or out of the electoral manager's office;
• using consultants or external electoral staff to undertake training (e.g. lectures or seminars) either on- or off-site;
• sending staff to external training courses;
• training through membership in external organisations or associations;
• organising meetings of groups of other electoral managers faced with the same issues.

 

Internal training is essential, but an external training process can add interest, give a greater breadth of experience and working practices, and give better opportunities for discussion with other people facing the same problems.