There has been a lot of discussion around the growing use of online training for workplace skills and competencies, but is it the right approach for your organisation or employees?

Here are some key points to consider when deciding whether to utilise online training to help deliver or obtain your industry skills training.

E-learning contributes to workforce development
Research undertaken by the University of Sydney found that e-learning can promote skills growth in the workplace by improving access to training, motivation to engage with training and the flexibility can improve learning experiences.¹

Corporate training increasingly uses technology
The world wide e-learning market is growing rapidly. In 2011 it was estimated the global e-learning industry was worth $31.6 billion and it is estimated to be worth $51.5 billion by 2016. In 2013 41.7% of global fortune 500 companies used technology during formal learning hours.³

Potential cost savings
E-learning can fundamentally reduce the cost of organisation training and development.⁴ This is achieved by reducing the cost of actually delivering the training, and by reducing employee travel and time away from the workplace. When you also take into account the often astronomical cost of resource and machinery downtime in industry, the cost savings resulting from the switch from traditional to online or blended training really add up.

More effective training
E-learning is not only more cost efficient but more effective. Research suggests that e-learning requires less time for training compared to instructor led training on the same subject.⁵

According to a recent study by The Research Institute of America, e-learning has the power to increase information retention rates by up to 60%.⁶ Employees understand material better because they have more control over the learning process. Blended learning has also been proven to be more effective than purely online instruction or traditional face to face learning.⁷

Universal accessibility
Using eLearning delivery methods in Australia allows your employees to access their training materials in their own time, wherever they can access the internet. The training is entirely self-paced, so trainees can undertake their gap training and learning at their own speed, while being more actively engaged in their own learning process.

eLearning students have more control over their learning process and can better understand the material, leading to a 60% faster learning curve, compared to instructor-led training.⁶

The accessibility and availabitlity of registered Assessors in Australia is often low, causing businesses to endure major downtime while staff wait for assessment. Using a combination of online assessment and face-to-face delivery can often reduce the time it takes for employees to get back on site, and back to work.

Summary

Companies are increasingly moving towards technology-based education. When delivered effectively through a learning management system, online training using a blended approach can deliver a host of organisation and employee benefits. Now that’s something worth considering.

To get a feel for how an eLearning environment works, click here. You can preview two modules of each of our online courses in our Course Library.

References

1. http://flexenews.flexiblelearning.net.au/link/id/zzzz51cbc319be963997Pzzzz5109f11f6ef48042/page.html

2. http://www.docebo.com/landing/contactform/elearning-market-trends-and-forecast-2014-2016-docebo-report.pdf

3. http://www.smarthighered.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IBIS-Capital-e-Learning-Lessons-for-the-Future.pdf

4. http://accessplanit.web1.hubspot.com//Portals/302197/whitepapers/roiwhitepaper.pdf

5. http://epiclearninggroup.com/us/files/2012/08/Epic_whitepaper_organisational_benefits2.pdf

6. http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/301248/15-Facts-and-Stats-That-Reveal-The-Power-Of-eLearning

7. https://blended.online.ucf.edu/about/benefits-of-blended-learning/