To guarantee the long-term success of a company, it is important to invest in employees. Even in the Digital Age, people are your most valuable resources. They define your capabilities and drive value generation while also shaping strategy and organizational change.
Corporate training is a valuable tool for getting the most out of your staff. The industry itself is booming, with Statista estimating that the global e-learning market could be worth as much as $400 billion USD by 2026 – and this isn’t even taking traditional classroom training into account.
However, not all training providers offer the same level of quality, especially with larger programs. Individuals can become trainers without any qualifications, and non-accredited courses can leave candidates woefully unprepared to pass certification exams.
Learning and Development managers must also choose not only what to have employees study but also how. Traditional, online, and blended programs each have their own respective advantages, and one may be far better suited to your company, depending on your training requirements.
In other words, there is a lot to consider, so where do you get started? In this article, we will take you through the most important considerations you’ll need to get started with your corporate training program.
1. Know your training requirements
The best training program for your business will vary depending on a number of factors, the most important of which is your training requirements. This refers not only to the skills you want staff to learn but also:
- How many students will take part in the training
- Student demographics
- Location of candidates (how spread out are they?)
- Whether you are planning a short-term program or a permanent training culture
- Course completion goals
- Desired impact on your business and how you will measure it
- Access capabilities, such as local internet speeds and what electronic devices candidates have access to at work and home
It is important to realize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training. By taking your bespoke factors into account, you will be better able to communicate exactly what you are looking for. This, in turn, will help training providers accommodate you and make sure your program has everything you need.
2. Understand quality
Before getting started with your search, it is important to ensure you have a good idea of what constitutes ‘quality’ with corporate training.
Firstly, you must be aware of the term ‘accreditation’. An accredited course has been thoroughly vetted for both the quality of its content and its approach to training. When a course is accredited, you can be sure that it is fully capable of preparing candidates to pass exams. Getting to such a standard is not easy, which is why companies rarely produce their own certification courses in-house.
If a course does not feature any exams, it does not require accreditation. With these courses, the best sign of quality will usually be positive reviews from previous candidates. Most courses also offer free trials to let you see what they have to offer in terms of quality and design.
It is also worth checking if any of your prospective providers have won any industry awards. The training market has grown large enough that there are several prominent award associations hosting regular events. This can also apply to particularly popular topics and frameworks, such as training in ITSM, cybersecurity, and so on.
Finally, you will want to look at the reliability of course access. Technical problems can quickly ruin training programs. Your chosen provider should also offer an acceptable level of support to match the size and scope of your training program.
3. Choosing traditional, online, or blended training
The widespread use and ownership of electronic devices have helped make e-learning a more popular format for corporate training. However, that does not automatically make it the best option as a rule. The truth is that all choices have their respective advantages and drawbacks.
- Traditional training – Many candidates will still prefer learning from an instructor. They may be averse to spending too much time in front of a screen to finish their courses. Traditional learning also tends to happen over a shorter period of time, and certain members of staff may prefer to just get it out of the way. The problem is that traditional training programs tend to be more expensive, especially when it comes to hiring qualified instructors or providing money for travel. Having a training schedule set in stone can also make it difficult to fit learning around other commitments at work and home.
- Online training – Digital courses offer a variety of resources to keep candidates engaged, including quizzes, videos, and whitepapers. They can also be accessed from any web-enabled device at any time, making it easy to fit training around other commitments. Online training can also be preferable when a workforce is spread out geographically, which has become far more common with remote working becoming more widespread.
- Blended learning – Traditional and online training are not mutually exclusive. A training program can use both, such as by combining online revision materials with in-person classroom sessions. This variety can also help companies with varied demographics ensure that everyone’s learning preferences are met.
4. Tracking performance with an LMS
A large part of managing a training program involves monitoring the progress of the candidates taking part. This information can be difficult to extract without a system in place and can quickly be delayed with traditional programs that require manual marking.
This is another perk of e-learning. Most online courses are hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS), a platform for hosting candidates and supporting training managers. Better systems allow managers to extract performance metrics such as course access and exam pass rates in seconds. They can also help with admin tasks such as adding candidates or contacting support. An online training provider may even manage these functions as part of their service.
This can save a great deal of time and effort when tracking the performance of a training program. It also allows managers to review progress on a more regular basis, making it easier for them to notice when learners are struggling and take a proactive approach to support them.
Getting started with corporate training
Good e-Learning is an award-winning online training provider offering fully accredited training across a wide variety of topics. We design our courses in-house with help from industry experts, allowing us to offer both higher quality and unique expertise. We also offer world-class support, with each candidate receiving a free exam voucher and resit.
The Good e-Learning team specializes in corporate training. Our award-winning LMS, the Learning Ecosystem, can accommodate any number of candidates. It can also be customized with your own graphics and branding to make it truly yours. Our team will also be on hand to discuss your requirements and how we can meet them even as they evolve.
Want to find out more? Contact a member of the Good e-Learning team, or visit our website today!
