PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Technological innovation continues to reshape work and the workforce in profound ways. One area in particular undergoing major changes is the field of professional development. To remain competitive, it is critical that companies equip their teams with the knowledge and skills they need to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow. To achieve this objective, organizations of all sizes and sectors are increasingly incorporating digital solutions alongside traditional classroom learning into their professional development programs.

Traditional classroom learning has many benefits that cannot be easily replicated in a digital setting. When it comes to managing risk, classroom courses make the most sense for the managers who will lead the programs internally. The face-to-face contact with expert instructors and ability to share best practices with colleagues afforded by classroom training sessions are vital for quality, environmental or compliance managers.

But there are a number of compelling advantages to digitalizing the training of other team members. Digitalization has not only made professional training—and education more generally—more accessible. It’s also made it more convenient and efficient in terms of time, cost and resources. There are less obvious reasons, however, that make digital learning a highly attractive tool to add to your training arsenal.

Pedagogical flexibility

Large companies are faced with the challenge of catering to the training needs of hundreds, if not thousands, of different employees, sometimes across several continents. These training requirements are not one-size-fits-all. Employees come to the table with varying skill-sets and levels of prior knowledge and experience, distinct professional responsibilities based on their role and different schedules. The flexibility of digital training makes it easier to meet the differing needs of a mass audience than with traditional classroom learning.

Digital training options allow for a user-led, customized learning experience. Learners can engage with material specific to the current and future needs of their role. Furthermore, they can access courses across devices (e.g. computer, tablet, smartphone), and at their own time. The ability to tackle new material at their own speed and at their own convenience means that they can acquire the right skills, in the right way for them.

Reach All Learners

Pedagogical research has long shown that everyone has his or her own way of learning. Visual learners respond best to images. Auditory learners prefer verbal presentations. Kinesthetic learners fare best with a more hands-on learning experience. Unlike traditional learning, digital training allows you to incorporate different media and ways of transferring knowledge (e.g. videos, lectures, activities). You are not restricted to one type of teaching, allowing you to reach learners of all different learning styles.

Some learners thrive on the kind of in-person interaction with instructors and other students possible only in a physical classroom. Furthermore, for quality managers and other employees who need to acquire in-depth understanding of the topic at hand, classroom training has obvious advantages. However, when trying to engage a wide swath of diverse and geographically scattered employees who do not require specialist knowledge, digital alternatives are an excellent, cost-effective alternative.

Track employee performance

Managers need to understand employee knowledge and skill levels to lead their teams efficiently and identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. Digital learning platforms not only help to transmit information in a way that suits a wide array of learners; it also makes it easy to track how those learners are responding to the material.

As employees engage with digital learning tools, real-time feedback offers actionable insight into the progress of both teams and individuals. Such information can be critical, allowing management to identify and rectify potential knowledge and skill gaps across their organization. Managers can then hone in on what trainings an employee has completed, where they have excelled and where they need further instruction.

Seamless Adaptability

Providing consistent, effective, accessible training to large teams spanning geographical, linguistic and cultural divides can be a challenge for global organizations. A lot can get lost in translation. E-learning, online courses and other digital tools offer a remedy to this problem.

Digital training content can be edited, translated and localized far more easily and quickly than traditional pedagogical material. With classroom training, it takes time, money and effort to recreate content country by country. Digital media can be readily adapted and deployed, often in real-time. New translations can go live instantly, reaching targeted learners in different countries as soon as they are ready. Issues specific to one or more regions can be integrated as needed. With technology and regulatory frameworks evolving at breakneck speed across virtually all sectors, this adaptability is indispensable!

The traditional classroom may still be the best way to help your employees responsible for the success of your Quality, Health & Safety, Environmental as well Enterprise Risk management systems advance in certain topics and situations, but it is no longer the only option. Offering your teams digital training does not just mean saving time and money. Building a professional development strategy that harnesses digitalization allows organizations to guarantee that they are fostering the required knowledge and skills across their teams in a way that suits employees’ individual needs.

As a global leader in management systems training and certification, Bureau Veritas understands the critical importance of equipping your personnel with the proper skills and knowledge. To help you meet this challenge, Bureau Veritas provides a wide range of digital, classroom and blended training courses and tools, from on-site and open classroom courses, to e-learning and Virtual Classroom programs. No matter your sector, size or location, Bureau Veritas’ expert designed and led trainings empower you to train your teams effectively, consistently and efficiently. Visit our training website to book your training today.