UK Training Industry Press Releases

Many will agree that the work-based training industry is set to dramatically change over the coming years.  We are already seeing consolidation and cuts in funding streams as well as more challenging criteria for signing off learners. 

Funded training providers will need to consider selling full-cost recovery training and training providers already doing so will see more competition in their sectors.

Exactly how government policy will shape the marketplace is yet to be seen, however the signs are clear and the message is you need to “do more for less”.

For some the transition to new products and services will be a natural progression, for others it will be mean complete transformation and re-tooling.

The good news is that the tools and technology to enable this transformation are well established and widely available.

One solution as to how training companies can begin to future-proof their offerings is provided by ASA Interactive.  ASA Interactive formed from a collaboration between a successful work-based training company in Kent who saw the need for technical products and services designed specifically for training companies, and a company specialising in Social Media. 

Here are the four areas ASA Interactive suggest work-based training companies should start to explore:

e-Learning

If the training you provide requires regular assessor visits to the workplace, moving to a blended learning approach can offer huge cost savings.  Using a virtual learning environment, training and learner resources can be offered online, anywhere in the world.  Moodle is a popular choice with both colleges and training companies, largely because it is both free (open source software) and has a massive support network and community in place already.

To calculate potential return on investment using a system such as Moodle click here: http://asa-interactive.co.uk/e-learning-return-on-investment-calculator

For a free e-learning strategy template click here:  http://asa-interactive.co.uk/e-learning-strategy-guide-and-template

Web Presence

A company’s Web presence is one of the most important elements of their marketing and public image.  However, many training organisations fail to make the most of the Web and neglect aspects such as:

• good website design
• good content and learner resources
• social media interactions
• lead collection capabilities 
• measurement of hits, leads and ROI

Often a learner's or an employer's first impression of a training company is gained from their Web presence. In order to make a good first impression, then,  a training company must invest time and thought into developing their web presence.

Cost Saving

"Doing more for less" seems to be the tagline in many industries at the moment and training is no exception.  A company can reduce costs not just through e-learning but also by careful consideration of where money is being spent.  Some examples include:

Email provision and file sharing - could moving to a lower cost solution such as Google Documents save you time and money?  Remember, low cost does not mean low value!

Advertising - are those newspaper adverts really delivering value for money?  What about a more targeted approach with Google or Facebook advertising?  This is especially powerful if your target learners are aged between 16 and 40.

Employee/Partner Collaboration

It is also important for training companies to have the ability to work across long distances (sometimes time-zones as well) with colleagues and partners.  An example might be how a company shares emails, documents and resources with self-employed or peripatetic assessors.  All too often, things like email accounts, VPN access and inefficient communication methods get in the way.  One solution could be Google Apps:

Google Apps is a low cost (free for 11 users or less) collaboration solution offering company email accounts, document sharing, chat and video conference facilities to companies of all sizes. 

These are just four areas a training company can explore to “do more for less”.  What are your tips for future-proofing your training company?  

To join the free Transform for Training seminars and webinars by ASA Interactive click here: http://asa-interactive.co.uk/transform-for-training