Keeping up with advances in technology can sometimes feel a daunting task. The speed with which the digital world has evolved in the past 20 years alone is staggering. Technology has become integral to our lives in so many ways and new advances are something that as a society we are asked to readily embrace on almost a monthly basis.

As proof of the impact that technology has had:

1. In the UK alone, approximately 87% of consumers have purchased a product online in the past 12 months. This has been made possible thanks to the dramatic rise of the e-commerce store.
2. As of the start of 2017, there are now 467 million users on LinkedIn, with around 40% logging in daily to keep abreast of their social presence.
3. Even the way we watch television is changing, with a shift away from traditional viewing towards subscription services such as Netflix. This online service now sees close to 100 million users logging in monthly.

With the digital landscape having such an impact on our personal lives, it makes sense to tailor professional and work-related tasks to become more digital too. Millennials will be the first generation that hasn’t been asked to embrace technology, but that has been brought up with it. This instant recognition offers an opportunity as much as it is a challenge.

At Capital City Training & Consulting, we are always looking at the ways new starters consume information. With 300 hours of video content uploaded to the video sharing website YouTube every minute, it seemed obvious to us that video was the perfect platform to exploit.

Having asked many clients for their feedback, we soon found that we were correct. Increasingly, companies are moving intro-level technical training programmes into eLearning media, a shift that we were keen to emulate. This would often coincide with the implementation of new Learning Management Systems too, again something we felt it was important to provide.

The Pros and Cons of eLearning

Some would argue that the move from face-to-face learning to a more digital approach de-personalises the experience. They believe it demands less engagement and fails to provide valuable interaction between trainer and learner. We felt it was important to address these concerns.

Firstly, it is important to point out that at CCTC we offer a combined approach between these two styles of learning. Through the research we have undertaken, we have no doubt as to the value of digital learning when it comes to consuming information and knowledge. Our face-to-face sessions can then be tailored to implementation, and to applying and developing skills that have already been learnt.

Secondly, we have taken several steps to ensure that the problems of disengagement and de-personalisation are addressed. Having conducted detailed market research into techniques and methods that clients are currently engaged with, we have tailored our platform to:

• Make it more personal – All our eLearning course videos use talking heads, to give a more personal feel to the presentation of information
• Make it more like a classroom experience – To create a ‘learning’ experience, we use slides, exercises, questions and downloadable case studies and exercises, exactly as you would find in a classroom
• Create an eLearner discussion forum – We always ensure to introduce an e-learner discussion forum for delegates to post questions and compare notes. This enables individuals to stay connected with colleagues
• Avoid patronising cartoon-style animation stories! – We believe that by applying the above, we create an eLearning experience, rather than deliver a less professional ‘quick-fix’.

Our online eLearning platform has been created with users in mind. It is crucial that as a training provider we continually adapt to a more digitally aware marketplace. New starters of any organisation will have certain expectations when it comes to how they are asked to access and interact with information. Through our dedicated online login portal, we deliver something that is accessible and comparative with their experience of using online media.

To find out more about our platform, and the breadth of courses available, please contact us today.