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The Challenge
What is the biggest challenge facing industry today? Most business leaders can quickly name a variety of challenges they face, but according to IBM’s “The Value of Training” white paper, “more than 65% of global leaders cite ‘talent and leadership shortages’ as their #1 business challenge.”
In fact, in some skill areas, as many as 90% of organizations lack the full complement of skills they need to succeed. As the authors of the IBM white paper concluded, “[t]oday more than ever, companies need to maximize their human capital by providing the right skills at the right time for the right people.”
The Solution
The Internet is spurring a Fourth Industrial Revolution in industries around the world. The speed with which technology is transforming the modern industrial workplace has made ongoing technical training a necessity for both new and seasoned workers.
However, concerns about the costs of training and loss of productivity persist. Fortunately, technology helps to provide solutions to the problems it creates. Let’s explore three primary reasons why Amatrol’s eLearning is the ideal technical training solution for industry.
1. Great Value
New technologies are making today’s industries more productive and efficient, improving the bottom line as processes are automated and streamlined. In the past, this created a conundrum for business leaders.
Ongoing training for new and current employees was necessary, but its high costs and resulting production downtime undermined the very improvements in productivity and efficiency it was supposed to support. Is there a way to provide necessary training while minimizing its costs?
The answer is yes. The cost-effective technical training solution for modern industry is Amatrol’s eLearning. Amatrol’s eLearning courses provide focused learning objectives and problem-solving activities that correlate directly with core competencies — all at a fraction of the price of traditional technical training methods.
Amatrol’s self-directed eLearning courses don’t require an instructor and can be broken down into shorter, more manageable sessions. They also don’t require costly and time-consuming travel, thereby minimizing downtime by getting employees back to work on the production floor as quickly as possible.
Statistics support the cost-effectiveness of eLearning compared with traditional training methods:
- Businesses can save 50%-70% by replacing instructor-based training with eLearning (IOMA 2002).
- Learning via eLearning requires 40%-60% less employee time than learning in a traditional classroom setting (Brandon Hall Group research).
- By switching to eLearning, Dow Chemical reduced training costs from $95/hour to $11/hour, IBM reduced training costs by $200 million, and the IRS saved $5 million in travel costs along (“Building a Case for eLearning” by Sarah Johnson).
- Every dollar invested in eLearning results in $30 in productivity, because employees are able to resume work more quickly and apply their skills immediately (IBM study).
2. Total Flexibility
Thanks to the Internet, learning today is a dynamic activity that can’t be confined to a particular time or place. You don’t have to go to a classroom or a library. In fact, the answer you seek may be just a spoken question away: “Hey Siri, how many centimeters are there in 12 inches?”
That’s why Amatrol’s eLearning offers 24/7 online access. Users can learn at home, on break, on the go, or even on the production floor. Technical training can happen anytime, anywhere with an Internet connection.
Each Amatrol eLearning course features a modular design that breaks down major topics into manageable segments, each with its own series of objectives, activities, skills, and self-reviews. Learners can set their own pace as they progress through the material.
Educational research shows that one of the best ways to study is a strategy called “distributed practice,” in which short, intense periods of learning are spread over a long period of time. Amatrol’s eLearning enables learners to engage in distributed practice at their own pace.
3. Superior Content
Amatrol’s extensive eLearning library features hundreds of courses offering thousands of hours of technical training for a vast array of subject areas, including: electrical, electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics, alternative energy, HVAC, CNC machining, industrial certifications, mechanical, process control, quality assurance, safety, STEM, industrial maintenance, and even advanced topics like automation, mechatronics, robotics, and Industry 4.0.
The impressive breadth of Amatrol’s eLearning is matched by its comprehensive depth. Each course begins with fundamental, basic concepts before progressing to more advanced material. The competency-based instructional design of Amatrol’s eLearning seamlessly integrates understanding and application to build industry-relevant skills learners will use on the job.
Because the modern workplace requires workers to solve complex problems, Amatrol’s eLearning also focuses on developing active problem-solving skills. Interactive lessons featuring troubleshooting concepts and techniques give learners confidence in their skills that will translate to the workplace.
Amatrol’s eLearning also teaches highly-technical material in an engaging way that appeals to learners of all different styles and keeps them focused on the learning process. For example, Amatrol’s highly-interactive, multimedia format includes videos, animations, 3D graphics, voiceovers of all text, and interactive quizzes and exercises.
What Are You Waiting For?
When eLearning began gaining momentum in the 1990s with the increasing popularity of the Internet, businesses were initially reluctant to switch to eLearning amidst the many other technological changes taking place. For example, only about 4% of U.S. businesses used eLearning as early as 1995.
Fast forward more than two decades and you’ll find that, as of 2017, about 77% of U.S. corporations used eLearning. That number is expected to increase to approximately 98% by 2020. So what are you waiting for?
Not only is eLearning cost-effective and flexible, it’s also a better way for employees to learn. The Research Institute of America found that eLearning retention rates (25%-60%) far exceeded those of traditional, face-to-face training (8%-10%).
Why? eLearning puts learners in control of the learning process. They can set their own pace. They can revisit material they don’t yet fully understand, and they can retake online quizzes that reveal they need more instruction in a particular area. These factors result in a learning process with less pressure, allowing them simply to focus on the task at hand: learning the skills they need.
Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
Amatrol’s eLearning is unparalleled in its value, flexibility, and depth and breadth of content. But we don’t want you to just take our word for it. We want you to try it for yourself.
Visit Amatrol’s eLearning page, click the “Request Info” button at the top of the page, and then fill out the “Contact Us” information on the right side of the page. In the “Message” box, simply indicate that you’re interested in a free eLearning demo and give us an idea of what subject areas you’re most interested in. It’s that simple!
In the meantime, check out Amatrol’s eLearning video to see more samples of our many eLearning courses:
About Duane Bolin
Duane Bolin is a former curriculum developer and education specialist. He is currently a Marketing Content Developer for Amatrol, Inc. Learn more about Amatrol and its technical training solutions, including eLearning, here and connect with Duane on Amatrol’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube pages.
