Europe leads Britain in training online

Citation

(1999), "Europe leads Britain in training online", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 23 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.1999.00323iab.005

Europe leads Britain in training online

Keywords: Internet, Europe, Training

European companies are embracing Web-based training at a much faster rate than their British counterparts. This is the finding of recent research by distance learning solutions provider, Ascot Systems.

A study of 200 British and European institutions’ attitudes towards training shows that UK companies are reluctant to embrace innovative, Internet-based technologies, and prefer to stick to tried-and-tested methods, whereas Euro businesses are less inhibited about new types of course delivery systems.

Ascot Systems found that, although the take-up of the Internet is greater in Britain than in much of Europe, large companies are shunning the Web in well-established areas such as training. The slow uptake of Web-based training (WBT) raises concerns that the UK may soon face a skills shortage, as companies are slow to invest in new technologies in training for their employees.

“Although Britain has more Internet subscribers than most of Europe, companies are a lot slower to take online training on board than their continental counterparts”, said Bob Eades, marketing manager at Ascot Systems.

“Not only does it mean that the UK will be behind in terms of innovation, but it also exposes British companies to a potential skills shortage. WBT is proven as the most cost-effective and efficient method of ongoing training, so, by denying employees this opportunity, managers risk having under-trained staff.”

“One of the main reasons for a slow uptake of Web-based training solutions is the amount of red tape companies need to cut through to implement innovative technologies. British corporations tend to form committees and sub-committees which can delay the final decision for months, if not years. We often joke about European bureaucracy, but, in reality, it is often more forward-looking than the UK”, he added.

“The Internet has really taken off across Europe as a method of courseware delivery”, said Jean Stern, managing director of AFIDE, in Paris. “One of the reasons for this is that many companies have geographically dispersed offices, so bringing staff together for training sessions is very difficult. Another reason is that many companies have realised that, to stay at the forefront of technology, they need to use the most effective training methods.”

Earlier this year, Ascot Systems won a £35,000 contract to supply the NetTutor Internet-based courses delivery to AFIDE, the leading French centre for distance learning. The centre has purchased three trainer and 100 student licences, and will run courses for students across Europe.

AFIDE’s first project for NetTutor will be to train staff at government ministry departments in and around Paris, and will involve training 500 staff at all levels. Then, the centre will run two EU-funded courses for journalists in Internet-based research and interactive publishing. Following the initial programmes, the company will run interactive training courses for job-seekers using NetTutor. The programmes will begin in early 2000.

Further information from Ascot Systems, Woods Way, Worthing, Sussex BN12 4QY. For sales enquiries, Tel: 01903 503041; E-mail: sales@ascot-systems.co.uk