
Being part of the training department of one of the biggest engineering firms in the US entails nothing but excellence. Training in-house staff and engineers already means challenge, but nothing compares to the yokes that we have to bear in training our dispersed workforce from the Philippines. Do not get me wrong though, they are equally as talented and competent as our in-house engineers and draftsmen here in the US. The problem lies in the training mode and requirements that we are giving the workforce from two different locations.
In the past, we used to conduct trainings thrice a year due to the issues on distance and cost. Our senior trainers from America had to travel to the Philippines to meet our Filipino staff and update them on the recent developments of projects, client specifications, and changes in operations. Our outsourced engineers are some of the most promising professionals in the Philippines so the problem is not really so much on them absorbing the information and skills we have in the training process. Our tenured and freshly hired dispersed employees have shown increase in productivity and utilization through the conventional method of training we do. On the other hand, the company would run the risk of losing so much resources and training cost if we stick to old practice.

To improve our training practices, we had to do research and assess options available to us. After the brainstorming session, we thought of giving elearning solutions a shot since many other companies, even smaller enterprises, are using it. We started contacting providers and studied the advantages and disadvantages of integrating a technology-based training method into our own approach.
After the first session, we already saw how elearning tools helped ensure faster learning curve for out trainees. It raised the productivity and efficiency of our operations since there was no need to disrupt regular work routine for trainings. Trainers need not travel to do conventional training sessions. They could just help design the modules and the overall instructional style of the tools. Elearning solutions also aided us in analyzing the effect of the trainings in the productivity and utilization level of in-house and dispersed workforce.

