Expanding Horizons

How the pandemic invigorated e-learning trends

submitted by LEIA

Demand for e-learning is on the rise. Combined with its subsequent impact on individuals and the environment, it means embracing innovative training methods will remain crucial for years to come, explains Dan Charlesworth, Training and Safety manager at the Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA).

The pandemic undoubtedly disrupted talent and resulted in skills shortages with which many employers are still struggling. According to LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report,^[1] 83% of organisations say they want to build a more people-centric culture, whilst a staggering 93% are concerned about staff retention. Interestingly, the report also revealed that three out of the top five factors individuals consider when exploring new job opportunities revolve around their desire for personal growth, skill development and the chance to expand their horizons. This trend is particularly prominent among younger jobseekers who actively seek out roles that offer ample opportunities for learning and advancement.

What’s more, a recent report from People Management magazine^[2] of more than 900 U.K. jobseekers highlighted that 65% of candidates are seeking new employment due to being de-motivated. Of those, 44% said training and development opportunities would prevent them from leaving. 

In our sector, it has been encouraging to see employers looking to provide these opportunities — not only to attract top talent, but also to upskill and retain their existing workforce. It comes as no surprise that online learning experienced a significant surge during the pandemic. LEIA distance learning courses, for example, saw a 28% increase in enrolments as a result of the pandemic. What’s interesting is this trend has continued, and the numbers continue to grow. In fact, this year we’ve seen a 39% increase in enrolments — the highest since LEIA started administering the programme.

Undoubtedly, the pandemic not only transformed the way we work, but also brought about a revolution in our learning methodologies. One way LEIA has responded to this shift is by adapting its traditional final examination process to a more flexible one. Candidates are now offered a two-week window to complete their exams, as opposed to a fixed date. The impact? Whilst the exam questions remain the same, the pass rate under this new process has noticeably improved. 

The trend for e-learning is increasing across industry, and the global e-learning market is projected to reach an impressive £360.1 billion by 2026.^[3] In the U.K., Oxford Learning College reports that 42% of organisations have witnessed an increase in their income since incorporating e-learning as part of their training programmes.^[4]

There are significant environmental benefits associated with distance learning, too. Studies conducted by The Open University in Britain claim that distance learning utilises 90% less energy and emits 85% fewer CO₂ emissions compared to traditional campus-based learning. Don’t forget, these environmental advantages also play a vital role in influencing jobseekers scrutinising prospective employer’s credentials and CSR, or corporate social responsibility, track record.

But who comprises this increasing demographic of distance learners, and at which stages of their careers are they? Over the past five years, the biggest demographic of distance learners taking LEIA courses has been in the 20– to 30-year-old age bracket. That’s no real surprise when you consider that many will be starting out in their careers, eager to learn more and progress. What’s interesting to note is there has been an increasing demographic of learners aged 50 and above, rising from 7% of learners in 2018 to 9% this year — not a huge percentage of overall delegates, but enough to demonstrate employers’ commitment to continually upskilling and developing their existing employees.

As e-learning grows in popularity, we will need to become more innovative in terms of delivery and assessment methods. 

Whilst females are still generally under-represented, we have seen some growth in the number of enrolments, increasing from only 13% in 2018 to 17% in 2023. Much work still needs to be done to encourage more women to pursue engineering careers. Again, training and development opportunities will be key. 

So, what’s next for distance learning? LEIA was extremely fortunate to have a product already in place when the pandemic hit. We were already offering distance learning, so were able to simply scale this up as enrolments increased. As it grows in popularity, we will need to become more innovative in terms of delivery and assessment methods. 

With continued usage and support in the learning materials, we can progress with the development of the existing units, adding in areas such as emerging technologies, as well as creating solutions for new gaps coming to light.

LEIA content is also available to be used on a subcontract basis within funded apprenticeship programmes, as we have been listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Training providers at gov.uk. We invite main providers or employers looking to do this to get in touch.

References

[1] learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report

[2] peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1792263/three-five-workers-looking-new-job-research-finds

[3] prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-e-learning-market-to-reach-457-8-billion-by-2026–301505795.html

[4] oxfordcollege.ac/news/online-education-statistics/