Implementing e-learning in manufacturing to train the workers effectively is no more a choice it’s rather become a necessity….. However to underscore the benefits of e-learning in the manufacturing industry it is important to understand the various factors shaping the manufacturing sector:
- The manufacturing industry is in a middle of a severe talent drought as an estimated 186,000 new engineers will be needed each year until 2024. But a closer look at these statistics can tell you that it’s not exactly a labor shortage that is seen and experienced, instead it’s the shortage of skilled labors that affect the manufacturing industry across the globe which means that there are a huge and widening skill gap and lack of training measures to make the learners ready for employment.
- With the baby boomers soon to be replaced by the millennial workforce, the organisation can face a dearth of the skilled and trained workforce as the baby boomers carry the legacy of knowledge and industrial experience with them.
- Adding to the woes is the lack of time to train the workers in the manufacturing industry, with the workers mostly spending their time on the production floor, it becomes almost impossible to call them up for a classroom training. The recent LinkedIn workplace report is scary as it tells you that the number one reason employees for employees to not engaging in workplace learning is because they don’t have the time.
With these challenges and widening skills gap, classroom learning is not an effective learning strategy anymore. Hence, I suggest and recommend to implement e-learning for your manufacturing organisation and train your workers effectively in their comfort.
But why e-learning? read the blog more to find it out the benefits of e-learning in the manufacturing industry.
1.Anytime and Anywhere Learning
One of the biggest challenge faced by a manufacturing organization is the lack of time to train the factory workers. With workers spending their time on the production floors, it becomes very difficult to draft a training calendar for the traditional classroom training programs. Instead, an e-learning program can be very effective here as the learners or the workers are able to access the content anytime from anywhere and any device.
With the increased penetration of mobile devices, these smart devices are now common in the hands of everyone. The organization can leverage this and host their content online to make it accessible across any device like smartphones, tablets, iPad etc.
2.Reduced Burden on your Budgets
By implementing e-learning in the manufacturing industry, the organisation can simply reduce their cost incurred for training the workforce. Classroom training can simply extend the budget with fixed and recurring expenses. At the same time, an organisation requires to conduct the classroom training program in batches which adds up to the cost.
By implementing e-learning, the organisation needs to make only a minimal investment and the further expenses that can arise are very less. Most importantly, the e-learning module can be accessed by the learners from across the globe even simultaneously.
3.Employee induction
A traditional employee onboarding or induction process in a manufacturing industry is time-consuming. It can stretch upto days and weeks as the learner or the new joiner need to get familiarized with the organization and work. By implementing e-learning strategies, an organisation can fasten the employee induction process.
The new e-learning strategies like gamified induction, using e-learning scenarios in the module can deliver better and engaging learning experience to the learners.
For example, our gamified induction for a reputed manufacturing multinational won a lot of applause and appreciation. The gamified induction module adopted an adventure theme where the learner progresses through the different levels.During the course of the gamified learning , the learners face several challenges and tasks to complete and are rewarded with points and badges. The one hour gamified induction module could cut short a traditional classroom training program that was spread over three working days.
4.Retention of the learning topics
How do you operate the newly purchased machine?
What is the recommended voltage and heating time?
What is the total output in volume?
What are the troubleshooting options?
A manufacturing industry training program involves answering various such questions and hence it becomes very important for the organisation to ensure that the learners recollect the learning topics at work.A classroom training is not effective and recommended training strategy here as the learners might easily forget what they learned. An instructional led program with a set of complex diagrams and charts can confuse the learners and can lead to information overload.
By implementing e-learning, the knowledge retention among the learners can be improved. The organisation can use the atest e-learning strategies like e-learning simulations to train the workers effectively. A simulation combines the power of experiential and immersive learning with “a risk free learning environment” so that learner learns, practices, makes mistakes, again learns till the time the performance improves. The best advantage of every simulation is the risk free environment that allows the learners to learn without the fear of making any mistake.
5.Performance support tool
The technological advancements has made it possible for the organisation to implement e-learning as a performance support tool for the learners.
Recently, I visited an newsprint manufacturing industry where the factory had installed several barcode stands near to the machines and equipments. Scan the barcode with your barcode scanner which are easily available these days on mobile phones etc and you are redirected to the training module of the same machinery or equipment. The learner is able to view the modules that explains the functions, features and even a guide that can be easily downloaded for troubleshooting.
6.Suitable for compliance training
Manufacturing industry is regulated by well established compliance policies and regulations like GMP, ISO, safety guidelines etc. An organisation requires to mandatorily ensure that the employees are well aware and trained on these compliance policies. But the lengthy nature of the compliance programs can lead to disengagement which contributes to decreasing participation and lesser retention and recall of the learning topics. With e-learning, all these compliance trainings, safety trainings, etc. can be easily delivered to the employees online.
I recommend the organisations to use scenario based e-learning for compliance training as it gives an immersive learning experience.
For example, a , leading global automobile manufacturer implemented our award winning POSH e-learning module (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) to train their factory workers on POSH. The module is complete with different scenarios and assessments that ensures an immersive learning experience.
7.Supplements Other Learning Strategies
E-learning can effectively supplement other learning strategies. For example, a classroom training session on product training can be supplemented by effective e-learning modules in the form of Interactive PDF documents, animated explainer videos etc . These online modules can supplement learning by acting as references to help in easy retention of the learning topics.
8.Track the learners progress
A traditional classroom training fails in measuring the learners progress. By implementing e-learning, an organisation is able to effectively track the progress of the learners. The latest LMS supports the function of tracking down the users progress and generate detailed user reports.
9. Right fit for millennials
With the baby boomers soon be replaced by the millennials, I feel that e-learning is simply the right strategy to accommodate the new category of the workforce. The studies on millennials reveal that they have a reduced attention span and learn differently from the baby boomers. Millennials are more tech savvy. According to a study by PWC, three-quarters of millennials believe access to technology makes them more effective at work. This generation wants their information to be easily accessible, quick and mobile. This clearly tells us that classroom training is no longer an effective strategy to train the new generation of workforce.
These are some of the handpicked popular benefits of e-learning in the manufacturing industry. Feel free to share your views on the comment box below.
