To surf, perchance to learn

As soon as the New Year's festivities are behind us, thoughts often turn to how we are going to fit our aims and objectives for the year into the time we have.

As soon as we do that, we frequently realise we don't have as much available time as we thought - especially in the workplace, and especially where training is concerned.

Everyone recognises the regulatory imperative of keeping staff updated on issues such as health and safety, hygiene and pest awareness. As everyone knows, compliance isn't an option - it's the law. The trick is to apply that in practice in a cost-effective, time-efficient manner, with minimal disruption.

E-learning is a solution for many. Training consultant Steve Macvicar describes it thus: "E-learning is shorthand for the wide range of on-line 'soft' skill and compliance training programmes that can be disseminated, studied and - critically in the case of compliance training - centrally monitored across intranets and the internet."

Most importantly, e-learning helps companies easily meet requirements for mandatory training. "The number of UK companies being sued for responsibility for injuries to their staff or for passing on contaminated products is growing," says Macvicar. "E-learning courses around compliance issues can not only be delivered to relevant staff quickly and efficiently; when hosted on a tried and tested learning management system, they can also be proven to have been completed, potentially an invaluable defence if you are unlucky enough to face court action."

But aside from meeting compliance requirements, there are other benefits. First, e-learning is good value for money. "Five years ago, no less an authority than the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimated it would cost local government £1.72M to meet its health and safety requirements using conventional classroom training," says Macvicar. "But that an equivalent online course could be developed for £100,000."

It's efficient, too, he says. "Many low-cost operators have turned to e-learning as a means of training their staff with minimum disruption and time away from the shop floor."

In addition, it allows employers to maintain, update and refresh legal training quickly and simply and deliver it immediately. "Small to medium-sized businesses in particular are looking for 'just-in-time', easily accessible and uncomplicated instruction that frequently only off-the-shelf e-learning products can deliver," says Macvicar.

For these reasons, Food Manufacture Training, a new joint initiative between Food Manufacture and software and learning content firm Skillgate, has been launched.

The venture focuses on the provision of what Skillgate md Ian Page refers to as a regulatory programme, one of four training formats offered by Skillgate's Academy10 software. "Learning is straightforward, you take a test [online] and you relearn if you fail," says Page. The approach enables many people to be trained swiftly and simultaneously, he says. "We take a time-based, process-driven approach. Most people think online learning means sitting in front of a screen until you get bored. In fact you can build programmes that are highly focused, personalised and tailored."

Courses offered through Food Manufacture Training are typically designed to be completed in 10 minutes and prices start from as little as £10 per employee, plus VAT. They act as excellent refresher modules using a question and answer, multiple choice format and can be taken on PC or laptop.

Subjects include food hygiene; health and safety essentials; health and safety risk assessment; manual handling; pest awareness; display screen equipment; and fire and evacuation. Other modules are in the pipeline.

This regulatory format can serve multiple functions, in addition to strengthening staff awareness, says Page. "For example, there's a course on health and safety assessment, which takes you through five stages of carrying out an assessment. As you think them through, you sit and type your responses [on an onscreen notepad]. At the end you have not only learned how to do an assessment, you also have one."

Completed courses offer firms other benefits too. "At the end of the course you get a report and if these are compiled they can be presented to a health and safety officer who can say, 'this group is fine'," says Page. "A company can use it as part of its employee assessment if it wants to." Alternatively, collective performance may highlight blindspots in comprehension that require more attention.

Food Manufacture Training is aimed specifically at sharpening up practical knowledge in the food and drink industry to improve efficiency and deliver subsequent commercial benefits. This contrasts starkly with education, which delivers broader qualifications, takes place over a longer timescale, is less specialised and ties into the government's wider skills agenda.

Page adds that the Food Manufacture venture with Skillgate represents its first targeted foray into the food and drink sector. Skillgate was set up in 1999 to provide value-for-money computer programmes that help training providers and businesses in a range of industries equip staff to do their jobs.

The company also offers classroom-based pre- and post-course face-to-face tutorials. Other training formats it offers are: the Award scheme, which enables bosses to educate individuals in depth; and Certification, which is managed by the individual and builds towards a certificate, demonstrating competency.

Food Manufacture provided the perfect vehicle to generate further interest among both small and large businesses, he says.

Food Manufacture Training aims to offer processors a hassle-free way of tightening up standards and promoting excellence.

As Macvicar says: "In today's increasingly litigious climate companies should not be asking themselves if they can afford to invest in e-learning, rather if they can afford not to."

For more information, visit http://www.foodmanufacture.skillgate.com