Small and medium-sized providers looking to scale up their training business often believe that advanced technology is only for bigger companies.
AI can be transformative for small providers who want to start scaling up in the next 12 months. From in-depth data analysis to predicting learners at risk of withdrawal, AI-powered tools are the secret to delivering quality training at scale while keeping trainers’ workloads under control.
Here’s how small and medium training providers can use AI to scale up their business.
No business should start the process of scaling up without a strong rationale and carefully thought-out approach. This is even more important for apprenticeship training providers who have to deliver quality learner outcomes no matter what.
Day to day, there’s usually little time for leadership to take a step back and analyse which areas to target for growth – but that’s where AI copilots can make a huge difference.
These applications can analyse vast amounts of programme data in seconds, enabling training businesses to pinpoint the courses which are consistently oversubscribed and present the best opportunities for expansion.
Crucially, users can also spot the programmes that require the most contact time or have the lowest learner success rates. This can help providers to understand where a more considered strategy will be needed in order to scale them – or to avoid scaling altogether.
Making sure processes don’t involve more time or steps than necessary becomes all the more important as training providers scale up.
As Bud founder Heather Frankham put it:
“As a small business, you meet most of your clients, you hear learners’ names around the office, you have a real sense of how things are going. As the business gets bigger, you become more removed from the day to day. So you need to be able to look at the data and make sure you’re measuring the right things and have those feedback loops.”
Any inefficiencies that exist as a small business will be compounded as you scale, because your operations will become much more complex. Staff and management will naturally become more removed from each other’s work, so having tools in place which enable seamless collaboration and effective time management is essential.
AI tools can really shine when it comes to streamlining arduous tasks and fostering efficiency as your training business scales.
One key area is compliance and reporting. Training management systems with embedded AI tools can go beyond simply producing reports – they can help providers to analyse vast amounts of data, draw actionable insights and identify the root cause of any issues.
Another key area is the ability to mark learner submissions, which is famously time consuming for training providers.
Tools like Bud Mark can assess learners’ work in minutes, picking up grammatical errors and comparing the work against trainer-configured rubrics to offer a suggested score. With the legwork taken care of, trainers have the time and headspace to offer thoughtful, personalised feedback and support – something which is especially important as learner numbers increase.
Once training providers have made the leap to scale up, AI can play a central role in keeping quality outcomes consistent.
Predictive analytics can analyse a variety of risk factors to identify learners that are falling behind or trainers that may be at risk of not meeting targets. This allows for timely support to be offered to keep learners on track and on programme.
AI can also be a core tenet of this extra support by acting as a 24/7, one-to-one coach. Instead of waiting for trainers’ working hours or contact time to get help with a piece of work, learners can access AI support instantly to guide them through their problem and help them develop their understanding.
This tailored, on-demand support is especially valuable for newly scaled providers. Most small and medium-sized providers face a careful balancing act of resources when they start to scale, so it’s critical to have extra help to maintain quality. It can also inform recruitment decisions; providers may find that fewer new hires are needed thanks to the efficiency these tools offer.
Bud’s end-to-end platform is designed to support training providers of every size to deliver quality outcomes. With powerful AI tools like Bud Mark available, a host of reporting capabilities and seamless communication between trainers and learners, it’s built to grow alongside your training business as you scale up.
Book a discovery call to find out how Bud can support your business growth.