Providing the most engaging learning content

The pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, not least of which has been the economy. The government initiative ‘build back better’ aims to boost the economy through developing infrastructure, skills and innovation. If these aims are to be achieved and the skills of the British nation are to be elevated then the training industry will play a key role.

Perhaps one of the biggest threats to this plan is learner withdrawals. Training managers are, therefore, constantly striving to strike a fine balance between optimising the quality of training whilst increasing the quantity of learners. So where should training providers be focusing their attention to enable them to maintain strong learner numbers without compromising their drive for quality?

Content: New product launch

Established as experts in all forms of training delivery and facilitating digital learning, Bud Systems has now launched a new Content Marketplace to its menu of solutions. Making the most up-to-date and inspiring content more available to trainers, it will bring innovative forms of training such as Augmented Reality to more people. It will also help to level up the playing field for smaller providers by giving them easier access to new forms of content or mixing content styles according to the level of training required. The Marketplace also acts as a comparison service allowing trainers to search through a long list of content providers, helping to keep pricing competitive. Content Marketplace is underpinned by Bud Systems’ intuitive training management platform, smoothing the purchase-to-delivery journey.

Our partners

Bud’s Content Marketplace will provide clients with the very best content available. In order to do this, we’ve worked with:

• MX Reality
• Virtual College
• Skillshub

By joining forces with the best content providers in the market, we’ve produced a one-stop-shop for training providers where content is readily accessible and available.

Reporting

Once you’ve engaged and motivated your learners with the very best content, it’s critical that you have the necessary systems in place to capture all the evidence needed to remain compliant. This is where accurate reporting comes to the forefront, particularly as you begin to scale your training business.

Growth is rarely a by-product of doing more with the same level of resource – unless you factor in technology. When you apply this principle to the training industry and increase the volume of learners without increasing the resource capability, it can negatively impact the intricate balance between quality and quantity as mentioned earlier. In effect, it can lead to training managers struggling under the weight of an increasing case load due to the volume of reporting required from multiple parties i.e. Ofsted, the ESFA, the learner and the employer.

Matt Wood, Funding and ILR Product Owner at Bud said “As a training provider, growing your learner numbers is a vital part of success. But it’s pointless if you cannot remain compliant. That’s why having the right technology is so important. Bud allows you to keep track of all your data and learners with ease. Having everything in one place is critical when it comes to growth.”

Book a demo with Bud to find out how our training management platform allows you to track your data and remain compliant throughout your training delivery.

Motivation and engagement

It’s the trainer’s job to ensure learners develop all of the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours to succeed. Knowing how each learner is progressing at any given moment and importantly, how engaged they are in the curriculum are metrics that a trainer relies on.

A lack of motivation and engagement could result in the learner taking longer to complete their training, or at worst-case becoming so unmotivated that they withdraw. This is where Bud comes into play. Jesse Johnson, Sales Director at Bud said:

“Bud’s Content Marketplace will give providers access to the latest curriculum content and offer them agility in the trainer’s approach which will allow them to quickly respond to the effects of these external pressures. If engagement levels drop, a trainer will need to quickly understand why, take positive intervention which might include altering the curriculum content or by reviewing at their next progress meeting – with Bud’s Content Marketplace this has never been easier.”

It makes sense that the more progressive trainers using the latest curriculum content that is presented to the learner through their preferred medium, will always have the edge when it comes keeping motivation levels high and improving learner experience. If this is accepted then it’s no surprise that advanced technologies have seen a surge in interest, VR in education is predicted to be a $700 million industry by 2025.

No two learners are the same

Every learner is different; some will welcome challenge and others will prefer to comfortably meet the minimum standards. Trainers need to know how to stretch and challenge every learner, to demonstrate the level of skills learnt and to evidence case distinction to ensure they achieve the best outcome whilst providing the evidence that Ofsted needs.

Whilst there are standardised practices to being a training manager, they must take a personalised approach with each individual learner to deliver the most successful results. Indeed, the ESFA U-turning on the learning support needs assessment accurately highlights why a personalised approach helps each individual to flourish. After all, a blanket approach to learning support is sure to increase withdrawal rates.

Training providers who want to succeed in the long term will need to evolve their training practice by embracing technology, that will allow them to run like clockwork, that provides the data that informs and leads to a more personalised learning experience and by adopting the latest developments in curriculum content to optimise learner engagement, retention and outcome.

Get in touch to hear from a Bud expert on how to keep your learners engaged with our new Content Marketplace.