How organisations are using e-learning to support national training initiatives

E-learning is being sought out by Australian business and industry looking to solve significant skills shortages by curbing time consuming off-the-job training and speeding up apprenticeship completion times. Key findings from this research include: ? Employers clearly want more work-based training, with less time spent in off-the-job training and shorter completion times for apprenticeships. ? E-learning capability is a key factor in an organisation?s ability to innovatively support national training initiatives. ? Training organisations are making clever use of e-learning technologies to cover various aspects of underpinning knowledge in apprenticeships. ? The stainless steel, gas, bakery and building and construction industries are acting as drivers for change, with the greater flexibility and workplace-based nature of e-learning suiting small to medium sized enterprises. ? There are trade-offs for e-learning, including higher demands around collaboration between all stakeholders, and students expecting to see training that uses technologies they are comfortable with. ? In the future, social networking tools will be central in providing greater support for learners as they complete more of their training away from the direct support of their teachers and fellow learners. Three case studies are featured in the study: ? The Chisholm Institute?s mobile learning and assessment project ? TAFE SA?s carpentry training course, using Moodle to create effective online learning sites. ? Blue Dog Training, Queensland?s online training for apprentices