The virtual classroom, or online tuition, has emerged as an effective and plausible means of addressing skills shortages. This is the view of Accsys CEO, Teryl Schroenn.
Schroenn says despite pressure on local markets due to the global downturn and limited availability of resources, skills development remains a priority for decision-makers and employees alike.
“Companies appear to see the virtual classroom as an effective training alternative, and that the outcome of this process is, at the very least, as good as that which would be received in a classroom.
“There is certainly an increase in interest and investment in e-learning, for example, Microsoft offers e-learning on most of its software and we continue to witness the emergence of Indian companies that develop standardised e-learning products,” she adds.
“At the same time, employees are clear about the practical advantages associated with e-learning, including saving time and being in a position to study while being employed,” says Schroenn.
Even putting the economic downturn aside, she notes, people continue to face additional pressures to meet deadlines and guarantee deliverables, leaving them with less available time for studies.
Schroenn says the advantages of studying online include saving the time spent travelling to training venues and being able to learn and study in one's own time. “While the course may compare rand-for-rand with a university diploma, the fact that the student can save on time and travel costs makes a considerable difference to the total cost of the course.”
regulatory bodies such as the South African Qualifications Authority and Sector Education and Training Authority, as well as adherence to standards and procedures set by these bodies, remains one of the industry's biggest challenges.
“The concept of these regulatory bodies is excellent, but breaking new ground is always a long affair, and companies have not found it easy to bring matters to conclusion. There are too many stop-start actions along the way,” says Schroenn.
While the situation is far from ideal and more work needs to be done, Schroenn believes e-learning is beginning to make a real difference in efforts to address skills shortages.
“We believe e-learning is helping. The payroll diploma is an area where the potential working student base is often someone with the schedule of a working mom, so e-learning is giving them the opportunity to 'upskill' while not having to travel to training venues.
“It is making scarce training resources available to a larger market than would be able to access the training through traditional channels,” says Schroenn.
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