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Training isn’t a one-size fits all solution. Everyone absorbs information differently and if the setting and offering isn’t right, what is learned one day may be obsolete the next. It’s why taking a blended approach to training is so important.
Combining online and in-person teaching methods, blended learning is an educational approach which enables delegates to learn at their own pace. This is through a typical mix of face-to-face instruction, online learning activities, and technology-based resources.
The information age has narrowed the attention span of the general population. Therefore, it is vital that a training provider creates a more flexible and personalised learning experience to ensure that the message is received. This approach underpins Autotech Training’s offering. From chunks of traditional classroom style training to completing online assignments and participating in hands-on learning. Variety enhances the training experience and ensures we maximise delegate engagement.
Online learning has seen a steady growth over recent years. Pre-pandemic, the largest proportion of training remained face-to-face. During the lockdowns, increasing numbers of people were using the time to build their skillset. This resulted in a huge upsurge of online learning platform enrolments.
Armed with accelerated digital capabilities, the general public continued with this eLearning trend. According to a report from Grant Thornton at the time, amid the massive shift in norms around working from home, the training landscape was irrevocably changed. While the delivery of face-to-face training did return, all industries saw a greater migration to digital learning or a blend of both.
Blended learning can take many different forms. It just depends on the needs and goals of the delegates and the resources available to the trainer. It can be used in a variety of settings, including schools, colleges, higher education institutions, and professional development programmes.
One advantage of blended learning is that it allows students to learn at their own pace and customise their learning experience to their individual needs and preferences. It also allows educators to use a wider range of methods and resources, integrating both technology with traditional teaching.
In a blended learning environment, delegates may have some class time in a traditional classroom setting, while also completing coursework and assignments online. This can include watching lectures or completing quizzes and tests through a learning management system (LMS) or participating in online discussions and collaborative projects.
In an industry which is evolving at rapid speed, upskilling the current crop of vehicle technicians and MOT testers is vital, along with creating learning pathways for future generations.
Today cars are complex. Vehicle technicians need a fantastic level of technical skill and knowledge to repair and maintain them. Not to mention the increasing numbers of electric and hybrid vehicles on the road, but more on that later. Consequently, on-line training can provide a quick and cost-effective solution. There are a number of in-depth, high quality technical courses on key vehicle components readily available online to help technicians build a fix first time mentality.
Take the annual MOT assessment, if left too late this could affect a VTS and a technician’s RAG rating. In a matter of hours, a technician can be trained to the current, DVSA syllabus and complete the assessment. All of this can be undertaken online, and at their own time and pace.
Whether it’s an online course or a face-to-face training session, the fact remains that the only way the current automotive workforce can sustain their roles is to keep upskilling. Everyone within an automotive business should hold a level of responsibility, regardless of their position, to ensure that they have the relevant skill set to service vehicles safely and competently.
Employers should be putting electric and hybrid vehicle courses to the top of their training agendas. While not yet regulated by the Government, it’s vital that employers realise they will be liable if untrained employees are injured while working on high-voltage vehicles. Ultimately, if technicians remain inadequately trained, it will only be a question of time before somebody, without the right knowledge, puts a spanner in a high voltage area.
We offer a dedicated EV Training Suite, complete with an electric car. This is vital for hands-on learning. Our EV training courses can also be rolled out to any organisation or garage and delivered to a group of employees at once.
At Autotech Training we believe that one of our greatest assets is to be able to mix the style of delivery. We can offer everyone a blended learning solution which meets their needs exactly.
