For many, venturing into e-learning just seems too difficult: there’s the acronyms, lack of technical knowledge and where would you find the time to sort it out?
But at Induction junction we know what it is like and will guide you through the process, options and explain everything in plain English!
One area of confusion is the buying model. Because we work with the open market and are not tied to one supplier, we have sight of the main different models including their pros and cons, which we will share here.
Pay as you go model
Each month buy the number of licences you want for the topics you need. Access to the course is typically for 12 months from time of purchase and is hosted on a simple Learning Management System.
Ideal for small businesses with no existing e-learning in place.
PROS –
- Quick to implement – normally a month at the outset then a few days if new courses need to be added.
- Limited amount of technicalities involved.
- No big budget decision required at senior level.
- Control over spending.
CONS –
- Can be expensive if your demand grows quickly.
- Not all providers offer this so choice may be limited beyond the usual topics.
- If you want different topics from different providers, you won’t be able to host them all in one place.
Subscription model
At the outset select the number of employees that will be required and choose the topics they need. Access to the course(s) is typically for 12 months from time of purchase.
Can be hosted on the supplier’s Learning Management System or an existing system in place.
PROS –
- Once set up, limited amount of resource needed to maintain.
CONS –
- Existing Learning Management Systems capabilities might restrict choice of courses.
- For in-house Learning Management Systems in-house IT support will be needed which adds to the implementation time.
All you can eat buffet
Buy the whole catalogue from a supplier multiplied by the head count so all employees have access to all courses over a 12-36 month period.
Typically hosted on the supplier’s Learning Management System.
PROS –
- Once set up, limited amount of resource needed to maintain.
- Employees have access to a larger range of content with no additional cost implications.
- Good for developing staff keen to change roles or progress into more senior roles.
CONS –
- Can be perceived as wasteful as not all employees will take all the courses.
- In-house IT support will be needed which adds to the implementation time.
- Larger budget can get caught up in board decision delays.
So, in addition what else would we need to know in order to help you?
In simple terms, in addition to your preferred buying model, we need to know the following:
- Number of employees to be trained
- Topics/course titles
- Whether accreditation is required
- Details of existing Learning Management System to be used (if at all)
- Timescales
- Location and/or languages required
The beauty of all this knowledge and guidance is…it costs you nothing to use our services!