The pandemic crisis has turned the world upside down, and organizational changes have had to be made at all levels. Just like most economic activities, the training sector has also had to adapt to become more accessible during these precarious times. Although e-learning is not a new concept, social inequality has meant that this mode of learning has only become popular worldwide since 2010. For this reason, you will have to discover how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the development of competences in companies.
The pandemic: a barrier to training continuity
Faced with the devastation of COVID-19, it was mandatory for the authorities to take drastic measures to minimize the death toll since the outbreak of this disease in late 2019. Not only did the waves of lockdowns cause disruptions to global economic development, they also had a major impact on the development of corporate skills. Knowing that one of UNESCO’s main missions is to increase the skills of employees tenfold, this international organization has developed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for the implementation of this project. Following the disasters of the pandemic, 90% of the institutions under this program have been permanently closed due to the global economic downturn. In addition, UNESCO released a report of 114 out of 126 countries greatly affected by the interruption of vocational training in enterprises.
This interruption lasted from 3 weeks to 3 years depending on how the companies managed the COVID-19 phenomenon. Most companies had to find an alternative solution with online platforms in order to make the physical distance non-problematic in the development of business skills. PAÉLO is one of the platforms that have been able to minimize the disasters during this disaster. In fact, all the mining companies that worked with this PaaS had less loss of activity compared to their competitors. In fact, the majority of the latter’s insolvency has led to a definitive break in professional training.
COVID-19: a barrier to the progress of learners and TVET
Lockdown has led to a feeling of idleness in some individuals. This long-term interruption can act as a permanent break in ongoing training. Having lost a sense of organizational focus, returning to work was not as easy for most employees. This de-motivation is not a promising factor in vocational training, as it only further disrupts the stability that is gradually taking place. On the way to sustainability, most employees who experienced difficulties in their vocational training had to resume their course from the beginning. Regular learners, on the other hand, lost contact with their trainers. This separation was not helpful for those who wanted to follow the learners’ progress closely.
In order to avoid this break, each company had to adjust their training plan. By mutual agreement, TVET institutions and all companies agreed to implement a digital system in the management and learning process. Knowing that program continuity could not be achieved, all companies also had to consider additional costs due to the extension of remedial sessions.
Waves of lockdowns: an opening to distance learning
Remote learning was the most popular alternative solution to manage the break with the physical world. Thanks to e-learning, the risk rate was reduced by 10% during the pandemic. Most schools and vocational training centers had to automatically move to this option after 2 years of lockdown. However, issues related to Internet access and the technology could not facilitate the adoption of this learning mode. Having appreciated the windfalls of this trend, all industries have turned to digitization to solve organizational problems. In fact, most large companies rely on the LMS to better manage corporate training. The PAÉLO platform is the ideal interface to connect trainers and learners within a company. Moreover, this platform does not limit its functionalities to learning, but it also offers several features that facilitate the work of the HRMS.
COVID-19 outbreak: promoting digital equality
Unfortunately, electronic illiteracy is still extremely present in some countries of the South, especially in rural areas. Certainly, the pandemic has proven the importance of digitalization in everyday life. However, the inequality of access to digital tools does not allow this reform to be universally applied. Moreover, manufacturers and producers are more attentive to the needs of Westerners instead of advocating for digital inclusion. Despite the mobilization of financial resources from sponsors, several African countries have had to temporarily stop their corporate training. A decision that has a significant socio-economic impact slowing down the development of several African countries on all levels. Promoting digital equality, the designers of PAÉLO have made sure to make it ergonomic and accessible in offline mode. Finally, the level of imperativeness of digitalization during the COVID-19 has at least served as an opening to this era.