CAN you image a training course that is so popular that staff are willing to give up their evenings and weekends to take part?
Well, the Magic Travel Group claims it has staff queuing to pick up new skills at its recently opened Multimedia Learning Centre in their free-time.
The centre uses multimedia PCs to train employees on a variety of software packages including World 7.0, Excel 7.0 and Windows ’95.
So far, 60 of the company’s 200 UK-based staff have been trained in the centre and director of human resources Debbie Newton said it is now so popular that it also opens in the evenings.
She said the reason the centre was such a hit with staff was that it allows them to progress at their own rate, it is on site so they don’t have to waste time travelling, and sessions last only one to two hours so they don’t get jaded.
“Also, when we were sending staff on day-long external training courses we found that they when they returned to the workplace they forgot what they had learned in the classroom, but this learning centre allows us to offer on-going training,” she added.
Staff decide what they want to learn and book themselves in for a session, a trainer will then set them up on one of the PCs, after which they are left to work their way through the programme.
“In a classroom environment inevitably some people will get left behind and often they are afraid to ask questions because they don’t want to hold up the rest of the class, but with this interactive software, people can work at their own pace and make sure they understand something before moving on,” added Newton.
The centre has also significantly reduced the company’s training bill. Whereas previously it cost ú200 a day to send just one member of staff on an external training course, it now costs only about ú40 to give them the same training.
“The Multimedia Learning Centre opened last September and already we have had our initial outlay back,” said Newton. “As the Centre is always fully booked, we now want to expand it so we can offer even more training.”
Magic has applied to Focus, the central London training council, for funding so that it can increase the number of PCs in the Centre from three to five.
The operator also wants to introduce other software packages to train staff in areas such as customer service skills and telephone sales.