Client case studies
Atos Origin – blended training programmes
How Xpertise delivered Blended training programmes to Atos Origin, to increase the use of the company’s e-learning materials.
Atos Origin is a leading international IT services company with worldwide revenues of over €5 billion and 47,000 staff. In the UK, Atos Origin has more than 7000 staff and revenues of over €1 billion, derived through business consulting, systems integration, managed operations and medical services.
The challenge
Like many companies, Atos Origin had invested in a substantial e-learning library – but (and also in common with many other companies) this e-learning library had not been widely utilised within the business – resulting in a costly, underused investment.
The solution
Like many companies, Atos Origin had invested in a substantial e-learning library – but (and also in common with many other companies) this e-learning library had not been widely utilised within the business – resulting in a costly, underused investment.
Xpertise, which has been providing instructor-led classroom training to Atos Origin for several years, is experienced at delivering groundbreaking (and award winning) blended learning projects, combining classroom training with various types of self-paced learning, e-learning and support. It seemed sensible to Xpertise that training projects at Atos Origin should move towards the blended learning model, utilising the current investment in e-learning materials.
In addition to making better use of a resource which already exists, this would have other distinct advantages. First, incorporating e-learning into training programmes reduces the number of classroom training days – thereby minimising time spent out of the office. In turn, this ensures that the number of billable days for each delegate is kept to a maximum. Clearly, this also reduces the cost of the classroom training. It also makes training programmes more flexible and easier to manage.
Of course, there can always be concerns that the effectiveness of the learning could be compromised. It’s a valid concern, but one which, with careful planning, can be fully mitigated. Indeed, the blended learning programmes (including ITIL, Java and Microsoft) which have been run by Xpertise for Atos Origin have enjoyed 100% first-time examination pass rates – an increase in results.
There is also the risk that learners do not adopt the e-learning or are simply not engaged by it. Again, properly managed (by targeting learners with specific goals and deadlines), not only had there been a 14% increase in the number of people using e-learning, there has also been a dramatic increase in the amount of learning undertaken by each person, with an additional 11,000 hours of e-learning courses being used. On top of there, there was a 31% increase in the amount of on-line reference books being used.
The end result has been a win/win situation. By creating more blended learning programmes, Xpertise has enabled Atos Origin to more fully exploit an underutilised investment, increase training results, reduced the number of training days – while cutting training costs.
“It’s not often that you can have your cake and eat it, but that’s what Xpertise has helped us to achieve. We’re making far better use of the resources which we already have, getting better results – and all for a lower cost.” – Cheryl Cumberworth, e-learning and support manager, Atos Origin