Client case studies
QBE
IT training and professional skills training to all of QBE’s UK IT staff, plus training management and administration.
QBE European Operations is a leading insurance specialist in the London and European markets. It is part of the QBE Insurance Group, one of the top 25 insurers and reinsurers worldwide. The company employs over 10,400 staff in 42 countries.
The challenge
For leading insurance company QBE, IT is an essential part of the business – it’s the framework which holds the organisation together and helps to drive it forward. Choosing the right IT training partner is as essential to success as choosing the right technology. QBE’s UK IT team numbers over 140 people; to keep those people’s IT skills ahead of the game, QBE chose Xpertise.
The solution
Xpertise’s high availability of course dates was a critical factor for QBE. With such a large IT team, it’s essential to place people on training courses quickly, without having to wait weeks – or months – for the next available course. Since Xpertise runs over 500 different courses, most scheduled frequently, QBE finds it easy to plan training and never has long to wait for the next course.
In addition to delivering its own courses, Xpertise is also managing IT courses from third-party training providers – making Xpertise the single contact point needed when arranging IT training. Xpertise’s experience in handling managed training services is of great benefit to organisations wishing to reduce the overheads and headaches associated with training administration. When consolidating training procurement, companies immediately benefit from Xpertise’s proven training management infrastructure.
As well as providing ongoing training, Xpertise is also managing specific training projects which run over longer periods. Like many companies, QBE’s IT team needed more than just IT skills. With increasing emphasis being placed on working in a structured, quality-assured way, QBE’s IT team was also seeking skills in service management and project management. To meet this need, Xpertise is providing PRINCE2 project management training and ITIL IT service management training. Both PRINCE2 and ITIL are respected standards for IT departments which have been shown to improve quality and reduce costs – something which every organisation wants from its IT infrastructure.
Xpertise’s London training centre has also proved essential to the success of the relationship, allowing training to take place close to QBE, minimising travel and associated expenses. Always flexible, Xpertise also provides training courses on site where it is required.
Robin Fenner, learning and development manager at QBE, believes that the relationship with Xpertise is working well. “Having worked closely with Xpertise, I would highly recommend them as a service provider,” says Fenner. “The company’s overall approach, flexibility during negotiations and willingness to go the extra mile is always evident – and I would have no doubts in recommending them.”