Teignbridge District Council and Learning Nexus Launch Pioneering E-Learning Partnership
A new partnership in Devon is set to launch a brand new method of e-learning for staff across seven local authorities and other organisations.
The e-Academy has been created by Teignbridge District Council in partnership with online training provider Learning Nexus, establishing a brand new model for providing staff with access to over 200 new courses.
Unlike many e-learning solutions, the e-Academy enables new members to buy-in at any time, purchasing as few as 50 individual user licenses for a small amount per user per year, offering full access to courses and much better value for money than going it alone with their own provider. There’s also a small annual fee to maintain a fully branded member area, through which staff access courses.
It’s been made possible by Teignbridge District Council buying licenses for the system in bulk, enabling it to sell smaller quantities of licenses on to other organisations at the bulk-discount price. The council will be managing the system in-house with support from Learning Nexus, and will provide access direct to members in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.
The scheme offers top quality training to public-sector organisations with all the functions of much more expensive systems. Members are able to create their own branded courses and upload them; manage all of their online learners in one place; analyse different training needs; track progress; and access online workstation and risk assessments. For an additional cost the system even enables members to bolt-on qualification courses for the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Prince2 Foundation Project Management, and Accredited Finance for Non-Financial Managers.
Cllr Mike Walters, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive Member for Corporate Services said:
“We’re proud to be spearheading this new system, which is the first time anyone has created this kind of model with Learning Nexus. It’s already proving popular around the South West, with many partners buying in before we’ve even launched for the first time.
“This is exactly the kind of innovative thinking that local government needs. It brings fantastic value for money, offering cut-price courses that don’t scrimp on quality. Importantly it also helps smaller public sector organisations access training which they could otherwise never afford, bringing new skills to more staff.”
The model has been developed over eight months by the council’s Human Resources team and Learning Nexus, which is now planning to roll out the scheme in other areas.
Kenneth George, Chairman at Learning Nexus said:
“It’s been a pleasure working with a council which is so keen to try new things and find a solution that suits everyone. In a period of almost unprecedented belt-tightening the e-Academy has created an affordable e-learning system for the public sector in the South West.
“We’ve been so impressed by the interest shown throughout the region that we’re developing similar schemes for other areas. This could be the start of an e-learning revolution in the public sector, with more organisations getting a flexible product at lower prices than ever before.”
Courses offered by the new system include:
Health & Safety (UK legislation)
Managing Diversity & Workplace Legislation
Management & Workplace Skills
ICT Training (MS Office XP, 2007, 2010)
Social Care & Health
Languages
Importantly for members, the e-Academy even allows them to tailor many of the 200 courses to their specific organisation, adding information which is relevant to their employees and ensuring best practice is kept up to date.
The e-Academy will launch across all seven partners from Monday 03 October.
Any public sector organisation in Devon, Cornwall or Somerset who’d like to find out more or join the scheme can visit www.teignbridge.gov.uk/e-academy, email icttraining@teignbridge.gov.uk or call 01626 215186.
Organisations in other parts of the UK, who would like to find out more about Learning Nexus in their area, can email learning@learningnexus.co.uk
ENDS
For media queries please contact:
Teignbridge District Council:
Tim Borrett, Communications Officer
01626 215164, Tim.Borrett@teignbridge.gov.uk
Learning Nexus:
Michelle Craddock, Marketing Manager
020 8780 1494, michelle.craddock@learningnexus.co.uk
Photo: Back (l-r) are Steve Penford, Service Manager for Human Resources, and Cllr Mike Walters, Teignbridge Executive Member for Corporate Services. Front (l-r) are Cath Mochan, Regional Manager for Learning Nexus and Dawn Johnson (ICT Training Officer).