Issue 93 
15th September 2003
 
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How is eLearning relevant for an Irish SME?

A recent Chambers of Commerce of Ireland (CCI) survey found Irish SME's demonstrated a significant lack of understanding of what eLearning is about.

The report, "E-learning and SMEs: awareness and usage", was written by Mori for the CCI. The survey found that of the 681 respondents with Internet access, only 12% used eLearning on a regular basis. This is an interesting revelation, given that Ireland has won recognition on an international stage for our eLearning materials and businesses.

However the confusion is hardly surprising in the light of the low-profile that those involved in the industry keep, in terms of marketing to SMEs ; does the market know what eLearning is and how it can be applied in an SME context? Much of the vast publicity given to this topic has related either to Irish companies primarily on an international scale to multi-national/government clients e.g. Electric Paper, Smartforce etc.

As the owner of one Irish SME puts it "I have never been approached by an eLearning company selling their services. This is despite the fact that we are an extremely internet-friendly business and regularly send members of staff on courses."

As any business manager of an SME will know, having key members of staff (and they're all key in a small business!) away from the office can put a major strain on the company, yet in the case of the above SME, an eLearning option was never put on the horizon - either by the SME or by eLearning suppliers.

So what are the benefits of eLearning for SME's (and what is it anyway?)
Definition

Lets start with a definition; what is it anyway? According to Kate McCarthy, VP Skillsoft (merged with Smartforce) "True e-learning creates a different learning experience: you're able to create a much richer, much better and more efficient learning experience by using Internet working technologies."

Benefits

The benefits are potentially huge. Some of the relevant potential benefits for an SME include;
  • Reduced training costs; the cost per course should (in theory at least!), be lower than conventional training costs however the real saving may be in related expenses e.g. travel/accommodation etc.
  • Reduced absence of key staff; as employees will not have to travel or leave the workplace, access at critical moments can be facilitated (although obviously this needs to be controlled closely).
  • Improved training through shared learning online; as remote training can facilitate large numbers, the pooling of experiences and expertise can be beneficial.
  • Standardised training across location; the training given in each location will be consistent and progress can be monitored.
  • eWorking can be facilitated; eLearning can be undertaken at a different location e.g. from home, where appropriate. Find Suppliers!
The primary challenge facing eLearning companies selling into Irish SME's is the need for clear messaging; what eLearning programmes are out there; how will they benefit the company?

If you're interested in sourcing eLearning suppliers, why not check out the Enterprise Ireland eBusiness Training Suppliers Listing - many of these companies offer eLearning courses.

http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/ebusiness/categories-list.asp