Corporate training keeps all elements within the company aligned with the corporate mission. Traditionally difficult to manage in large organizations, corporate employee training programs can now rely on technology that makes training available and accessible to employees anywhere and at any time. The flexibility that comes from well-designed mobile learning apps and platforms gives corporations the ability to improve the performance and efficiency of their learning programs.
Designed with the business user in mind, available corporate training apps offer low-cost structured and casual learning experiences that make learning convenient, comfortable, and ongoing. Managers should evaluate the following five apps that facilitate corporate training to find new ways to leverage technology in support of their training objectives.
Udemy
Designed as an online learning platform, Udemy offers courses on a range of subjects via a free app that runs on either iOS or Android. Although many courses accessible through Udemy require payment, the platform provides the crucial accessibility and convenience that corporations need to make corporate training successful.
Udemy for Business, the version of the app designed for the corporate world offers compatibility with MOOCs making it ideal for companies that create their training materials. The business app also offers business-focused courses presented by expert instructors.
Employees can learn on-the-go with Udemy, by watching presentations, reading articles, and saving courses for offline use. Udemy does not track learners and their progress, so companies that choose Udemy must rely on external systems to monitor the activities of their employees.
Moodle
The developers of Moodle, a popular open-source learning management system, have made the software available for free, making it ideal for firms that need an affordable eLearning platform. As one of the most popular learning management systems, Moodle has apps that run on iOS and Android, giving corporate trainers a dynamic and interactive framework for professional development, performance management, and ongoing assessment.
With Moodle, companies can manage and track a variety of e-learning resources and integrate with other systems such as Active Directory, Google Drive, and YouTube. The software also features a calendar, for tracking events and submission deadlines, and group discussion forums. Trainers can use Moodle to create quizzes and surveys. Trainees can use the Moodle apps to send messages, download training material for offline reading, and track course participants.
Skill Pill
Companies can make use of Skill Pill, a suite of integrated mobile learning tools for the workplace, to train employees in customer service, management, sales and marketing, and other business-related topics that companies can mix and match for each user. Apps optimized for iOS, Android, Windows phones, and Blackberry make learning accessible to almost everyone. Skill Pill provides short videos for training or motivation that can focus on a particular skill that employees need to either acquire or reinforce. A library that includes more than one thousand animated videos, support templates, podcasts, and other learning objects supports learning. Skill Pill uses a just-in-time learning model that conforms to the needs of adult learners.
iTunes U
Companies can access iTunes U through Apple’s iTunes Store to get a free selection of education audio and video files from universities, museums, and public media organizations. Users can download the files from iTunes U to their computers and mobile devices. Visitors to iTunes U can search a library of free and premium instructional content, including business and skills courses that contribute to the corporate training effort. Users can create courses for use on Apple devices, designed for their corporate environment.
Yammer
The Yammer collaboration platform lets users integrate business applications using Open Graph. Users can download Yammer apps for iOS, Android, Windows phones, and Blackberry. Using Yammer, HR managers can set up a private learning community. Employees can use Yammer to collaborate during training, share experiences, and discover alternative learning paths. Yammer uses sharing and discussion to help users develop a thorough understanding of the training material. Yammer helps companies provide a learning environment that provides discoverable, meaningful, and actionable information in support of training objectives.
Technology, in the form of mobile apps, helps corporations provide easily accessible training programs using content that engages participants in new ways that make learning easier and less expensive than traditional methods. Using the five apps that facilitate corporate training, companies can leverage technology to improve their efficiency while developing a superior workforce.
Patricia Dimick is a Denver based freelance writer and tech enthusiast who likes to keep up with the innovations in the digital world and share her insights with like-minded people. Feel free to reach her @Patricia_Dimick
