Learning Light is offering its expertise to private sector training organisations which are having to develop strategies to meet the response from the UK Government’s department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) to recommendations from The Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG).

The BIS response to these recommendations has been not just to allow Individual Learner Records to include provision for online learning but also stating that, from September 2014, learners must receive a minimum of ten per cent of their learning via materials delivered online.

“This ten per cent rule is only the beginning,” predicted Learning Light Director, David Patterson. “Given Learning Light’s expertise as independent market analysts and advisors on all aspects of online learning – and the fact that we deliver qualifications using e-learning into the waste and environmental services industry at levels 2, 3 and 4 as funded qualifications (NVQ) – we’re happy to tell training companies, who now have to make provision for doing the same thing.

“Up to now, it’s Colleges – early adopters of e-learning from the National Learning Network days – that have attracted Government attention but, in the light of BIS’s decision, pressure will mount on the several thousand private sector training organisations listed on the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) Register of Training Organisations (ROTO),” Patterson added. “The ROTO comprises both large and small training organisations, along with large companies, such as BAE, which have contracts with the SFA.”

David Patterson, of Learning Light.

Learning Light believes that, in the light of BIS’s response to the FELTAG recommendations, UK employers will be given greater responsibility for setting out their own skills provision. This will also boost the demand for learning materials delivered online and, in turn, boost demand for learning management systems (LMSs) to track and record the learning tacking place.

“In particular, ROTO members need to ensure that, when choosing an LMS, they make a wise choice,” Patterson continued.

“We would be happy to advise any ROTO member – or other training organisation – on how to successfully comply with the SFA and the FELTAG recommendations. We’ve also compiled a list of what we consider to be the most appropriate LMSs in the UK for training providers.

“Learning Light is not just an e-learning market analyst but is also an approved centre delivering Level 2 NVQs as well as Level 3 and 4 qualifications into the workplace. In addition we manage a large range of e-learning materials for our own activities and to distribute to other training providers.

“We have e-learning courses on a wide range of topics including business improvement, business skills, selling skills, office skills finance, engineering and manufacturing, health and social care. We can help any organisation meet the ten per cent e-learning quota and enhance learner satisfaction as well,” he stated.