The UK trails Europe in training online

Citation

(2000), "The UK trails Europe in training online", Education + Training, Vol. 42 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2000.00442aab.010

The UK trails Europe in training online

The UK trails Europe in training online

Keywords: Internet, Training, Information technology

European companies are embracing Web-based training at a much faster rate than their UK counterparts, according to a study of 200 UK and European firms. The research, by distance-learning provider Ascot Systems, shows that UK companies are reluctant to embrace Internet-based technologies and prefer to stick to tried and tested methods. European businesses are less inhibited about new course-delivery systems. The study reveals that take-up of the Internet is greater in the UK than in much of Europe, but large firms are shunning the Web in areas such as training. Comments Bob Eades, Ascot Systems marketing manager:

Not only does this mean that the UK will be behind in terms of innovation, but it also exposes British companies to a potential skills shortage...one of the main reasons for the slow uptake of Web-based training in Britain is the amount of red tape companies need to cut through to implement innovative technologies. British companies tend to form committees and sub-committees which can delay a final decision for months, if not years. We often joke about European bureaucracy, but in reality it is often more forward looking than in the UK.

Jean Stern, managing director at Afide, Paris, adds:

The Internet has really taken off across Europe as a method of courseware delivery. One reason is that many companies have geographically-dispersed offices, so bringing staff together for training sessions is very difficult. Another reason is that many companies have realized that, to stay at the forefront of technology, they need to use the most-effective training methods.