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Last updated: 20.08.14

The benefits of online education for employers

Online education is enjoying a surge in popularity, but it is not just individuals who can enjoy the benefits of furthering their skills and knowledge via these e-learning courses.

Employers are increasingly realising that they can achieve advantages as a result of signing their members of staff up to adult learning classes due to the extra skills and knowledge they can bring to the organisation afterwards.

Training is a difficult area for a lot of companies, especially if they lack staff members with the necessary skillsets to carry out exercises to a high enough standard to be worthwhile.

But e-learning is starting to fill in that gap, with organisations able to enrol workers to bring them up to speed in a wide range of areas that can be beneficial for both the individual and the firm.

According to research by IbisWorld, the online education sector is growing at an annual rate of 14.4 per cent and this is likely to increase in the coming years as more people become aware of the benefits of this type of learning.

Adult learning has been a challenging area for a long time, but new technology is making it easier than ever for individuals to improve their skillsets and boost their knowledge. E-learning allows people to learn at their own pace and the ability to fit their learning around their existing commitments, for example a full-time job or looking after a family, can be a major advantage.

For organisations, allowing members of staff to sign up to online education classes is a sure sign that they are committed to furthering the knowledge and skills base of their workers. With the job market increasingly competitive, organisations that are able to demonstrate they value staff development are likely to be able to steal a march on their rival companies by portraying themselves as a more attractive place to work.

Among the key benefits of e-learning for individuals is the chance to develop their soft skills, which are becoming increasingly important in the world of work as employers place a high value on them.