We all have the urge to learn new things and widen our knowledge. So why is it so difficult to find the time? Do employers see the benefit of learning? How many employees can one afford to have out of the office?

In this day and age, with new and innovative equipment, one is spoilt for choice when it comes to learning. These options could save on money and time. We are also seeing these trends enter the local market.

Without going into its history, e-learning has left a huge impact over the last 30 years or so. Employers have the option to offer e-learning to both new and existing employees to help them develop their skills. E-learning reduces the time spent away from the office, removing the need to travel and thus saving on costs.

With new technologies in place, you can have a global audience participating via webinar sessions including Q&A, online polls and more, thus reducing the danger of having a one-way communication learning method

By using e-learning, you are flexible to learn at your own pace, even from the comfort of your own home. Through e-learning, policies and procedures are also delivered in a consistent way, with the end result being that everyone has gone through the same training. With new technologies in place, you can have a global audience participating via webinar sessions including Q&A, online polls and more, thus reducing the danger of having a one-way communication learning method.

And who says that video was a thing of the past? It is a known fact that short video clips are on the increase. It has become a trend and therefore why not take the advantage to boost the learning experience?

The advantages are plenty. It allows you to engage with your audience in a classroom environment and to reach your audience via a short online video clip in no time.  So does this mean that classroom training is a thing of the past? Classroom training can offer a more structured schedule.

Students tend to focus a lot more on content with less distraction, compared to online learning. Many a time I have clicked through e-learning screens while multitasking, achieving very little of what it was intended for, even though ultimately I still obtained the results required.

A good trainer will adapt the training content to suit individual learning styles and in a face-to-face environment the trainer can follow up instantly any issues trainees might have. This is less likely to happen on an online platform. By sharing best practice, generating discussions and building on the learning delivered, a face-to-face environment offers more interaction besides the benefit of building personal relationships.

Regardless of whether one chooses classroom training or not, these methods have been developed to enhance one’s learning. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages and one cannot argue which is better. Trainers have the possibility to use all these tools to deliver a top-notch learning experience, while learners have no excuse to find time and further develop.

Anne Marie Gilson is a training manager at Castille Institute.