Computer Training - A case study

This is a case study illustrating how Support for Organisations helped a major global organisation address their computer training needs for their UK operations.

Alpine Electronics are one of the worlds leading brands of high quality car audio and navigation. Their products are used in some of the worlds most prestigious cars including Jaguar, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Lotus, Honda, Rover, Land Rover. For fifteen years their head office in Milton Keynes has supported United Kingdom operations. Last year they opened an engineering centre based in Coventry and they realised they had to readdress their computer training strategy.

Alpines understood what they needed:

A supplier that could provide computer training onsite for both their offices.
The supplier would have to provide computers.
The computer training must be of a very high standard (their engineering centre in particular employs technical graduates with a high level of computer literacy)
The training needed to be affordable

Support for Organisations began working with Alpine in July 2000. The following sections indicate what Alpine employees thought of the training.

Some statistics

Since we began a total of 28 employees have received computer training in Microsoft_® Office 2000 and Microsoft_® Project 2000, filling 40 course places. An analysis of the course feedback forms is shown below:

Did the training meet the delegates expectations?

Delegates were asked if the training met their expectations

How did the delegate consider the courses for the following aspects:

Delegates were asked to rate the course they attended. A number of different questions were asked:

Presentation

Exercises

Presenter knowledge

Course examples

Usefulness of training

How did the computer training compare with other courses.

Those who had previously received training elsewhere were asked how the training compared with the other training they have received.

What Alpine had to say about the training:

Support for Organisations claim their training and service are more comprehensive than most other training organisations. Having worked with different training organisations in the past offering similar services, I was a little sceptical but since their package was very competitive, we chose to work with them. Having experienced the training personally and after discussions with our staff I have no doubt about the claims. The introduction training courses are so comprehensive and focused that most of our employees will have no need for intermediate level training. Furthermore Support for Organisations have been a major help in our strategic planning, by helping us design a training database and helping us assess the needs and capabilities of our staff. Overall we are very pleased with the training and service received.

George McLeod, Operations Director

We have taken a strategic approach to our training, where it is important that all staff have the necessary skills to fulfil their role and develop their potential. By developing a strong relationship with Support for Organisations we have been able to create bespoke courses to achieve this aim. All staff that have taken Support for Organisations training share the following comments "I learnt more than I expected, short cuts were very useful, and although a long day the pace and content made it enjoyable."

Judith Lumley, Personnel Department