eLearning

We are so excited to announce that we have joined the NVIDIA Inception programme. We are delighted to have been offered this opportunity and look forward to taking our products to the next level and building on our capabilities. 

What is the Nvidia Inception program?

NVIDIA Inception is a program designed to help startups evolve faster offering:

• Access to cutting-edge technology and experts 
• Opportunities to connect with venture capitalists
• Marketing support to heighten company visibility

Why is this programme for us?

As learning designers at Academii we are huge advocates of lifelong learning and are always looking for new ways to push the boundaries and sharpen our skillsets. 

We are hugely ambitious and passionate about embracing new technology to enhance our learning experiences which will enable us to deliver a 1^stclass offering to our valued customers, firmly placing People at the top of their agenda.

We believe this programme will help us grow our business in new ways and help put us at the forefront of innovation. 

In an age where there are more opportunities than ever available, employers must adapt their approach to recruitment and employee benefits.

It is no longer enough to provide employees with just a salary, no matter how competitive that salary may be. In fact, 80% of employees would prefer a job with additional benefits over the exact same job with no benefits but a 30% pay increase. It also makes a world of difference when potential employees know what type of workplace environment they may be entering. 

Employees feel most fulfilled in their work by learning and developing their skills. Sir Richard Branson runs his businesses by the motto: 

“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

Sir Richard Branson

Learning to succeed

One of the key elements in creating long-term success for your business is cultivating a forward-thinking attitude in employees, rather than strictly adhering to the status quo. To do this, a robust learning culture is fundamental. Learning-focused businesses are less scared to take risks and innovate, and therefore have a competitive edge in their market. Employers with a strong learning culture see improved employee performance and engagement. But a strong learning culture not only increases your current workforce, but it can also attract and retain top talent by making your company an employer of choice. 

So, how do you start to cultivate a learning culture within your workplace? Some obvious solutions are by implementing training and online courses, but it can also be as simple as examining processes and mistakes. Evaluating what works and encouraging a mindset of continuous improvement will go a long way to develop the skills of your workforce. Not being afraid of making mistakes is also key, as that’s how you know you’re taking risks and innovating. 

We at Academii have a large pool of e-Learning content that can be easily implemented into your workplace to begin building a stronger learning culture today. 

Technology is designed to be intuitive. We see toddlers able to use a tablet PC before they can walk, the pages of manuals we used to get with our smartphone are now redundant and people learn from YouTube how to tile, code, use Excel or even assemble the dreaded flat-packed furniture.

In 2018 a Pew research study found that 51% of YouTube users accessed the platform to learn.  In 2022, this increased to 86%. This growing, on-demand, bite-sized, content led approach to education and training is unprecedented and employers need to see it as a trend to follow.

That’s the fundamental difference, the way we absorb skills is now far more on-demand, when we need to know the skill, and the fastest possible way to absorb that information.  The way we learn has evolved, yet the way we teach hasn’t fundamentally changed in decades – antiquated classrooms, 12 months or more of structured training, a 3-4 year degree programme, limited ‘on-the-job’ teaching and a mismatch of the topics being taught with the skills needed by employers.  

Worryingly, 80% of employers believe that current graduates are lacking in the skills they need to be work ready and 68% of students report that they are unclear as to what skills they need to learn to start their careers.

That’s the fundamental difference, the way we absorb skills is now far more on-demand, when we need to know the skill, and the fastest possible way to absorb that information. 

A distinct lack of engagement between further education and employers means that what we’re currently teaching our graduates is becoming less and less relevant to employers. And to think that on average, graduates come out of University with £45,800 of debt.

From your favourite coffee shop’s reward card to applications that help you meditate or learn a new language, game elements like points and leaderboards are everywhere. These techniques are often referred to as ‘gamification.’ Though often used as a fancy buzzword, many are unsure of what gamification actually entails. In this post we’ll explore what gamification is, how it is used, and why it is so effective at engaging users. 

Gamification simply put means the application of game design principles in non-games contexts, and it is increasingly used in many different areas and industries. Computer games are designed to provide engagement for users by incentivising and rewarding certain types of behaviour. By utilising these same design principles, we can make more mundane areas of life, such as buying your morning coffee or even going for a walk, more engaging and exciting. And by rewarding and reinforcing these behaviours through gamification, we can also create more formed habits. 

Three of the most common gamification elements are: 

Points 

A point system acts as a reward, telling users that they are performing the correct behaviour and reinforcing it. For example, your favourite coffee shop may have a rewards app that gives you a point every time you make a purchase. Points tell the user that they are engaging in positive behaviour and progressing towards a reward; and reinforces that behaviour with a hit of dopamine. Before they know it, a user may be buying a fancy latte every single morning or buying one for their colleague as well as themselves. 

Badges and Achievements 

Using our coffee shop example, after earning a certain number of points, users may become a VIP member or receive a free drink. These achievements act as larger rewards to keep the user engaged and motivated. 

Badges and titles such as ‘VIP’ or ‘Gold Member’ also act as a status symbol, displaying to others your dedication or skill. 

Leaderboards 

Now that users are receiving their points and rewards, they want to see where they compare to others. Leaderboards are an additional way to show off to others your skill, as well as add some healthy competition amongst users. Utilising competitiveness is a great way to add some excitement to an otherwise boring task. 

By rewarding and reinforcing these behaviours through gamification, we can also create more formed habits. 

There are many other gamification tools and techniques, such as timers and avatars, but above are just a handful of the most popular. These three all specifically add a sense of progression to a task. For many, especially those with learning difficulties like ADHD and dyslexia, adding an additional element of progression can assist in motivating them to complete tasks they otherwise may find boring or unfulfilling. 

Gamification in Education

A key industry that benefits from incorporating gamification is education, with tools like ‘Kahoot!’ creating gamified classroom experiences with timed quizzes and leader boards. Especially for those who struggle to engage with conventional classroom or worksheet-based learning, educational games and tools can open a world of new skills and knowledge. 

At Academii, our LMS utilises gamification via a points and leaderboard system, as well as unlocking badges for users based on their activity. We find these tools bring out healthy competition between learners and act as additional incentive to keep learning. 

We also create a variety of games to teach learners new workplace skills, both on our LMS and using virtual reality. You can learn more about learning via games and our VR products on the Academii blog. 

You’ve probably seen those big headsets that transport users into new and exciting worlds. That’s virtual reality (VR), and it’s becoming more and more popular and accessible in both entertainment and training industries.

What you may not be familiar with is augmented reality (AR), the cousin to VR. Even if you’re aware of what AR is, you may be surprised at just how prevalent it is, and the great uses it to can have in entertainment and learning. 

What is Augmented Reality?

Imagine a spectrum where our reality (aka the real world) is on the far left, and virtual reality is on the far right. In the middle is augmented reality. 

Augmented reality blends the real world with virtual elements. One of the most popular examples of AR is Pokémon Go, which overlays virtual creatures onto your real-life surroundings using the camera on your smartphone. 

Snapchat and TikTok filters are another everyday use of augmented reality. Digital filters can both overlay and alter your face using the camera on your phone. 

Why use Augmented Reality? 

Though the most well-known uses of augmented reality are within the entertainment sector, industries such as manufacturing and healthcare can benefit hugely from AR via training and upskilling. 

Where VR is excellent for bringing the user into an entirely new world (great training for dangerous environments, such as fire safety), AR can be great for when the learner needs to see something new within their real-life environment. 

For example, workers can use AR technology to investigate and solve issues with complex machinery remotely, or even train new staff in how the technology works, saving on the cost of bringing in specialists. This also removes some of the danger in people directly handling complex and dangerous machines. 

Both AR and VR are excellent tools for training and learning, both with different pros and cons. AR applications can usually be accessed using just a smartphone, meaning it can be more accessible and cheaper than investing in a VR headset. Also, where VR is excellent for bringing the user into an entirely new world (great training for dangerous environments, such as fire safety), AR can be great for when the learner needs to see something new within their real-life environment. 

Hopefully now you’re a bit more familiar with augmented reality, its uses and how it differs from virtual reality. At Academii, we’re always looking for new tools to improve the learner experience. 

Globally, we’re dealing with an $8.5 trillion dollar skills problem. Are apprenticeships the answer to giving people the tools they need to succeed in the jobs of tomorrow, or should we be focussing on lifelong skills and the traits employers need?

An extensive report from Korn Ferry states that by 2030, more than 85 million jobs globally could go unfilled because there aren’t enough skilled people to take them[1]. We desperately need to start tackling the skills crisis by listening to employers about what they need and supporting employees to develop the knowledge and confidence to thrive.In this blog we have some thoughts about why the current apprenticeship model is no longer viable and some suggestions for UK government to think about.

In this blog we have some thoughts about why the current apprenticeship model is no longer viable and some suggestions for UK government to think about.

So, there’s a big pot of money for employers and employees to take advantage of – companies get a pipeline of skilled staff and workers learn on the job whilst gaining experience and qualifications. Brilliant, what’s not to love?

Apprenticeships normally take shape in the form of practical, on-the-job training alongside existing staff with an element of study. Typically, the qualification can take anywhere between 1 to 4 years to complete and can be studied from Foundation (Level 2) to Degree (Level 6). Learn while you earn. Sounds great, right?

There has been a huge push on apprenticeships with any employer with a wage bill over £3m paying 0.5% of their salaried cost as a ‘levy’ or tax known as the Apprenticeship Levy. So, there’s a big pot of money for employers and employees to take advantage of – companies get a pipeline of skilled staff and workers learn on the job whilst gaining experience and qualifications. Brilliant, what’s not to love?

It has been widely reported that in 2020, £2bn of levy funding went unspent by UK employers[2]. Levy funding must be spent within two years otherwise it’s returned to the UK treasury. According to a report in The Times, as of January 2022, almost half of firms subject to the apprenticeship levy have returned unspent apprenticeship levy funding to the Treasury. Also in the same report, it is stated that only one in six companies believe that the apprenticeship levy system is working well, according to a survey of 500 HR professionals[3].

The main reason why the levy doesn’t work is the 20% off the job training requirement. With skilled staff in short supply, how can organisations run with 20% of its manpower taken away? For many, it’s far cheaper to pay as a tax than lose 20% of your employees’ hours.

We’ve been working with a UK-based company employing more than 2,600 temporary and contracted staff. In the last three years, eight colleagues have been on an apprenticeship framework, six on Level 3 and two on Level 5. Of this learner group one withdrew as they felt the paperwork was overwhelming, another because they felt the style of learning wasn’t appropriate and four passed their Level 3. This experience, albeit modest, is perhaps an example where one size doesn’t fit all and highlights the fact that people have very different needs and requirements to learn effectively.

It’s not just the learner who has a pile of administration to undertake their apprenticeship, but the employer has to jump through a few hoops too. Employers need to dedicate time to find a reliable apprenticeship provider plus dedicate existing colleagues to spend time with and supervise the employee.

Furthermore, in the UK, thousands of people are recruited into entry level roles every day, many of whom possess very few or no qualifications at all. This means even at Level 2, apprenticeships are inaccessible for many thousands of people, leaving them underserved with fewer opportunities to progress. Often this means the organisation misses out of the potential offered by these workers, so they continue to spend more money on the recruitment churn, instead of nurturing talent from within.

Big businesses are calling for the UK government to reform the current apprenticeship model. Tesco wants the government to take action and increase flexibility for businesses to make better use of the funds by allowing them to use the funding for more tailored training and short courses.[4]

More flexibility with levy funding could also see it used for core skills development and pre-employment training, making it more accessible to those with fewer qualifications but an appetite to learn and progress.

Providing on-demand, flexible and relevant training to an underserved and undervalued workforce is key. Engaging content for an audience that want to learn but are currently overlooked for those opportunities due to lack of formal qualifications will empower people to learn and develop.

Offering eLearning in a self-paced environment, drawing down on this levy (should legislation change to allow that) would be a far more effective use of funding and would ultimately be more beneficial to the learner. In addition, as we’ve already mentioned, apprenticeships are quite lengthy whilst the needs of organisations are more dynamic, so agility and on-demand training is critical as industry and organisations continue to evolve.

At Academii, we’re committed to equipping the blue-collar workforce of today with the skills needed to excel in their current and future jobs. We’re calling on the government to listen to the needs of employers, providing a more flexible, dynamic, digital and accessible model of learning for the greater benefit of all.

1. https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/talent-crunch-future-of-work

2. https://www.ft.com/content/e1b41e13-1001-4114-a941-4aac45249897

3. https://www.kornfhttps://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/half-of-firms-return-unspent-apprenticeship-levy-funds-to-treasury-hzpt2c2df

4. http://www.fruitnet.com/fpj/article/186196/tesco-calls-for-apprenticeship-levy-reform

Growing chasm between the skills of the workforce and the needs of businesses.

Across the globe, there is a growing chasm between the skills of the workforce and the needs of businesses. The rapid shift to a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ isn’t being met with life-long training and investment in individuals’ learning needs for them to develop the skills needed to support our evolution to a more automated and technical workforce.

If skills development doesn’t catch up with the rate of technological change, Accenture estimate that the G20 economies could lose up to $11.5tn in cumulative GDP growth in the next decade. In a recent McKinsey Global Survey, 87% of executives said they were experiencing skills gaps in the workforce or expected them within a few years.

According to the Chartered Institute of Professional Development, the UK suffers from poor basic skills due weakness in the vocational education system and low investment in workplace training. In addition, The Open University reports that 91% of organisations in the UK struggle to find people with the right skills.

An urgent focus on improving how skills are developed and deployed is at the heart of addressing the UK’s high proportion of low-skilled and low-paid jobs.

Sectors such as the Waste & Recycling industry recognise the need to shift focus to a more holistic skills strategy and a circular economy to deliver new environmental policies.  The 2021 Presidential Report from the CIWM highlights the need for focus on communications and behaviour change, systems thinking, soft skills, data and information technology, circular economy and reuse and repair.

An urgent focus on improving how skills are developed and deployed is at the heart of addressing the UK’s high proportion of low-skilled and low-paid jobs.

A broader report from the World Economic Forum (WEF): Future of Jobs Report in 2020 highlights that soft skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving topped the list of skills employers believe will grow in prominence from 2020-2025. In addition, newly emerging soft skills in self-management such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility are coming to the fore and seen increasingly beneficial for the workforce of today.

Skills training must be accessible, inclusive, and proven to remove barriers, not only into work but to positively contributing to society. According to the same WEF report, 70% of employers expect to offer reskilling or upskilling by 2025, however only 42% of employees take up employer supported opportunities.

The world of work is changing. We know that industries and businesses in the UK need to provide a greater skillset to a higher proportion of their workforce for both to thrive.

We believe that engaging, bite-size eLearning content, specifically aimed to provide the skills needed for the underserved blue-collar workforce of today to support the needs of organisations tomorrow, is a great starting point. We are on a mission to arm an entire workforce with the skills needed to help businesses succeed and see individuals thrive.