As a leader in the field, Trivantis explores the impact of eLearning techniques on skills and training in Africa

Governments and aid agencies around the world are in agreement that eliminating poverty is an overriding objective of development in Africa. Most agencies agree that creating more and better paid jobs is critical in this, and governments across the region know they have a major role to play.

However, it is the business community which may hold the key, because creating economic success is far more than creating jobs. It means building an environment in which businesses can flourish. That means that the people working within them must flourish too.

Africa’s economy is matching global rates, according to the World Bank, which in November 2007 cited a decade of growth at 5.4% as proof that the outlook is improving. Unfortunately it is not reducing poverty fast enough. The Economic Commission for Africa’s annual report* repeatedly returns to the fact that more investment in labour-intensive industries that put large numbers of workers into productive employment is vital. We know that the key to ‘productive’ employment is the creation of skilled employment – but for that, you nee\d a skilled workforce.

Despite an intensive focus on education, which has undoubtedly generated a significant professional and skilled body of workers in some areas, the demand for skills within a growth market will continue to outstrip supply. The region suffers from a significant mismatch between the skills available and those required.

The roots of Africa’s skills challenge are complex. The region has historically lower than average literacy rates, with education systems retarded by ongoing political instability in some areas. A legacy of inadequate or inappropriate education policies prevails in many countries, especially those that have suffered from regimes which have actively barred access to opportunity.

Trivantis believes that today’s generation of eLearning tools have greater potential than ever to help address some of the challenges faced by African organisations. eLearning can empower businesses and their employees, with several specific benefits that can apply directly to Africa.

Firstly, we believe that training must depend less on literacy and utilise a wider range of content including visuals, video and audio to increase accessibility. Secondly, eLearning can support vocational training that provides a shorter and more direct route from unemployment to productive employment. New training methods that use eLearning techniques not just to pursue academic qualifications but to demonstrate the practicalities of different roles are increasingly relevant. Finally, training that continues to support people throughout employment is vital. The African brain drain is a huge problem, potentially allowing the best and the brightest to drift away, and incentivising them to stay through continuing professional development is critical.

Businesses that take responsibility for training their staff will drive the future growth of the region. Mutual & Federal is an excellent example. Part of Old Mutual plc, it provides financial services across southern Africa. It uses eLearning techniques to educate its workers at every stage, whether this is about how different forms are filled in or how new complex Marine insurance policies work.

eLearning take-up is already accelerating especially within companies with younger workforces. One such is Discovery PTY Ltd., which offers a range of financial services and assurance products to individuals in South Africa, including healthcare. It boasts a relatively young workforce, especially within its busy call centre, which has welcomed the introduction of eLearning courses on a range of topics. Our experience is that eLearning always works best when the desire for education is strong – and Africa has this to a large degree, especially amongst the young.

The financial services industry is a regular best practice leader in the application of eLearning techniques. For instance, Lectora is also in use at Standard Bank and Wesbank in South Africa. Authoring solutions like Lectora from Trivantis allow companies to place the ability to create course content directly in the hands of their employee experts. Without any IT skills other than an ability to use common business software, they are able to very rapidly learn how to build eLearning courses which use multimedia elements such as video and audio plus important elements such as quizzes, tests and other forms of evaluation.

Over 1000 companies worldwide choose Lectora to author and publish multimedia content. Lectora clients are leaders in many sectors including energy, transportation and technology. It is not only the private sector which benefits, and across the globe local and national government are deploying Lectora. Several local councils in the UK utilise Lectora for induction, IT training and health & safety training, and it used within governmental organisations as diverse as the Swedish Army and NASA. Within the region, it has been used by SITA, the state information technology agency for South Africa as well as the World Bank.

*Economic Report for Africa 2007 (http://www.uneca.org/era2007/)

Trivantis works in South Africa through its partners including Bytes People Solutions (+33 (0) 83.268.7668/ mauritz.oberholzer@btgroup.co.za). More information on Trivantis products can be found at www.trivantis-international.com

Meet representatives from Trivantis at the Bytes People Solutions stand during the Third International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training from May 28 to 30, 2008, in Accra, Ghana. http://www.elearning-africa.com/index.php