drain TRADER
Virtual training provides an opportunity to engagewith employees,maintaining team-working and camaraderie
Ceris Van de Vyver, head of technology and training, IsleUK
undergoing a transformation.
Mandhy Senewiratne, Isle course facilitator
As the industry adjusts toworking during a pandemic and prepares for the likelihood of future resurgences, addressing the climate emergency and tacklingwater scarcitymust also remain priorities. Urgent steps are needed to becomemore sustainable, such as investing in smart, data-led technologies and accelerating digitalisation. Focusing on personal development and the upskilling of employees ready for these future roles, not only expands the capabilitywithin the business and increases its resilience, it also reassures staff that they are being invested in during an uncertain time.
Howcan virtual training remain interactive and engaging?
As a company that seeks out innovation for others, Isle aims to bring that spirit to its own operations and has sourced the latest digital training and conferencing tools. Using a training platformsuch
asMenti.com, online courses can still be interactive,with quizzes, polls andQ&As. By keeping group sizes small –with amaximum of 12 delegates - everyone becomes involved.
different countries is just one benefit.
Withmany teams stillworking remotely, it also provides an opportunity to engagewith employees,making themfeel less isolated and ensuring they continue to feel valued,while maintaining team-working and camaraderie.
The transition has also given us a fresh opportunity to update course content, providing a new, Covid-altered perspective on key industry areas,where relevant. It has been a chance to take stock of all the courseswe offer, ensuring they are relevant to today’s sector,which is
While there are nownewtechnical elements to consider, themain principles of virtual training are the same as in-person training – delivery is just as important as content if participants are to remain engaged and
focussed.Mandhy gets people out of their seats, stretching andmoving around, she asks questions, encourages conversation and debate, is creative and exuberant in her approach andmakes people laugh.
Recently awarded the 2020 Environmental Professional of the Year by the Society for the Environment, sustainability is entwined into all that she delivers. Feedback tells us her
28 drain TRADER | October 2020 |
www.draintraderltd.com
enthusiasmand passion for her subject is a key element in the success of her training – this energy is essential in an e-classroom.
Isle’s other services that have gone digital – such as its Technology Approval Groups (TAGs) – see larger groups coming together and it has to be accepted that not everyonewill get a chance to speak during the event.On occasions such as these, it is particularly important that all participants have an opportunity to leave comments, ask questions and give feedback afterwards and for their input to be acknowledged.
Do you see a return of in-person training?
Isle is looking forward to running face-to-face training courses again but thewillingness of the water sector to continue learning and sharing virtually proves howadaptable it can be. Perhaps in the long-term, a greatermix of approaches to training, knowledge-sharing and networking can be expected.
Workplaces are unlikely to see a complete return to howtheywere before; the pandemic has demonstrated just howeffectively people can work fromhome, training budgetsmay be cut as financial implications of the crisis hit and anxiety around travelmay remain for some time. At the same time, online toolswill continue to evolve and expand, employeeswill becomemore confident using themand travel time and costs, such as overnight accommodation,will be saved, making virtual training and learning programmes a permanent feature formany organisations.
It is reassuring to see thewater industry embracing the opportunity to interact, share and learn in newways.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
