Penny Stoolman, managing director at AA Approved Garages, explores virtual training and how this can help many businesses deal with the current skills shortage in the SMR sector.

Penny Stoolman, managing director of AA Approved Garages

Currently, the motor industry is facing very high vacancy rates. In fact, it has the sixth highest rate in all sectors, with workshop and technical roles being the hardest positions to fill. When you consider technicians shortages as well as the supply chain issues the country is facing too, it leaves the future of the industry in a very ambiguous state. Right now, we need to be ensuring that those who are in the sector have the advanced skills to perform in their role as efficiently and effectively as possible to help manage the increased demand.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a huge acceleration in online learning. It offers an easy, effective and convenient way to educate employees in a variety of sectors including the automotive industry. There are numerous advantages to the concept, such as saving time and money for garages under pressure, which have proven useful for many businesses, particularly whilst in the midst of the skills shortage. It also offers productive ways to boost knowledge levels in the industry.

Time

Because of the practical aspects of a technician’s role, it can easily be viewed as a career which requires entirely face-to-face learning. However, now, through providers such as Our Virtual Academy, there are options for automotive technical training which can be completed online. This removes the burden of being away from work and travel to a different venue for training, at a time when lead times within the garage network are constrained. Employees are also free to complete their training at their own convenience day or night.

Engagement

Shift Learning – a leading education market research agency – reported that online learning for practical subjects can offer much more memorable experiences through a screen, such as video-based media content and the ability to revisit modules. It also found that eLearning helped to increase retention rates by 25-60% and boosted engagement by 18%.

Sustainability

There is also a vast array of sustainability benefits to online training courses. Virtual learning statistics from 2022 found that 90% less energy was used and 85% less CO2 was emitted. This comes from less travel, less paper being wasted, as well as less third-party building space being used. Many training courses do result in other unnecessary power and heat wastages because of the required facilities, a concern as we look to driving greater energy efficiency during the current energy crisis. When you think about the resources which are used to power a garage for a day’s training, it can soon ramp up a business’s monthly energy bills.

Technological benefits

Another benefit of online learning is the way data can be used to help trainees progress more quickly. Computers now have the ability to personalise the content for each individual using a system. This can be useful in assigning relevant and useful content to trainee mechanics to ensure their skills are developed in the areas that need it most.

Resources

Using online training, each learner’s progress can be monitored through a progress tracker in order to easily look back on a person’s personal learning history in one convenient place. Using Our Virtual Academy as an example, once successfully completing a key milestone, certificates for that achievement can easily be referenced and generated to keep an organised record of each individual’s learning accomplishments. As well as this, content is always re-accessible if you want to access refresher courses.

Our Virtual Academy

Here at Prestige Fleet Servicing, we’re supporting the future of virtual training for members of our AA Approved Garage network with our partnership with Our Virtual Academy. Using e-learning courses, we’re able to offer training at all levels, from apprenticeships to master technicians. Over 275 courses are available, and content is added regularly. As more fleets and private individuals transition to electric vehicles, online training is evolving too, with hybrid and electric vehicle awareness courses available such as the IMI Accredited Professional Development Certificate. This is designed to provide personnel who work with, near or around hybrid and electric vehicles, a sufficiently broad awareness to ensure they are both well informed, safe and can confidently communicate with customers about these vehicles.

Through partnerships such as ours, businesses can look to educate and grow their employees’ range of knowledge and resources as information becomes more accessible than ever and more cost effective for companies too. Access to this training makes budgeting easier and helps accelerate the training of those in the motor industry, in ways that can help to stabilise the skills shortage crisis the industry currently faces.