Online training pioneer Virtual College, in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, is experiencing major growth during its 15th anniversary year.

Since its foundation in 1995, primarily to develop bespoke e-learning courses on behalf of other innovative and forward thinking businesses, the company has expanded and diversified to become one of the UK’s leading providers of e-learning courses through its evolving stable of e-Academies, among them the Food, Drink & Hospitality e-Academy.

Virtual College now offers over 100 online courses. The total number of registered e-learners across all courses has now hit 360,000 – and is growing at an average rate of around 3,000 per month.

Launched earlier this year, the Food, Drink & Hospitality e-Academy offers e-learning courses including food safety & hygiene, customer care and fire safety-related training. It is making an increasing impact in the catering and licensed trades, having recruited many small businesses and has already developed a 50,000-plus base of online learners.

Like other e-academies operating in the safeguarding children, housing, healthcare and trades sectors, the Food, Drink & Hospitality e-Academy utilises Virtual College’s branded learning management system E►nable.

Operations director Lesley Ord reports that an increasing number of companies are taking out licences to use E►nable to meet both their online and off-line training needs.

She explained: “More and more businesses are focussing on personal development, with managers tracking the progress of individual employees, as they try to get the best from their workforce.

“E►nable is used widely by large and small organisations seeking to provide their staff with e-learning material for induction, mandatory and refresher training. It is also a valuable resource for training and human resources staff to record and track learner records, manage training needs analysis, appraisals and e-portfolios.”

Virtual College now has a 63-strong Ilkley-based workforce, along with ten freelance consultants. Chief executive Rod Knox said: “Despite the current economic climate, we continue to thrive, as individuals, businesses and organisations across both the public and private sectors seek to access innovative, flexible and cost-effective training solutions.

“E-learning is an increasingly popular and proven route to traditional face-to-face training. Geographical restrictions are removed and learners can access their training at a pace, place and time to suit them"

“We are constantly looking to enhance our e-learning provision across all sectors through the development of both new academies and training courses. We are well equipped to respond to future challenges and opportunities.” ENDS

Stairway to success. Virtual College staff are pictured at their Ilkley headquarters.

For further information on any aspect of Virtual College, www.virtual-college.co.uk please contact Lesley Ord (operations director): Tel: 01943 605976 Email: lesley.ord@virtual-college.co.uk

Further press info from Robin Moule on 01756 794027.