Huge growth of Broadband widens opportunties for workforce training in the South

The enormous growth of broadband across the UK means more workers than ever can access vital workforce training, according to a leading Hampshire entrepreneur.

Recent figures show that the number of broadband connections in Britain passed six million last year, with the high-speed service currently representing more than a third of all internet connections.

Telecommunications giant BT saw its profits soar by 21 per cent during the last financial quarter, fuelled by a 77 per cent increase in broadband turnover ñ while rival internet provider Wanadoo also saw a 9.9 per cent rise in revenue due to the growth of broadband.

Now Denise Candy, founder and chief executive of Fareham-based HSLH - which provides online e-learning courses to thousands of businesses and individuals across Hampshire, Berkshire and the Isle of Wight - says firms should take advantage of the huge opportunities for learning that broadband can bring.

She explained: ìThere is clearly a huge demand for work-related learning in the UK. A recent survey by the TUC found that over 50 per cent of British workers would like more training to be provided by their employers, but the majority of staff are frustrated by the obstacles they face when trying to access such training.

ìMany people cite long work hours and lack of childcare as major barriers to such learning, but e-learning largely removes those hurdles, as online courses can be studied for during work time, while sitting at oneís desk ñ or even at home, negating the need for childcare completely.

ìBroadband and the internet have revolutionised workforce learning in the last few years, and made it truly accessible to anybody - all they need is a computer.î

Around 166,000 SMEs across the UK have used online learndirect programmes since 2002, and taken up more than half a million courses ñ while last year HSLH helped more than 10,000 employees across the South to develop their skills in this way.

Among the huge variety of training courses offered by learndirect are subjects such as finance, leadership, marketing and team building, and both basic and advanced IT skills.

Now, with broadband connections increasing at a rate of more than 60,000 every week, even more workers will be able to take advantage of the enormous range of benefits that e-learning brings.

Denise went on: ìBroadband has transformed the way businesses in the South develop their workforces, and the resulting increases in employeesí skills can lead to higher levels of staff motivation, retention and productivity.

ìThe new technology has made e-learning much faster and easier than slower dial-up services ever could, and with its cost continually falling, now almost to the same price as traditional packages, itís becoming more and more accessible, to even the smallest companies.

ìThe courses are available 24 hours a day, and allow learners to schedule their training in a way which suits their individual workloads. All in all, broadband e-learning really is the 21st century solution to every companyís training needs.î