EDUCATION UPGRADES: ONLINE VS. IN-PERSON

By: Scott Bahr

This past year has brought a massive shift in how we all operate both within our daily lives and routines and in our businesses. Part of this shift has been the trend we have seen of taking tasks that we would typically conduct in-person, online.

For example, this past year has brought many opportunities for professional development via online courses. These courses include exciting options like executive education, which can be specifically geared around people who are still working full-time, thanks to online options. Another option with this new online setup is project management courses designed to add valuable skills, all from the comfort of your home or remote office.

While many have readily taken to these new online offerings, and the courses have been met with overall approval, not everyone is completely sold that online is the ideal option if given a choice between it and in-person.

Now that many regions are reopening, the option of attending these professional development courses in person again is becoming a possibility. Things are getting back to normal. However, the education side of the industry may not be at that same place, given there are split opinions on whether or not professional development training/courses should return to in-person or remain virtual.

IN-PERSON VS. ONLINE: THE GREAT DEBATE

We all have a choice to make moving forward. To help you decide what your plan of action is heading into this new normal, we wanted to discuss some of the pros and cons of in-person versus virtual training and education courses. After all, we understand that online training may not be the best option for everyone. We’ve highlighted the main differences, so you can make an informed decision on what suits you—and your business—best.

IN-PERSON PROS

Let’s start out with in-person training and education courses. Perhaps the first pro that comes to mind with this more traditional approach compared to its online counterpart is that in-person courses allow for a more hands-on experience. By being physically present and interacting face-to-face with instructors, this method usually provides a much greater level of clarity and understanding of the concepts being discussed than a more limited, online interaction could provide.

The importance of hands-on experience is especially true in professions that involve a higher level of technicality that cannot be easily taught over a computer screen. Examples include certain medical jobs and specialized professionals relying heavily on tactile and sensory training, like those involved in automotive or electrical work (and mining!).

Another pro for in-person is that it provides a much more uniform experience for each participant, ensuring that all of the employees being educated are moving forward at the same pace and learning the same materials at the same time. No one is jumping ahead or lagging as the instructor can keep tabs on everyone’s progress day-to-day and make sure everyone is staying on the same page. In essence, it provides greater structure and organization than learning from home.

ONLINE PROS

Flexibility is the first thing that comes to mind as a huge selling point for taking online courses. Most allow the employee to sign in to the material and complete their work according to the time frame that suits their schedules, which isn’t a feasible option for in-person education. We are also seeing more and more new and varied offerings available with online courses versus the one or two in-person seminars that may come into your business’s a couple of times of year specifically geared for employee education.

Finally, going online is often less expensive for a company, especially when it means cutting costs on going to a weekend seminar involving hotel stays, food compensation per diem, or hiring freelance consultants and experts in the field to come in and teach an in-person workshop.

THE VERDICT

While both options have their benefits and drawbacks, the ultimate decision about the superior choice comes down to what best suits your company. The most important thing— and something we are always committed to doing at Bit Service—is to keep learning and growing, be it online or in-person.

To learn more about Bit Service and explore how we can help you with your specific needs, contact us today.