HR learning: 11 Dec, 2017

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Airtel gets Coursera to upskill its workforce for the future

Airtel staff will upgrade their skillsets in domains, such as emerging technologies, network technologies, cloud computing and leadership and soft skills.

Bharti Airtel has partnered with Coursera, an online learning platform, to train and equip its employees with advanced skills, so that they are future ready. The Airtel employees will be given access to the online learning platform, Coursera for Business, and can learn the emerging skills as required.

Coursera for Business has designed some courses specially for Airtel staff which will upgrade their skillsets in domains, such as emerging technologies, network technologies, cloud computing and leadership and soft skills.

Given the fact that the telecom industry is changing fast with the adoption of advanced technologies, such as robotics, AI, machine learning, and so on, it is important that the workforce at the telecom companies are equally equipped with the latest skills to deal with these changes.

2.

Volvo Eicher draws inspiration from movie characters to define competency levels

The automobile company has done away with redundant bookish terms and renamed the competency levels with comprehensive adjectives such as scientist, introspector, collaborator, executor, owner, strategist, magician and innovator.

Organisational capabilities need the support of a judicious mix of competencies. What most organisations do is that they define these competencies too tight or too wide. It is based on the assumption that there is no overlap between two competency levels where as the reality is that they may actually be fuzzy and difficult to separate from one another – a crucial factor, why many companies fail to build on their organisational capabilities.

Kinjal Choudhary, senior vice president & CHRO, VE commercial vehicles opines that the inability of define competency has emerged as one of the biggest challenges in ensuring training acceptance and applicability.

He says, “Employees fail to relate with these ‘so special’ competencies which is why there is no motivation to hone their proficiency. In addition, managers are clueless in terms of evaluating their teams on such behavioural competencies as they feel they aren’t equipped.”

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV) has recognised these ‘overlaps’ as a characteristic of behaviours and has taken the approach of archetypes. Instead of the usual terminology for competencies, the company drew out behaviour sketches for each kind of competency that it needs.

3.

Skillsoft to provide equal access to learning content for all employees

The Accessibility Programme Office will ensure that everyone within the workforce has equal access to its learning content and technology.

Skillsoft has announced new ‘Access for All’ programme to ensure all corporate learners have equal access to its content and technology. The new accessibility programme will ensure that its content and technology is accessible to a new standard of industry excellence.

In this age and time, the Internet has made everything available at the click of the mouse. No one can restrict sharing knowledge and experience in terms of content and accessibility in a learning platform. With the advent of the Internet, learning has become simple and cost effective.

Skillsoft has established an Accessibility Programme Office to ensure that everyone within a workforce has equal access to its learning content and technology. It also ensures that all learners with physical disabilities, whether they are from small companies or big, are able to utilise its learning content.

Bill Donoghue, chairman and CEO of the Skillsoft Group says “Equity of access for all goes beyond being compliant, to striving and setting new standards of excellence. At Skillsoft, we believe that everyone has an equal right to use our content and learning platforms. Accessibility is a core component of our corporate DNA”.