A leading north-east training, development and competence specialist has welcomed the 650th individual to sign up to its online and blended learning portal, PLUS.
Based in Oldmeldrum, near Inverurie, Polaris Learning has received unprecedented demand for its innovative service which is being used as a means to reduce training costs and support compliance across the global oil and gas industry, among other sectors.
Launched in January 2015, Polaris Learning is believed to be the first training provider anywhere in the world to offer both Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) assessor and verifier awards online and through blended learning to individuals and organisations.
The company, which employs 18 people, is an official SQA centre and through online and classroom learning offers an extensive range of the national organisation’s sought-after qualifications – regarded in many countries as world-leading.
With learners based in North America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia – in addition to remote locations such as the North Sea – Polaris Learning offers the SQA L&D 9DI Assessor Award, SQA L&D 11 Internal Verifier Award and leadership development qualifications from the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
Through PLUS, all of these training courses can be delivered online at the click of a button. The service is already being used by oil and gas operators and international service companies as well as multinational firms operating in the food and drink, manufacturing and renewables industries.
Keith Adam, managing director at Polaris Learning, said: “We are extremely grateful that PLUS came on stream at the same time that companies were evaluating their training budgets and looking to identify ways to manage costs. Since then the initial response and success of our online learning portal has been very pleasing and it has allowed clients to continue to provide high-quality training to their employees.
“We designed PLUS to ensure we could engage the learners, whatever their learning style, keeping them motivated, and giving them the tools they need to complete their training and take the valuable lessons they have learnt back to the workplace.
“Often, clients will deploy personnel in remote corners of the globe where it would be impractical or costly to send a trainer or assessor. With greater focus on cost efficiencies in the current market, PLUS has allowed our team to bring world-renowned SQA qualifications to a global audience at the click of a button.”