How remote learning provides the flexibility and adaptability needed in the energy sector

Learners in the energy sector aren’t a homogenous group of like-minded individuals, with a singular collective purpose. We’re all complex in our own ways, bringing unique talents to the table, and each of us takes in information in different ways. Regardless of how relentless our project deadlines might be, we also learn at different paces, form our own understanding of complex issues and interpret results differently.

Project teams within energy companies are no different. They will have specific job – and therefore learning – requirements, so any module on offer to them must be adaptable to meet their specific business objectives.

This adaptability is something our Learning Hub at RPS does to great effect. Take, for example, our course on Offshore Wind in the UK. A typical module in one of our courses on Offshore Wind would have learning outcomes that cover several key areas such as Climate Change, the UK Offshore Wind Industry, Lifecycles of Wind Farms, etc. Any one of these modules can be picked by a learner without having to go through others that are less relevant. Tailored courses are also available; RPS has worked with organisations to create bespoke modules covering industry and region-specific or company/role-specific content. Using the example above, we could tailor-make a course that focuses solely on offshore wind in South Korea, for instance.

We also ensure that our coursework is constantly adapting and reacting to trends within the energy industry and addressing specific bottlenecks that our learners may encounter. Let’s stay with the offshore wind example, once again. As governments push to meet their net zero carbon ambitions, there has been a slow rate of approvals and permitting for projects, potentially placing these decarbonisation goals at risk. Whether caused by overcomplicated and lengthy permitting regimes, excessive red tape that may be a hangover from different sectors or disciplines, these bottlenecks are something to prepare for.

We now offer adaptable training modules that address this knowledge gap in consenting, with relevant course material that keeps abreast of industry developments.

As much as we are all unique in our approach to learning, we also need a certain degree of validation; we need to know we’re on the right track. Creating an open and active channel of communication between learners that are aligned on similar learning paths can have great benefits.

For remote learning to match the strengths of a face-to-face session, it’s important to create a structure within its interface that matches the two main benefits of a classroom environment: social interaction and marking progress. Remote learning modules need to encourage social interactions between both students and teachers and between students - online community building, forums for queries and spreading unique ideas at a bare minimum. Learners also need to have a clear understanding of their course progress, through a calendar of learning events and activities (webinars, breakout sessions, interactive discussions) and assignment deadlines, at the very least.

Some examples of social interactions that we have incorporated into our Learning Hub to great effect include interactive chats and Q&A sessions, real-time polling, break-out-room functionality and use of an interactive whiteboard feature.

Unbundling courses and re-building a course catalogue to be less linear and more modular is an approach that is here to stay. We’re proud to have been ahead of the game in remote learning, and we also have decades of experience in energy training to draw upon. We can set learners on specific energy learning pathways, providing them with a personalised learning experience that’s immersive and effective.