Booking training used to mean losing a day’s work, arranging cover and hoping everyone could make the same date. eLearning changes all of that. In this guide, you will find out exactly what eLearning is, where it works brilliantly and where it does not, and how it compares to live virtual training, so you can pick the option that suits your team, your schedule and your budget.

What is eLearning?

E-learning is simply training that is delivered online. You work through it on a computer, tablet or mobile phone, anywhere you have an internet connection, whether that is at your desk, at home or even in a hotel or café. There is no trainer in the room, so you move through the material at your own pace and in your own time. You can explore the full range of eLearning courses whenever it suits you.

The choice is huge. eLearning can be a short course you finish on your tablet in an afternoon, a full university degree, or anything in between. For most businesses, it is the quickest, most flexible way to get staff trained and certified without pulling them away from work for a whole day.

The benefits of eLearning

eLearning brings real advantages, whether you are training yourself or a whole team.

It is quick and easy. When a training need lands on your desk and it cannot wait, eLearning is ready when you are, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You get people certified exactly when you need them.

It fits around real life. You can learn wherever you like and whenever suits you, whether that is a spare fifteen minutes once the children are in bed or an hour on the commute. The system saves your progress as you go, so you can stop and pick up again from exactly where you left off.

It saves time and money. Classroom training adds up once you count the course fee, the day away from work, the travel and any overnight stay. eLearning trims those extras right back, which is why it works so well when budgets are tight or your team is spread across different sites.

It keeps you in control. You can see how everyone is getting on from one place. Your chosen manager or administrator can track each learner and pull reports, so you always know exactly where your team stands.

eLearning is widely accepted by Environmental Health Officers, local authorities and other professional bodies, and the syllabus mirrors the equivalent classroom course. On its own, it usually leads to a certificate of completion rather than a formal qualification. Where an accredited equivalent exists, such as the Highfield Level 3 Award in Food Safety, you can arrange a remotely invigilated exam and turn your course into a fully Ofqual accredited qualification, taken from your own home or office. There is a small fee for the invigilation, but it means your certificate carries national recognition.

Sue recommends: if you need a recognised qualification rather than just a certificate of completion, book the remotely invigilated exam from the start. It is a small extra step that turns your eLearning into formal, accredited proof that your team knows its stuff.

Are there any downsides to eLearning?

No training method is perfect, and it helps to know where eLearning has its limits.

Some qualifications include a practical element that you simply cannot do on a screen. First aid training is the obvious one, where you need hands-on assessment to qualify. The good news is that it does not have to be either/or. A blended course lets your team cover the theory by eLearning and then come in for a short classroom session to complete the practical parts and the invigilated exam.

The other thing eLearning cannot fully replace is the human element. A live course lets people ask questions, share experiences and learn from each other as they go. If that back-and-forth matters for your team, live virtual training is often the better fit, and it is worth knowing how the two differ before you choose.

eLearning or virtual training: what is the difference?

eLearning and virtual training are both delivered online, so they are easy to muddle up. In practice, they work very differently.

eLearning is self-paced and available any time, in any location, with no trainer involved. Live virtual training, sometimes called online interactive training, is much closer to a classroom course, simply hosted online through a platform such as Zoom or Teams. A trainer leads it, usually with several people joining from different places, so it runs at set times. You still take part from wherever suits you, at work or at home, but everyone learns together at once.

Here is how they compare on the things that tend to matter most.

Cost

eLearning is self-led, so there is no trainer fee, and learning from any location means travel costs shrink or disappear. Live virtual training is trainer-led, so there is a delivery cost, and where a course is accredited, there is an awarding body exam fee too. Discounts are common with both. With eLearning, the savings usually grow the more licences you buy, while virtual courses often come with early-booking or multiple-booking discounts.

Can you tailor the content?

eLearning courses are typically off-the-shelf, so the content is fixed and standardised. Live virtual training is far more adaptable. Because people bring real issues from their own roles and industries, the session flexes around the group, and the learning feels much more personal.

How much support will you get?

With eLearning, support is light. You can get technical help for things like password resets, but there is no trainer on hand to check your understanding. Live virtual training gives you a lot more. You can put questions straight to a subject matter expert, join group discussions and activities, and hear how other organisations tackle the same challenges. Many people also leave with a network of industry contacts they can call on long after the course finishes.

Is it interactive?

eLearning keeps things lively with high-quality video, games, activities, revision exercises and question and answer sections. Live virtual training goes further still, with screen sharing, an interactive whiteboard, chat, breakout rooms and live video. Being able to talk things through with your trainer and the people around you tends to lead to deeper, more lasting understanding.

How does the exam work?

eLearning courses are usually assessed by multiple-choice questions at the end. For an accredited qualification delivered live online, you sit an invigilated exam through Highfield’s Qualify at Home service, where a member of the Highfield team watches remotely by webcam and mobile phone. A welcome bonus is that your results and certificate come through much faster.

Sue recommends: choose live virtual training when discussion and the chance to ask questions really matter, and save eLearning for when speed, flexibility and cost are your priority. Plenty of businesses happily use both, depending on the course.

Which option is right for you?

There is no single right answer. When releasing staff for a full day is difficult, or you need certificates quickly and cost-effectively, eLearning makes perfect sense. When a subject benefits from real discussion, or a qualification needs that live, trainer-led element, virtual training earns its place. And when a course has a practical side to it, a blended approach gives you the best of both.

Get started with eLearning

Ready to give your team flexible training that fits around the working day? Take a look at how our eLearning courses work, browse the full range in the course shop, or have a chat with our friendly team about virtual or blended options on 01452 502113 or through our enquiry form. We will help you find the training that fits your people, your schedule and your budget.