June 14, 2021 / by the SimulTrans Team Estimated read time: 7 minutes
Localization of eLearning Courses for the Manufacturing Industry
eLearning courses may be the best tool manufacturers have to help their workforce reskill and upskill so they can adapt to the rapidly changing needs of emerging production technologies. However, to offer workers the best chance to succeed, providers of eLearning platforms, software courses, and simulation videos should offer these eLearning courses in different languages.
eLearning Helps to Upskill and Reskill the Workforce
A modern manufacturing plant is driven by computers and robotics as much as it is by human labor. This new production environment is known as Industry 4.0.
Industry 4.0 has led to a shift in hiring processes. While most manufacturing jobs have historically required little education, companies are now seeking highly trained workers with specific skillsets to fill their ranks.
"Workers must be able to use tools such as 3D printers on the shop floor, monitor and interpret data from sensors throughout a manufacturing facility, and even use “wearable tech” to receive in-the-moment training through virtual reality."
- National Skills Coalition, 'Manufacturing workers need investment in their digital skills.'
This is precisely why offering translated eLearning courses to help upskilling and reskilling the existing workers is key to gain a competitive advantage for providers of eLearning platforms, software courses, and simulation videos.
eLearning as a delivery method excels in four key areas that are important to the manufacturing workforce:
- Time: Technology-enhanced learning can reduce training time by 40-60%.
- Cost: Opting for computer-aided instruction over in-person learning can save manufacturers significant amounts of money.
- Effectiveness: Computer-managed instruction may lead to better skill acquisition than in-person training.
- Mobility: With smartphones and other instructional technology, learning can easily take place right on the factory floor.
Localizing eLearning Content into Key Languages
Manufacturing is one of the industries that has experienced the most disruption due to globalization; it is rare for a manufacturer to operate entirely within a single country, and most manufacturing locations are based in countries whose primary language is not English. This limits the number of computer-aided instruction resources that are accessible to a large portion of the global workers in this sector.
Companies that offer eLearning management systems and eLearning content for the manufacturing industry should consider offering these courses in some of the languages from the 10 ten countries listed below, so workers can upskill and reskill using courses in their own language.
Top 10 countries by share of global manufacturing output in 2019 according to Statista.
eLearning courses can be developed for a few thousand dollars, and once they exist, they can be re-used an infinite number of times. Investing in translating these courses will yield even more return on investment.
After all the worldwide e-learning market is projected to be worth $1 Trillion in 2028. So, companies that translate their computer-based eLearning courses will benefit from an increase in international sales and gain a competitive edge against their competitors.
Don't be left behind, contact SimulTrans today to learn how much it will cost to localize your eLearning course.
Topics: eLearning, Article, Business Strategy
Written by the SimulTrans Team
The SimulTrans team has been providing localization solutions for international businesses since 1984. Our team is a diverse, engaged, multinational group of industry-expert translators, reviewers, project managers, and localization engineers. Each team member is devoted to collaborating, locally and globally, to maintain and expand SimulTrans’ leadership in the language services sector.