Bilstein: Successful with online training

Bilstein: Successful with online training

"Training is the best way to prepare yourself for new fields of work: Active damper systems or air suspension systems are increasingly being installed in modern vehicles - and this technology requires particularly qualified repair companies. Another lucrative field of activity is the area of ​​tuning, for which Bilstein, as a manufacturer of sports and coilover suspension systems, also offers online training," explains Rainer Popiol, Head of Bilstein Academy.

After the company was able to conduct 33 percent fewer face-to-face training courses in 2020 due to Corona, plans quickly developed for a virtual training offering. In order not to waste any time, common meeting software such as Skype or Webex was initially used during a transition phase. At the end of the year, a final digital home was finally found with the virtual learning world vitero.

“We put a lot of passion and budget into the design of the training, which is so much more than a simple video conference,” explains Popiol. A total of three virtual training rooms were set up, which enable state-of-the-art interactive distance learning thanks to high-quality software. The participants can actively shape the seminar: for example by taking part in surveys, commenting on virtual post-its, ticking boxes, and contributing to discussions. At the beginning, the participants were a bit hesitant, after all it is a completely new medium for many, but then their fears quickly disappeared and a good learning flow was established," explains Popiol. 

Bilstein would like to continue the virtual academy after Corona as a supplement to the on-site training. The need from the workshops seems to be there, because the digital offering brings with it some tangible advantages. The online courses are ideal, especially for companies with little time and a tight budget: Although the on-site training at Bilstein is also free, the electronic version also eliminates travel times and travel expenses. Participants no longer have to meet in one place, but can log in decentrally from home or at work. Another phenomenon that Rainer Popiol enthusiastically observed is the much higher number of serial offenders compared to face-to-face training: In total, more than 1,900 people had already been trained virtually by mid-June 2021, with the proportion of e-training in all training being almost 95 percent. In the long term, however, the proportion of face-to-face events should of course also increase significantly again, where this is possible without a significant risk of infection.