Case Study: Vestas - Three-Phase Training Program

by Shannon McKenzie

Vestas is a leading international wind energy company headquartered in Denmark. For the past 30 years, Vestas has installed more than 46,000 turbines in 66 countries. The company's mission is to enable energy independence demanded by the world's largest and fastest-growing economies by building wind energy innovations as a natural alternative for finite fossil fuels.

IdeaLearning Group partnered with Vestas to develop a robust three-phase training program that focused on electrical safety and the control of hazardous energy. More than 20,000 people needed training with a tight timeframe for development. Our "train-the-trainer" program was designed to educate Vestas master instructors, who in turn trained their teams. We also designed an internal Vestas brand logo and templates, which are used throughout the company.

The training program included several goals: address identified behaviors; promote consistency and safety throughout the company internationally; highlight change management tools and strategies; and incorporate hierarchical technical components. Our learning curve was steep and our time was short, but we were determined to deliver a substantial program with measurable positive results.

Phase 1: Master Training Rollout

The purpose of the first phase was to partner with master trainers and subject matter experts during face-to-face work meetings in Germany to finalize content for the electrical safety and lockout tagout training program. IdeaLearning Group staff developed an instructional video and supporting materials that focused on simple, complex, and group lockouts. We also created a three-part energy control coordinator course that included eLearning, pre-work, a teacher's plan, and support materials with a focus on technical and soft skills development. The role of the energy control coordinator was a new one in Europe, and we worked carefully with Vestas in the US to define best practices and develop the materials outside the Unites States.

Phase 2: Global Rollout of Electrical Safety Training

During this phase, IdeaLearning Group finalized all electrical safety and lockout tagout materials for master trainers for the rollout of the seven-course series, which included a PowerPoints, teacher's plans, and participant guides. We also travelled to Denmark to facilitate the soft skills course for master trainers.

Phase 3: Global Refresher of Electrical Safety Training

IdeaLearning Group created eLearning modules to refresh technicians' knowledge on electrical safety and lockout tagout procedures.

As a result of partnering with IdeaLearning Group for the large-scale training program, the program manager for Vestas in Denmark called IdeaLearning Group "my go-to vendor" and continues to collaborate with our company on additional projects. "It's rare to find a stress-free, no-drama, let's-get-the-job-done vendor," he said. "IdeaLearning Group was extremely easy to collaborate with. They quickly got up to speed, and the creative juices started flowing. I knew I was in good hands, and I didn't need to check in constantly. I felt very confident we were dealing with absolute professionals. It literally went that well."

The Lily Pad

by Shannon McKenzie

Six frogs are sitting on a lily pad. One frog decides to jump off. How many frogs are left on the lily pad?

If you answered five, your logical, analytical brain is in tact... but you're wrong. That frog only DECIDED to jump off the lily pad. Did he really make the plunge?

The world we live in is full of fantastic, varied options. We are told from a young age that the world is ours for the taking; that we can literally do anything we want. We read stories about the "little guy" who makes it big, and we stare up into the sky and truly believe we can be an astronaut. How many of us actually take action on the things we decide to do?

Sometimes, action is doing really big things, like quitting your job out of nowhere, going back to school, and finding a new career. This type of action is the scariest type, and the rarest. However, "action" can be the smallest thing that sets you in an ever-so-slightly different direction.

Maybe today is the day you clean out your inbox.Maybe today is the day you walk to work instead of driving, like you have said you always COULD do, but never have. Maybe today is the day you spruce up your resume, or talk to your boss about what her job is like. Even if you never do a thing with that spruced-up resume, or if you don't lose 10 pounds from walking to work- the point is that you're moving things, changing your routine- taking ACTION. These little bits of action don't do much on their own, but they change your trajectory, and ultimately you'll land somewhere entirely different because of it.

Be the frog who just jumps off the pad. Stop thinking about doing things and DO them- even the little ones. 

Trust us, it'll feel awesome.

Brain-Based Learning: Of Mice and Memory

Brains learn and remember better if there's fun involved. This fact was reinforced for me recently while watching a Nova Science Now episode where mice were tasked to find an island within a pool of water. 

After finding it, some mice were taken to a getaway – a fun game and exercise filled mouse vacation; others were not. After two weeks away, guess which mice easily found their island again? Okay, we're talking about mice and not people, but the same principles apply – relaxation, fun, creativity, and exercise all enhance the brain’s ability to create memories and form positive associations. Fun and games are fun, but they also serve a purpose - even in the classroom, and even for those uptight participants who think it's a waste of time.

Employee Training and Development That Sticks

Research shows that while 95% of organizations measure the degree to which employee like the training, 63% fail to measure whether or not employees learned anything and a shocking 97% fail to measure whether the learning actually impacted job performance.

Sadly, much corporate education is like Father Guido Sarducci's Five Minute University – where participants only remember a tiny fraction of what was presented and are able to apply an even smaller piece, if any at all.

IdeaLearning Group’s Complete Learning Experience model works to ensure that your employee development and training programs result in participants that not only remember, but can actually use their new knowledge, skills and abilities to improve your business.

 

Father Guido Sarducci is a fictional character made famous by American comedian Don Novello. The character was featured in 1970s cartoons by underground cartoonists Dave Sheridan and Fred Schrier, appearing in person in the early 1970s on Laugh In and later in 1975 Smothers Brothers' TV show. His most prominent appearance was on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s.