Volvo techs go online for training

TORONTO (Nov. 27, 2000) — Technicians and shop supervisors at all Volvo Trucks Canada dealerships now have easy access to three courses from Training Alternatives.

Using the “Flex School” system, the programs-which cover electrical systems, shop management, and basic preventive maintenance-are available on the Internet for use whenever and wherever the trainee has time. The courses are self-paced and, with the Supervisor’s Toolkit, a student’s results can be readily measured, allowing managers to identify areas of weak understanding and carry out further training as required.

The chief benefit is that there is no need to send people away from the shop to a centralized classroom.

“A lot of our dealers have expressed concern about the expense of sending their technicians away for two or three days of training at a time,” says John Montgomery, national service manager at Volvo Trucks Canada. “So we’re making these two- and three-day courses available to them on the Internet.” Hands-on training will still be offered at Volvo’s corporate training centre in Mississauga, Ont.

“In some situations, there is simply no substitute for face-to-face training, group workshops, role-playing exercises or hands-on experience,” says Training Alternatives president Richard Ross. “The key to maximizing the effectiveness of training dollars is to find the right mix of techniques and technologies.”