Activating many brands in the face of the epidemic
As we approach two years of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK, the change that the virus has wrought on businesses, both good and bad, is well understood and hotly debated.
The education sector is a fortunate industry, if given the opportunity to develop and grow in the face of the pandemic. With the right approach, service providers have been given an opportunity to expand in terms of customer base, territories and product offerings, at the same time reducing overheads and increasing production. This is where service providers have the right technology, of course.
But the axis in introducing digital learning for the first time is not a direct one. Additional education users expect high levels of service, as they should, and the accessibility and flexibility of a delivery model cannot come at the expense of quality.
In the Additional Learning group, we have been able to move beyond the changes of the past 24 months by prioritizing learning and student experience in our transition to 100% online learning, an effort recognized at this year’s 2021 Education Investor Awards, pioneering in Providing additional education and vocational education.
The judges acknowledged exemplary performance, despite last year’s challenges, which can be attributed to delivering strong results and engaging in a dialogue with students to identify the most effective delivery models. By maintaining regular contact with teachers, structured assessment, and high-quality assessments, students can continue to thrive in adverse circumstances.
This industry praise also takes into account the challenge many brands are facing at the same time. The Further Education Group, which includes the British Academy of Interior Design, the British Academy of Garden Design, the British Academy of Photography, the British Academy of Fashion Design and the British Academy of Digital Marketing among the brands it heads, has faced the challenge of bringing the many sub-brands divisions along our journey of development and innovation. .
But how do service providers start transitioning to sub-brands to fit in with the new ways of doing business? In particular those that operate with similar educational models, in the same areas and offer equal credits in all areas, but to serve disparate audiences, industries and student bodies?
development
The task can never be accomplished for providers looking to adapt to the changing needs of students. Our research shows that despite vacation schemes coming to a close, and businesses generally reopening in the latter half of 2021, many adults are still watching a career change, with their ambition to study alongside their existing commitments. But providers face a different environment to deliver learning again, as hybrid work remains the norm, and COVID case numbers continue to rise. Leveraging technology will allow service providers to continue to meet the needs of their students across various sub-brands, and remain effective in delivering the training employers are looking for in the current economic climate.
cooperation
Processing sub-brands in silos from one another may result in the loss of valuable knowledge and ideas that can be applied to other businesses. Knowledge is power, and particularly in competitive industries like education, embracing lessons learned and applying them to every corner of the business only strengthens your case for potential clients. While each Academy under the Further Learning Group umbrella thrives on its own dedicated teachers and industry-leading expertise, having a co-management that underpins each sub-brand allows us to remain competitive.
communication
In a service-led industry, such as education, communication with students, staff, and stakeholders is key. Working across many areas, and under different brands, having a coherent communications strategy allows the additional learning group to pursue change with little disruption to the end consumer. Having the right platform to maintain regular contact with people at every level and stage of the business ensures that no stakeholder or sub-brand is left behind as the business continues to transform and grow on a larger scale.
David Willett, CEO of Additional Learning Group
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