Managed Learning Services and Traditional Training Outsourcing: What's the Difference?

A new normal has emerged in 2021. L&D professionals now play a critical role in developing learning strategies that support business goals. 66% of professionals agree that their L&D departments are focused on reshaping their organizations this year.

After the pandemic began last year, businesses had to adopt new technologies and strategies to survive. Organizations in nearly every industry rapidly underwent digital transformations. These changes created a growing need for employee upskilling and reskilling. A recent Udemy Trends Report found that upskilling and reskilling are a number one priority for 59% of organizations.

There is much to be done to meet the changing needs of today's employees. Outsourcing learning can significantly speed up the training and development process giving modern organizations a competitive edge.

Outsourcing enables the business's internal L&D teams to focus on core competencies by outsourcing other L&D-related tasks. However, there are several different learning vendors, and selecting the right outsourced provider is critical.

Navigating Different Types of Outsourced Training Providers

There are two different types of outsourced L&D providers you should know about before you select a partner. There are traditional training outsourcing vendors and managed training providers. The best fit will significantly depend on the unique needs of your business.

Traditional Outsourcing

Most outsourced training providers specialize in one or a few specialized areas. For example, one company may specialize in content development. They could focus on developing high-quality training materials for your organization's L&D programs.

While another organization may specialize in delivering training or learning technologies, this organization could help you set up a learning management system and may offer support services. Outsourcing with multiple vendors can help your business quickly develop and deliver large L&D projects. They can also help you with specialized areas or projects such as online learning or virtual training delivery.

The biggest frustration organizations run into with traditional outsourcing is that managing multiple vendors can become a hassle. If you hire multiple vendors to assist you with different project elements, you run the risk of misalignment and miscommunication. Working with different vendors can sometimes slow the development process.

Managed Training Services

Managed training service providers offer end-to-end L&D services. Their offerings include strategy development, administrative services, vendor management, analytics, measurement, and instructor facilitation.

They are usually large learning organizations that have teams of professionals that specialize in different areas of L&D. They have years of industry experience. They are familiar with the most relevant best practices and trends. Managed service providers can often assign an entire team of experts to assist your company with its projects. This can further speed up the delivery process.

Managed service providers are often a popular option for modern enterprise organizations because of their ability to juggle multiple projects. Working with a single vendor can also help ensure that each project is properly aligned with your business's goals. If you work with traditional learning vendors and a managed learning partner, the managed provider can help you manage your vendor relationships. This lightens the workload of your internal teams.

Final Word

Today L&D is a priority for leading organizations in nearly every industry. The demand for employee reskilling and upskilling has significantly increased in the last year. It is now more important than ever before to streamline your business's learning initiatives. Delivering effective employee training can increase both productivity and business agility.

Having the ability to adapt to change quickly can help your business better navigate the current disruptive business environment. Streamlining the development and delivery of your employee training programs can give your organization a competitive

Working with an outsourced training provider can help your business deliver quality learning experiences while enabling your internal staff to focus on your organization's core competencies.

Learn more about the managed services framework and business benefits. Read the eBook Managed Learning Outlook 2021.

#Managed Learning Services #Managed Training Services #Outsourced Training Providers #Traditional Outsourcing