In this article, discover how the company Orange has implemented distance learning through video. The Orange School of Technical Professions is an entity within Orange dedicated to training internal and external employees. It has around 300 trainers at the national level. The training covers both technicians and employees in the retail sector for customer relations.
The Orange School of Technical Professions is divided into several units by region. We interviewed Quentin Loret, the head of the North-East region, responsible for digital projects and a user of the Kast Revolt solution for the past few months.
In-company training is essential, especially for a large group like Orange. Today, the focus is on maintaining rare skills: those held by employees with varying lengths of service who will eventually retire, for example. Nothing new so far.
However, since the health crisis, a new mode of learning has emerged: distance learning. Although it was already in some minds, it was rarely put into practice. Over the past two years, everything has accelerated. Today, the School of Technical Professions is equipped and aims to continue this mode of operation.
While distance learning requires investment, both human and material, it offers certain advantages. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aspect, essential in 2022, is one of the first points highlighted by Mr. Loret. With distance learning, we reduce our carbon footprint, avoid travel, and increase employee well-being. At the same time, we save money! Another significant argument, the use of video training allows for scalability and tremendous efficiency gains. A recorded video can be shared thousands of times!
"A year or two ago, we weren't able to do this; we didn't have the tools. Today, we're given the means to do it, and it's interesting to use them."
Initially, distance learning was done through telephone bridges: the learner connected to a support, saw a presentation scrolling, called a number, and heard the comments. This mode of operation wasn't the most effective. It was criticized for being impersonal and lacking interactivity.
By shifting to video sharing and broadcasting, the human aspect that's essential for learning is restored. Therefore, the Orange School of Technical Professions has equipped itself with audiovisual equipment to allow its trainers to independently broadcast content.
Quentin Loret now has:
Two Kast Revolt mobile packs (around thirty are distributed across France):
Control iPad
Tripod
Lavalier microphone
Transport backpack
Portable green screen for background integration
Training rooms equipped with a micro-beam
Teams video conferencing tool. All employees have an account and can participate in video training.
Momindum for hosting videos that can be shared with technicians, both internal and external.
The Orange School of Technical Professions uses video for various aspects of distance learning:
Training that used to be delivered in person can now be shared from one site to another, commonly known as multisite training. Multisite training allowed for deploying training in the context of Covid-19 while respecting capacity limits.
For example, a module was recently conducted between Nancy and Besançon, with a trainer and learners on both ends. Part of the module was dedicated to discussions. Both rooms are equipped with a Kast camera, a micro-beam, and Teams for broadcasting.
Video tutorials are one of the best uses according to Mr. Loret. Instead of sharing just a PowerPoint, which learners retain very little from, a short 6-minute video ensures effective learning.
Moreover, these tutorials are accessible to technicians at any time on the Momindum video hosting platform. For instance, technical gestures can be filmed using the dual video stream capability. For this, Mr. Loret, whom we interviewed, uses a GoPro as a second camera connected to the HDMI input of the Kast camera.
With the Kast camera's studio mode, it's also possible to overlay oneself on the background using a green screen. This function is perfect for a tutorial with a narrated presentation, for example.
The digitization of training is still in its early stages, but the Orange School of Technical Professions has many other projects in mind. Why not film and broadcast seminars, for instance? Instead of sending reports to absent individuals, we save time and don't lose any information!
Another idea that will be tested this summer is conducting entirely remote training. The trainer records themselves using a Kast camera, broadcasts via Teams, and all learners can stay in their regions. This saves time and money, as there's no need to travel.
"In-person training is something that's fading away in a company like ours; we need to transition to digital."
When it comes to digital technology, the greatest challenge is getting teams to adopt new technologies. The bulk of the work for digital project managers is to make the teams understand the benefits of using them.
Here's the technology acceptance curve:
To meet this challenge, a national facilitator is responsible for organizing animation workshops every month. These workshops take place regionally and cover various topics. In our article, we talk about implementing video, but the same challenge arises with virtual reality and other technologies.
These workshops usually involve getting hands-on with the equipment. With Kast cameras, they start with a brief theoretical part, showing the various possible uses. Then, teams are given small challenges: starting a live YouTube broadcast on their own, for example.
Having learners practice is essential for effective learning; we retain very little information if we don't try it ourselves!
One of the facilitators recently organized a challenge. The goal was for each participant to create a video, a training module, or a tutorial of the highest possible quality! All trainers can participate voluntarily.
Involvement also comes through interactivity and humanizing the training. For this, video has been a real advancement compared to telephone bridges. It's also possible to make training interactive using other tools. At Orange, using quizzes with Klaxoon works very well during distance training.
The ultimate goal is to involve all stakeholders. In a large company like Orange, it's impossible to engage 100% of employees, but digital technology is on the rise and hasn't said its last word!
Quentin Loret is a Partner in Learning and Skills Development at Orange in the North-East region. He is responsible for digital projects and has been working at Orange for over 8 years. He has also been a technician, so he knows his job well and the challenges of implementing training.
He also creates many tutorials on various subjects!
