Altrad UK & Ireland are a leading provider of support services, relating specifically to construction engineering. Our primary contact for this project was the Head of Learning & Development and Occupational Services.

We worked closely with their extended team, to develop the content appropriately for the learners:

• CTO Training Competence Officer
• Workforce Development Team Lead
• Behavioural Safety Coach

In addition, we had several Subject Matter Experts (SME) to advise the direction of content, including:

• Technical Authority Scaffolding and Temporary Works Compliance
• Head of Technical Authorities

Altrad’s key need was to provide a new way of training operatives hired during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, they had a number of planned ‘shutdowns’, which required hundreds of new people to be brought into the business.

The typical method for training at Altrad was classroom-based. New recruits would undertake their induction and 10 General Health and Safety modules on their first day on site and then begin work immediately. Once the government guidelines included the need to socially distance, this method of delivery became impossible.

Additionally, Altrad was looking for more than just a socially-distanced delivery method. Prior to the pandemic, there had been a number of issues identified with classroom-based training. Due to the nature of the business, trainers received a considerable amount of pressure from sites to rush through training so that operatives could begin work. This meant that depending on the job, trainer or site, operatives could experience a completely different learning environment from each other.

Finally, there was an internal push for a change of culture to Health and Safety that needed to be reflected in the training content. This culture change would shift the focus beyond a need to just be compliant and towards delivering safety excellence across the business.

It was agreed that the induction and 10 General Health and Safety modules would be converted to eLearning modules and hosted on a bespoke LMS platform. This would allow Altrad employees to log in and complete their training individually rather than requiring people resources (trainers) and classrooms.

In contrast to most existing health and safety training programs, the eLearning modules would focus on the humanitarian benefits of H&S compliance rather than the business or legal benefits. Engaging the learner in an emotive approach to health and safety, rather than a procedural approach – focussing on the ‘why’, not just the ‘how’.

This is achieved using:

• Case studies specifically selected to relate to users and the tasks they carry out every day
• Statistics relating to personal injury and fatalities in the workplace (sometimes using specific Altrad statistics)
• Sections of content that discuss the personal consequences of poor H&S compliance directly to the user in a second person narrative.

The process and procedures are presented in an immersive, interactive method that allows the users to discover and practise health and safety compliance, rather than just listen to instruction. This is achieved using:

• Breaking up the content into digestible chunks and allowing the user to progress at their own pace.
• Interactive delivery methods – clicking on graphical scenes, watching videos, mix of animated and live content.
• Interactive knowledge checks – drag & drops, fill in the blanks, practical hazard spotting.

The development process included:

• Editing and adjusting the existing content into a more coherent journey that followed a format adapted from the 4MAT System (this was the client’s preference).
• Adding functionality to the storyboard – how the content should be presented, adding knowledge checks to keep the learner engaged.
• Developing graphics from the storyboard, including characters, scenarios and equipment created in Altrad’s preferred art style.
• Filming and animation development, including voiceover work.
• Combining the storyboard details, graphics and videos in Articulate Storyline 360 to create the eLearning content.

Creation and development of a bespoke online platform, with LMS features tailored to the Altrad L&D department needs.

Altrad online now has over 1400 users from multiple work sites. User surveys have shown that:

• 80% of learners rated their experience of completing the eLearning modules as ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good.’
• 75% of learners said they felt more confident with the subject matter after completing the modules.
• 75% of learners said they preferred the eLearning to classroom-based training.

Testimonials from users include:

• “I thought the content was really good, and with it being broken into modules it is easy to complete alongside regular day to day work”
• “The modules bring home what can happen if you don’t plan your work scopes correctly, and to never have an attitude of ‘it won’t happen to me’”
• “The way the modules are laid out makes it easy to make notes and return to the information in the future.”

Following the launch of the platform and General Health and Safety modules, Altrad was awarded the Technology in Learning award at the ECI Training & Development Awards 2021.