Convergence Training, a producer of multimedia safety training for mining and other industrial endeavors, has announced the release of its second-generation learning management system (LMS). Called Convergence Server Enterprise, the software was designed to address common challenges in managing large industrial workforces.
Many of the new software’s unique features have resulted from Convergence’s working history with its clients. In the mining industry, Convergence is well-known for a series of MSHA-aligned multimedia courses. According to Director of Product Development Randy Kohltfarber, large industrial companies have training management needs that set them apart from more service-oriented companies.
Said Kohltfarber, “These companies need their training materials to be available company-wide, in multiple locations, and they need it all to be integrated for management purposes.”
Another problem that comes with being a multi-site company is bandwidth, especially if multimedia training content is used. This is frequently the case at industrial businesses, because multimedia is an efficient way to teach the hands-on work and safety procedures that industrial labour requires.
To address the bandwidth issue, the Convergence software allows storage of training content on local servers, which speeds up playback and access and makes sharing of content easier between sites. This is probably the most noteworthy aspect of the new software; the flexibility it gives multi-site organisations while still keeping a detailed database of company-wide activity.
Another downside Convergence saw with most conventional LMS systems (and their own first-generation offering) was the lack of flexibility in creating different categories of employees and administrators. The new Convergence system addresses that problem by introducing a greater degree of control over employee groups and privileges. Administrators can select employee groups using a multitude of parameters, allowing for easy assignment and tracking of training.
Convergence Server Enterprise is technically what is known in the industry as an LCMS – a learning content management system. This means that administrators can use the software to create and deliver their own training materials, such as quizzes and task lists that include photos, video, and common office documents. The system is also SCORM-compliant, enabling it to host a wide range of third-party training content.
In addition to tracking employee’s training on computer-based training, the Convergence software allows tracking of real-world events like classroom learning, training in the field, and teaching by third-party trainers.
“A lot of important training happens at a company’s location or in the field, not just online or on the computer,” said Kenny Della Valle, Convergence’s Project Manager. “We think it’s vital to have an option to track these ‘off-line’ events, so that our clients can use the system to handle every aspect of their training needs.”
Convergence Training (a division of Capstone Technology) is a provider of learning management solutions with an emphasis on real-world procedures and processes. In its decade of existence, Convergence has served companies in mining, heavy equipment operation, paper manufacturing, appliance production, and aerospace technology. In addition to providing the LMS platform, they produce multimedia training content using 3D modelling and animation.