The $16.4 bn Deloitte, delivering audit, tax, consulting and financial
advisory services worldwide serving more than one -half of the world's largest
companies is scaling up operations in India. Chief global learning officer for
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and global director in Deloitte's change, learning
and leadership practice Nick van Dam believes that the exponential growth that
e-learning expected to be achieved by the year 2008 presents a major opportunity
to India. Nick van Dam was in Pune to meet the company's partner Maximize
Learning and create an awareness about e-learning.
How would you define e-learning? Do you see e-learning playing a
significant role in the enterprise?
I would term e-learning as net-enabled learning targeted to achieve business
goals. The enterprise is a significant user of e-learning as a tool since it is
faster, better and cheaper. Companies spend millions of dollars on training and
e-learning reduces the overall training costs by 30% to 40%. It also reduces
training time by as much as 50 percent on the same subject and decreases
time-to-market of new skills globally. More courseware is available at
significantly less cost. It has been noticed there is a 25% to 50% higher
retention of knowledge due to e-learning.
How would you describe the current landscape in the e-learning market?
What kind of trends do you foresee in the industry?
e-learning as a solution did not exist before 1996. The term itself took
root after 1997. By the year 1999, the global e-learning market touched $1.7 bn.
Currently, it stands at $6.5 bn and IDC has predicted that market is likely to
witness an exponential growth and touch the $28 bn mark by 2008. I firmly
believe e-learning simulations are the next big thing in learning.
Nick van Dam |
Over 50% of enterprises will be using e-learning simulations to teach vital
skills to their sales and customer support professionals by 2006. Our partner in
India Maximize is already doing some work in this area for Deloitte.
Simulation-based learning is second nature to the new generation brought up on a
diet of play stations, videogames and multimedia.
What is likely to be the driving force behind any decision
to outsource?
According to IBM/ASTD Learning Outsourcing Survey 2004, over 75% of
organizations surveyed are expected to outsource e-learning in the future. Over
67% organizations are looking to reduce operating costs and another 46% lack the
internal capability. Around 43% organizations have access to the best practices
and talent and the improvement of quality and consistency of content is a major
issue with 22% organizations. Therefore, outsourcing offers a wonderful option
to such companies.
What kind of a role do you see India playing in the
e-learning market?
India boasts of a huge highly educated workforce. It already has experience
in technology and BPO support and is becoming home to a number of Fortune
companies. India also has exposure in e-learning development and could do well
to capitalize on these strengths. India stands a chance to seize a big portion
of the $28 bn pie that e-learning will become by 2008.
What kind of growth plans does the company have for India
and what role will e-learning play in this?
We currently have a team of 1,700 professionals in Hyderabad. There are
plans to take on 6,000 new people in the next 24 months.