Parma, Italy-based Sidel said it introduced an e-learning portal designed to train the company’s employees and staff from the customer side via a highly customized approach. The tool is an integral part of Sidel’s Blended Learning platform, where teaching is partly carried out digitally and partly face-to-face in hands-on training sessions. This results in greatly improving employees’ skills, safety and productivity, as well as contributing to minimize costs in the long term, the company said.

Sidel said manufacturers active in the food, beverage, home and personal care industries are continuously investing in training their teams to reap a number of benefits: minimized reaction time, reduced production stops and increased overall efficiency and safety in the workplace, to mention a few. Not less important, regularly attending training sessions helps operators increase motivation, engagement and commitment, the company said.

To help customers achieve this, Sidel trains over 5,500 people every year to advance their skill sets and adapt to changes in the production environment. This personalized training includes online courses, on-the-job training and practical and classroom lessons. It also includes production simulation via virtual reality by combining the state-of-the-art equipment with the skills of the workforce, the company said.

Blended Learning, Sidel’s integrated learning experience, combines face-to-face and online learning sessions in which the traditional face-to-face classroom focuses entirely on students’ development, while basic knowledge is acquired online via e-learning portals, the company said.

The highly customized program helps meet operators’ specific needs, and it is planned around the production schedule so as not to impede on productivity of the customer’s line, Sidel said. Via personalized accounts on the platform, trainees experience a customized training offering. The program features an optimized and customized dashboard that can flexibly accommodate different viewers’ profile needs.