Developing and improving on the training methods used to technically upskill a multi-regional technical account management team at a multi-national IT company

This dissertation focuses on the implementation of a new learning program within a large technology firm utilizing adult education theory. Existing learning approaches have been very traditional within the organisation and focus on delivering material rather than meeting the needs of the learner. The academic research puts the emphasis on basing the learning on the requirements of the learner however examples of implementations are limited. The research took the form of an action research structure through the implementation of the program, followed by 5 qualitative interviews to analyse the impact of the program. The program was aimed at a trans-regional technical account management within the organisation and the interviews were carried out with 5 technical account managers who had been through the new program. The research found that the more the learning program related the learning activities to the role of the learner, the more the learners engaged with the program and were happy with the program. It also found that some learners still like to use traditional learning methods, but preferred when they were blended with the new learning methods. It was also found that the assessment style was very important to the success of the program. By making the assessment a tool to aid in the learning and basing it in a job related scenario, the learner felt more at ease during the evaluation and reduced the fear associated with failure.