The few healthy sectors in our economy

Six years ago my daughter took Health 11 online from Brigham Young University’s high school online program. We weren’t into home-schooling; she just didn’t want to miss her dance classes and had a scheduling conflict. I think it was the only “B” she got that term, too – the course was very rigorous.

Today, online education is one of the fastest growing segments of education in general – and education is, along with healthcare, one of the few healthy sectors in our economy.

What’s going on?

Simply this: online education makes good sense. It is increasingly accessible and affordable, and it offers individuals an opportunity to grow and achieve without the customary barriers to higher education like time and location.

Our staff here at aQuire Training Solutions is busier than ever, as new clients contact us, ready to get started – without the traditional need for a sales pitch from our team. They know that, to stay competitive, they need to offer training opportunities to their employees. They are hiring the best and brightest they can find, but realizing that to keep those people engaged and on board they’ll need to provide a competitive set of benefits, including continued learning and growth opportunities.

At the same time, companies are looking for ways to reduce any unnecessary expenses. Adding online training is helping them cut instructor time, freeing up that valuable resource for client relationship building, marketing and more efficient management.

They’re cutting down overtime and worker’s comp claims by increasing the level of employee engagement, knowledge and skills.

They’re achieving benefits that, today, are essential for business health.

US News and World Reports noted this trend, saying,

“time-stressed Americans fed up with commuting costs are already choosing online education. More than 4 million enrolled in at least one online course last fall, up from fewer than 2 million in 2003.”

Typical recession behavior tends to find business operators digging in; avoiding starting new programs or services.

This recession seems to be different. Successful operators are carefully examining how they run their company. They’re looking at their highest wage-earning employee’s use of time, and focusing that time on activities that bring the most benefit – short and long-term – to the company.

That’s keeping our team busier than we’ve ever been. Mind you, I’m not complaining!