According to Alan Tait, ‘learning within Asset Management, as within any other discipline, is constantly under pressure to adopt new technologies and techniques to ensure an increase in learner impact and engagement’. For this reason, organisers of the fifth Southern African Asset Management Association (SAAMA) conference, taking place from 4 to 6 June 2018 at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, Cape Town, decided to add a presentation that focuses on the use of technology in optimizing performance in asset management. Aligned with this year’s conference theme, a ‘smarter’ approach to the asset management industry, the eSMARTER Learning presentation was included.

Alan, who will be leading this presentation, is a senior executive with extensive experience in physical asset management, systems, education, marketing, strategic business development and management. He has a proven track record of generating increased revenue, enhancing the bottom line and reducing costs and growing business units through effective business strategies resulting in long-term sustainable growth. Alan's previous roles have included CEO of Advance Call, MD of Pragma Africa, President and Honorary Member of SAAMA, Sales and Marketing Executive at Pearson and now Executive Head at The Training Room Online.  During the past 22 years, his Asset Management experience includes fixed asset registers, ERP system implementations, preventive maintenance programmes and facilities management. His education experience includes print and digital publishing, teacher training and eLearning, while his Call Centre experience is in Public Sector and Consumer based call centres. 

The three topics for discussion within the eSMARTER Learning presentation are, From Learning to Impact, eLearning Trends and Impact on Health and Safety.

‘From Learning to Impact’ will equip delegates to use the available data to accurately determine behavioral change and business impact. According to Alan, metrics like attendance, completion and assessments were previously measured, without actually realizing how effective the material is.

The second topic, eLearning Trends, will discuss current trends including mobile, video, data analytics, micro-learning, social learning and immersive technologies (Virtual Reality / AR) – with the focus on virtual reality, leading into the following topic, Impact on Health and Safety.

During the third and last presentation discussions will focus on practical applications of VR within the OHS space, that includes risk management and fire training – both of which will be demonstrated. The objective here is to enable learners to engage in practical training without putting their lives and the lives of others in danger. “The ‘real life’ use of a ‘fire extinguisher’ can be exhilarating, and yet life-saving”, Alan says.

He also added that the asset management sector is undergoing a technology revolution with Industry 4.0. Thus, the manner in which practitioners engage with learning materials and concepts needs to stay in synch with what’s happening in this space.

For more information or to register, click HERE