Linda Zolliker, Deputy General ManagerThere are many organisations offering fully-certified courses online and other learning software solutions. But among them, Swiss Connect Academy (SCA) is ahead of the curve with its holistic approach to delivering education. The company leverages the collective technology experience and teaching perspectives of its multi-generational, passionate staff to create an ecosystem of joyful learning.
Graziella Bianco, COO of the company, dialogues with Manage HR to provide more depth and understanding about the world of e-learning and how SCA positively reinforces self-development in its clients.
What spurred the inception of SCA?
The company was founded in 2018 by Thierry Hostettler and René Müller, experts in pedagogical leadership and software development respectively. The two extremely entrepreneurial souls recognised that companies today require new methods of coaching for leadership, and the application of modern learning techniques for business training will bear more desirable results. By combining Müller’s technology experience with Thierry’s high-quality pedagogy, the duo co-created a platform that provides managers and other leaders of companies a smooth and community-oriented learning experience, reconnecting them to the joy of learning. We are a well-blended, intergenerational team full of passionate individuals who are inspired by the same vision: developing a contemporary learning experience that leads the participants’ to success.
We employ a two-forces method, where we combine highest pedagogical quality with the latest in technology through our proprietary learning platform that was developed in-house
It is interesting to note that, even before the corona crisis, we structured our training models to drive the highest standard of education online. So, the employees here at SCA have already gained significant experience for the same. However, the challenge now is to truly make learning joyful as people are going through several difficulties in their personal life. We also understand that, for some, learning triggers the ideas of a traditional class in school, which may seem rather uninteresting and can be a challenge for a healthy work-life balance. For these reasons, we have made it our mission to reconnect managers and their teams to the joy of learning. With extreme flexibility, blended channels of technology-powered solutions, and a people-first mindset, we guide our clients through various courses while teaching them the importance of social learning as an integrated process as well.
We also specialise in connecting people with each other online by means of various modern technologies. People do not have to meet each other, but they are still connected and are able to exchange valuable insights and ideas. We even use virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR) technologies to enhance the learning experience. And concerning tests or exams pertaining to a course, there are no interruptions. Even after the crisis began, our clients never experienced a delay in attending routine classes and were able to write their exams hassle-free. With courses like our ‘Leadership in a Digital World,’ gaining popularity, we help improve a client’s technology assessment aptitudes and strengthens their ability to leverage digital innovations for higher quality results in their company and teams. With the current state of the world, where most businesses are confined to operate online, SCA is fully-equipped to train people in this new environment.
Please elaborate on the techniques and technology SCA utilizes.
We employ a two-forces method, where we combine the highest pedagogical quality with the latest in technology of our proprietary learning platform that was developed in-house. Our software engineers ensure to constantly update the platform with what is currently trending in leadership coaching, as it is built with machine learning capabilities for adaptive learning. The platform can be accessed through any device so that people can learn on-the-go and do not miss out on any new updates or information. We are very strong in delivering mobile learning, microlearning, and bite-sized learning.
The platform is very user-friendly, and its newest features like AR/VR and scenario-based video training make learning more engaging and interactive. We use data collected from classes and other educational environments to make the learning experience more individualistic, guiding the client towards their own learning path. This allows us to conduct more complicated, comprehensive classes and tests online, and respond to each query a client may raise in near real time. Our reporting function delivers helpful insights for trainers to coach training participants. We put a lot of focus on user experience (UX) and conducted user studies regularly. And in contrast to most traditional LMS systems, our platform was designed to be mobile-first. We marry the features of learning with communication because we believe that both are connected. Our technology enables social learning via chat, newsfeed, and peer-grading functionalities as well.
Our pedagogical concepts further play the roles of key enablers in our approach to learning. They fuel the effectiveness of each course. And in Switzerland, having an official certificate after investing in education is very important. For this purpose, we adjust the curriculum of our leadership and management courses to the standards required to obtain a federal certificate. Moreover, our trainers are certified experts for each exam. We can proudly state that SCA has achieved a 90 percent success rate with its students who write the exams.
Is there a client success story that highlights the resourcefulness of SCA’s offerings?
Our collaboration with the Swiss Post can help answer this question, and the client happens to be connected to the history of SCA as well. Hostettler and Müller founded the company at a time when the Swiss Post was seeking a public tender and partner to digitalise their leadership and management training processes. This situation brought the two founders together and, using their specialties towards the same cause, provided the client with a unique software solution powered by quality pedagogy for leadership development. We blended, customised, and developed a learning format that catered to the client’s every need, which were to save costs and provide more flexibility for each participant. The Swiss Post also sought to digitise 75 percent of their face-to-face training program for management courses, which was handled by us as well. We teach in German, French, and Italian to ensure that language in our region will never be an issue. The Swiss Post’s employees experienced an extremely flexible, innovative, efficient, and most importantly a joyful training course that was very affordable.
What makes SCA stand out in today’s market competition and what plans does the company have for the future?
Our team is filled with creative people who have expertise in both pedagogy and digitalisation. I find that each employee brings profound and innovative concepts to the table. So, for us, online, hybrid, blended, AR/VR are not just buzz words that rose to fame due to the recent lockdowns. These are topics we have been working on since SCA’s founding, and we implement these forms of learning while keeping joy at the center of our concepts. Seamless learning integrates social aspects of learning as well, and these are important to us in the virtual world as well as in the physical classroom. Our training concepts are profound and innovative. Also, we are a very flexible training institute and create customized solutions that meet any clients’ wishes. As we move ahead, we want to add more courses that are connected to leadership and management and broaden the subjects SCA can offer.
