In addition to the strict qualifications for different job roles, CERN requires personnel to complete additional certifications to make sure they are held to the highest standards for safety. CERN needed an efficient learning-management system (LMS) to manage all of the training and certifications across the organisation.

"We have around 15,000 members of personnel on site on any given day, and they have a wide range of training needs. These members of personnel need certifications to gain access to the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In addition to safety training, we also provide other training, such as management skills and language training. These are just some examples of the various needs of the learners. The aim is to use one central system to manage all learning at CERN," explained Giovanni Chierico, Section Leader of Advanced Information Systems – Human Resources at CERN.

When evaluating vendors, CERN had some very specific and strict requirements related to data security and system flexibility.

"Flexibility was one of the key requirements in our search. We needed to make sure that the LMS would integrate with our existing infrastructure, including solutions for access control, financial administration, course registration, as well as the main HR system. NetDimensions Learning has a comprehensive set of APIs, so it can interface with the key solutions we already have in place.

"We collect training and certification data and export it to the access-control system, which is then used to authorise people’s access on site. When the person enters the building, and uses their access card, the system then authorises access based on the certifications needed to enter the area and their validity.

"We talked to a number of vendors, evaluating both the product features and the vendors’ delivery capabilities. The flexibility NetDimensions Learning offers and the professionalism of its team are very important for CERN," concluded Chierico.

"We are delighted to work with CERN," said Mads Jensen, General Manager, EMEA Sales at NetDimensions. "NetDimensions Learning has a comprehensive set of features in certification management, and it is specifically developed to meet the needs of organisations like CERN, where compliance is critical to daily operations and overall safety."