Buckle up for a Flying Start!
Brighton (UK), November 2008 - the airline easyJet has partnered with blended-learning specialists Epic to develop Buckle up!, an induction programme for all incoming cabin crew staff. All new starters will need to complete the blended-learning course in order to obtain their cabin-crew qualification for easyJet.
Using a consultative, partnership approach to design and development, easyJet and Epic aim to reduce the existing four-week, face-to-face course by introducing much of the underpinning knowledge as eLearning. The programme is currently based at the airline's training academy.
Barbara Gordon, Cabin Crew Training Manager, explains, "We expect to recruit 750 Cabin Crew in the next twelve months, a big increase over previous years. Not only will we reduce accommodation and training room costs; we'll also be offering an enhanced, quality eLearning experience. The blended approach promises to be engaging and easy to access and also to offer measurable results".
Regulatory requirements stipulate that certain elements of Buckle up! must be delivered face to face. These will be supplemented by eLearning covering the theory elements, which will leave the face-to-face delivery to explore more complex topics that necessitate group discussion, collaboration, and real-time application.
Challenging targets have been agreed between easyJet and Epic, which will be used to track the effectiveness of the blend, as well as to ensure that key stakeholders such as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are fully engaged, in order to guarantee successful and timely implementation.
Carys Rowan, Epic's Account Director for the travel sector, is enthusiastic about the partnership. "We're delighted to have been selected as easyJet's preferred partner because this is a fantastic project. We know that cabin crew are great fun to work with, and we're confident we can deliver an award-winning solution."
