When Pronovias decided to trust Training Express with their language training program, they had two very clear goals: to entrust all their language training to a single company, and to generate a higher level of participation and commitment among students. And both goals have been achieved.
always an easy task. Methodologies differ and, often, it’s hard to keep track of what is actually being done. Before they started working with Training Express, Pronovias had several different teachers, and none of them worked for the same language training company. “There was no way to standardize communication. What we were looking for was a partner who could unify communication using a single platform to analyze and assess performance fairly, within the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). In the past, it was hard to know if the company was getting any return on its investment,” explains Laura Martin, Head of Training at Pronovias.
The project that they launched required a change of mindset within the company. They created the School of Languages, as part of a macro project called “Academia”, and it has already brought about results.
With 150 shops in total – including franchise holders – and more than 4,000 retail outlets all over the world, “being able to communicate with customers and offer them solutions in different languages is essential”
“We have two options: one of them is face-to-face, but students are required to do their exercises online and prepare for the class, so they can focus on speaking and resolving any doubts they may have during the session; the other option is virtual training, which is aimed at those people with more limited availability,” summarizes Laura.
Most of the participants in the program designed by Training Express are technical staff in different departments: finance, customer service, product, operations, quality control and sales. A total of 130 people, of which over 100 have chosen face-to-face training, while the rest are receiving virtual training.
Language skills are vital in a company like Pronovias. And not just English and French, but also German and even Chinese. With 150 shops in total – including franchise holders – and more than 4,000 retail outlets all over the world, “being able to communicate with customers and offer them solutions in different languages is essential,” points out Tolo Coll, Head of Recruitment, Training and Development at Pronovias.
Employees can request training in the Pronovias Language School through the application process set up by the company. “Employees fill out the application and send it to Human Resources, with the approval of their supervisor. The key consideration is whether or not they need the language for work,” says Tolo. There is an individual assessment of student attendance every three months, and the results determine whether or not they can continue. “Additionally, they go through a biannual evaluation process that looks into the activities they complete, the time they spend on the platform, how often they go online, etc.,” she adds.
After their first year working with Training Express, Pronovias has set new goals: to consolidate the Language School, encouraging participation; and to promote online training, to allow students to learn in a more independent and versatile fashion.
