RPS Energy digitizes learning to improve customer satisfaction

Founded in 1970, RPS Group is a leading global professional services firm. They define, design and manage projects that create shared value to a complex, urbanizing and resource-scarce world.

RPS Energy Training and Nautilus delivers consulting and training services to geoscientists and energy specialists worldwide.

“We set our clients up for success by sharing technical knowledge and transferring skills. We increase understanding and improve decision making of teams through a variety of development solutions so that energy can be brought to market, cost effectively and safely”

The Challenge

For over two decades, RPS Energy Training and Nautilus have been the leading training provider to geoscientists, geologists and energy scientists around the globe. This training is predominantly delivered in the form of classroom courses with industry experts and on guided field courses.

As the energy industry adapts to new challenges and market pressures, RPS was an early advocate of digital transformation initiatives and applying this to how it would be beneficial in training and development solutions.

The move to supporting digital learning had been considered for some years and early endeavors had provided the groundwork for their next steps. They knew that to support the digital learning aspirations of their clients, they would need assistance from a learning platform vendor, and started exploring the e-learning community to find a partner that would meet their needs.

The Solution

It was quickly established that Totara Partner Catalyst would be a good fit for their needs, as they have experience working with organizations worldwide, which would help RPS better support global clients. With experience in academia, RPS initially considered Moodle or Blackboard as customer training LMS options, but Catalyst suggested that the best learning platform to meet their needs would be Totara Learn.A primary function to RPS’s requirement was a multi-tenancy setup. This enabled them to deploy both their own, RPS-branded learning area, and separate, client-branded learning areas. RPS considers the multi-tenancy functionality key to their future business plan, with numerous clients around the globe expressing an interest in their own tenant site for training. Coupled with CSS assimilation and the support offered by Catalyst, RPS is confident of meeting their future LMS branding requirements.

Blended learning was another crucial factor in RPS’s implementation strategy. Embracing a core principle of ‘Making Complex Easy’ with learning science and technology to deliver a more engaging learning experience that meets the expectations of modern learners, while offering the ultimate flexibility to meet the needs of the industry.

Installation of the HP5 plugin by Catalyst has made it significantly easier for SMEs to contribute content to the platform and replace classroom sessions. The platform also hosts RPS’s innovative 3D Outcrop Reference Database, created using drone data captured at field locations to allow engineers and scientists to safely explore geological outcrops worldwide – a much more effective way to familiarize themselves with the landscape than with static printed photos.

Through the development of interactive and engaging e-learning, clients are offered access to the latest content and most up-to-date procedures or technologies, at multiple locations and instantaneously.

 RPS can provide clients with skills gap analysis, based on their current knowledge base, providing an opportunity to strategize their development needs, make better use of their current resources and identify shortages in skills that will be needed for the future. And, integrating data analytics with their existing systems has the potential to optimize and improve their operational efficiency, personalizing the services offered and proactivity anticipating client needs.

The Results

RPS is already delighted with both Totara Learn and the services of their Totara Partner, Catalyst. They recognize the huge business opportunity that the LMS provides, encouraging people to participate in a more dynamic, long-term development process.

Moving training onto the LMS has given RPS the freedom to offer their expansive training resources like never before and has made it even easier for learners to get access to training content as and when they need it. The ability to create multiple client areas on a single instance of Totara Learn has also given RPS the option to grow this side of the business sustainably, as they can easily upscale the platform to support more users. Their digital offering has already secured them new clients off the back of their initial project.

Currently, the learning platform is only available via specific request, but RPS will be expanding this access to a wider audience in 2020.

“Our new LMS platform enables our clients to participate in learning and development opportunities that were once limited by risk, access or expense. We solve problems that matter by moving from a mindset of learning as an event, to learning more accessible, immersive, relevant and embedded into the flow of work.”