E-learning at Dow Chemical

LearnShare E-Learning Best Practices Sonya Davis Global Project Leader Human Resources Strategic Center

The Dow Chemical Company

• Dow is a global company – 50,000 employees – $30 billion in annual sales – 171 sites in 35 countries • Serves many markets – Water purification – Transportation – Electronics – Food – Personal care - Health & Medicine - Paper and Printing - Building & Construction - Furniture/Furnishings - Home care/improvement

Learning: A Strategic Element to Global Success

• 1995 – Dow began shifting to global, de layered structure based on business units • Learning Leadership Team was formed to address needs of global workforce • Challenge: How do we provide the latest most cost effective learning just in time to learners where and when they want it?

The answer – [email protected]

• A global web-based learning management and delivery system • Courses are developed internally, purchased from external sources and/or developed specifically for Dow (5 preferred vendors) • Links to employee training records

Advantages of Web-based Training Delivery

• Consistent message to all employees globally • “Just-in-time” training • Always available • Employees are in control and can receive training anytime and anywhere • Delivery cost benefits

Keys To Success

• Common IT Platform • Open Platform • Reduction in delivery costs while providing greater access to training when and where employees want it.

• Preferred Vendors • Management Support

Investments

• Start-up – $1 million to purchase project – Design team comprised of six employees and managers • Ongoing cost: – Annual operational cost $540,000 – One full-time manager and five employees in part-time roles (functional administrators), and learning coordinators.

[email protected]

Today

• 600 courses available • Subject areas range from safety to marketing • 153,392 courses completed in 2000 • 315,265 courses completed in 2001

Cost Benefits

• Savings in 2000 = $22 million • Savings in 2001 = $45 million • Projection for 1999-2003 = $189 million • Based on measurement of: – Automatic vs. manual records – Reduction of delivery and material cost – Reduction in learner time

Change Management Considerations • Clear value proposition • Convert learners from classroom to web based • Deliver content in multiple languages • Increase awareness and usage through the organization • Provide ongoing system support and operation

What’s next?

• Technical expansions – video enhancements which will broaden use • Blended solutions – Use [email protected]

with NetMeeting/LearnLinc for classroom settings • Audience expansion – Use [email protected]

to train customers, suppliers, distributors