On-Demand Training Labs

Many jobs, apprenticeships, and other higher learning environments may require supplemental education or training by way of hands-on training labs or modules, webinars, pre-recorded lectures, or on-demand training labs. Remote learning applications have become increasingly popular as technology improves and methods are more widely accessible and available. As demand for remote learning solutions increases, demand for on-demand training labs and other similar web services will also continue to increase – especially as more companies are investing in remote labor forces and remote training applications.

Virtual training labs provide invaluable hands-on training in situations where participants or students might not otherwise have access to said training experiences. Virtual labs are beneficial in educational and business environments alike – for students, virtual labs offer simulated environments designed to replicate real-world scenarios to provide education in safe and controlled conditions. For businesses, virtual labs can provide supplemental training to help employees maintain compliance certifications, in addition to building upon existing skill sets. 

But what is a virtual training lab? What does it look like? A virtual training lab refers to an on-screen application that can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and a compatible web browser. Labs provide a proverbial playground of sorts for virtual learning and experimentation to take place. Virtual lab environments are invaluable resources for educational institutions and private enterprises as well; they can provide eLearning solutions, training programs, and other simulations tailored to a diverse array of industries. From cybersecurity to web development and more, lab environments can help organizations by providing a safe, controlled environment to test any substantial modifications or updated features before going live – minimizing disruptions and downtime while optimizing performance.

Traditionally, physical labs served as the primary training grounds for students or employees enrolled in lab training. Labs were expensive due to hardware, maintenance, and operational costs, and access was limited by capacity or facility operating hours. When physical labs were available, they were often crowded – virtually each of these pain points is addressed by virtual on-demand training applications. While physical lab spaces can still provide a great deal of value, they are much more advantageous when used in conjunction with virtual lab applications.

Virtual training labs continue to be vital resources for learners by providing realistic scenarios to prepare for real-world applications. Virtual labs also provide a layer of safety; students and learners can attempt a wide variety of experiments and test scenarios before having to face such issues in real-world applications. Not only do virtual training labs have the potential to be engaging and challenging, but they also help explicate intricate concepts in a safe and fun learning environment.

Learn on-demand LMS (learning management systems) are software applications that enable employers and other institutions to provide ongoing web-based learning and training solutions to fulfill a variety of purposes. Companies may need to provide opportunities for employees to remain certified per industry regulations, and educational organizations may need to offer remote virtual labs for accessibility purposes – whatever the reason, there are numerous benefits and advantages of learning management systems and many of them have integrated virtual on-demand training labs. Learn on-demand (Microsoft Learn, for example) programs provide interactive learning opportunities with hours of lessons, access to lectures, assignments – virtually anything the instructor or course/lab designer sees fit to include.

Benefits of On-Demand Training

The benefits of on-demand training are numerous and far-reaching. Because of the nature of virtual labs on demand, content has generally become more accessible to learners no matter where they are or what time it is as long as they have a stable internet connection. One major benefit of on-demand training is that there are numerous free and low-cost training labs available on the internet. And for organizations interested in operating their own on-demand labs or training applications, virtual labs are substantially more affordable than physical lab spaces, especially when considering the long-term costs of maintenance, upkeep, and hardware improvements. 

Other benefits include the potential for various psychological advantages – on-demand training in virtual lab space can help improve confidence when working on highly complex issues or training for intense real-world potentialities. Practicing stressful real-world scenarios provides invaluable experience and preparation for expectable working conditions. Learners also have an opportunity within a lab environment to apply previously acquired knowledge to relevant experiments and applications and repeat the lab as many times as desired. 

On-demand training labs combine student-centric learning and self-paced learning practices to provide an adaptive educational approach for eager learners all around the globe. Student-centered learning simply refers to pedagogy that is primarily concerned with the motivation of the student – in other words, the student decides what material they want to learn about as well as the pace at which they learn that material. In some cases, students can even choose how they learn as well. This self-paced model is ideal for virtual training labs which can be accessed at any time from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. Whenever the student has availability in their schedule, they can access the on-demand training lab via any compatible web browser and pick up where they left off.

Instructor-led learning relies on the expertise of an academic or professional in the fulfillment of the instructor role. These labs can differ somewhat from other self-paced labs which users can complete at their own pace; instructor-led labs usually meet at a predetermined time so that the instructor is present. When paired with other self-paced learning labs and similar asynchronous modules or training exercises, instructor-led learning applications can offer learners an additional source of information. Instructors can answer questions, pose complex hypotheticals, and provide other information about real-world expectations or experiences students may be able to expect. 

Having access to an educational lab on demand means students and young professionals can access training or learning modules whenever they are able. This can be particularly beneficial for small or medium-sized businesses, especially if some or all employees work remotely. Remote employees can access virtual on-demand training programs from the comfort of their own home offices while improving or maintaining their skills, completing recertification assessments, or doing anything else their employer may require. 

Another benefit of on-demand training is that it enables on-demand scalability as well. Companies can generally scale the use of on-demand training with demand – if your growing organization needs a rapid and reliable way to adequately train a workforce, on-demand training programs may provide the precise solution you’re after. 

Learning On Demand

On-demand training platforms provide a wealth of learning on-demand opportunities. 

Learn on-demand labs or virtual IT training labs are some of the best ways for students or apprentices to develop new skills in a manner that meets their budget and fits within their busy schedules. Virtual training labs can provide numerous opportunities – whether your company needs to provide additional post-sales training, employee product training, or even new hire onboarding solutions, virtual training labs can fulfill a variety of needs. 

Here’s a hypothetical situation for consideration: a new start-up has all the hardware and infrastructure necessary to handle larger volumes of sales, but the sales team is struggling to acclimate to a new eCommerce software system and because of this, sales figures are suffering somewhat. The company can find or develop a virtual training lab for their sales team to ensure that everyone is familiar with and up-to-speed on the features and capabilities of the new software. Once the whole sales team has completed the virtual training lab, sales figures show marked improvement. While this is a pretty simplified hypothetical situation, it’s not too far off from how real organizations with limited budgets are making the most of the resources available to them.

Companies or higher learning institutions can also provide ongoing education or training modules. Some organizations that specialize in providing virtual training labs and other remote learning solutions can charge monthly or yearly subscriptions, based on the depth and complexity of your specific needs. When comparing the cost of virtual training applications to building your own lab facilities, the advantages are quite evident. With virtual training operations, you don’t have to consider the cost of maintaining and upkeep for hardware systems. Costs are also determined by RAM requirements and the volume of learners. 

On-demand learning applications can fulfill a diverse array of needs and provide learning opportunities for students, and young professionals, and even career advancement opportunities for seasoned employees. When trying to decide what virtual learning lab solution would work best within your organization, it’s good to consider long-term objectives as well as short-term goals. Does your budget allow for large volumes of employee training or new hire onboarding, or would it be more prudent to offer select training regimens to specific employees as necessary?

Since virtual training has become more popular in recent years as technology has become more advanced and accessible, there are now more choices than ever before when it comes to deciding upon a virtual learning environment that works for your specialized needs. Many companies make significant investments in diverse programs that can provide several solutions for their businesses. While there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach to virtual learning applications, companies that discover an approach that works for their organization unlock a valuable resource for employees and trainees moving forward.

Read this case study to see Skytap Virtual IT Labs enabled LearnQuest to deliver a better classroom experience for learners and better working environment for staff when creating and editing classes.