END USER INSIGHT
How does your Remote
Attendance capability work?
CNet works with the latest technology
to offer a fully immersive live learning
experience. Smart Rooms are fitted with
the latest high-definition, bi-directional
audio/visual communication and
collaboration tools, so all learners and the
instructor can see and interact with each
other in the usual way.
No high-tech equipment is needed to
attend, learners are just required to have
access to a laptop/PC with unrestricted
Internet connectivity and the latest
browser and suitable applications
for reading PDFs and standard office
documents. A USB camera, microphone
and separate speakers are recommended
or an integrated camera, microphone and
speakers. Dual monitors are recommended
as ideal to view an extended desktop and
further enjoy the experience.
Remote attendees simply receive a
link from CNet Training to download
the necessary free software and login
details for the CNet Training Learning
Management System. Then, along with
the items listed below, remote attendees
have everything they need to enjoy the
entire learning experience.
What has the general
feedback been like?
The feedback has been extremely positive,
and from learners in time zones from
across the world. As we have already
been running the ‘Remote Attendance’
program for a number of years, our leading
instructors have become experts when
it comes to teaching ‘virtually’. A recent
learner commented that the CNet team
has the skills and knowledge to maximise
the Remote Attendance capabilities
and is pushing the boundaries of what
we can do on the platform we use. For
those who have been hesitant to go for
‘Remote Attendance’ programs, we have
now introduced ‘Remote Attendance
Demonstrations’, short 40-minute demos
with one of our instructors to get a taste
of the interactive learning experience,
and these have proved really popular. The
majority of people that were unsure about
Remote Attendance learning before taking
part in demonstration have gone on to
book onto a program after experiencing
the demonstration for themselves.
What has the uptake been like in
different regions?
We have a full schedule of program dates
in most time zones across the world
and are able to deliver 15 live classes
simultaneously. So, it’s allowed us to keep
operating during this unprecedented time.
We can still deliver our entire schedule
(excluding the COPT and CIIT programs)
by way of Remote Attendance utilising our
Smart Rooms.
The Remote Attendance demonstrations
have been really popular to encourage
those more used to traditional classroombased
learning to try a new way of
learning. We have been able to showcase
to them just how interactive this way of
learning is. COVID-19 has meant people
all over the world are having to adapt and
learn to utilise technology to continue to
communicate and therefore continue to
enhance their teams.
How successful has it been
and does this determine its
future development?
Our strength is that we are able to
continue to deliver education programs
seamlessly throughout the digital
infrastructure industry during these
uncertain times. We haven’t had to buy or
learn new technology to run our programs
remotely as we have already been running
Remote Attendance programs across the
world for the last three years. COVID-19
is going to test the limits of data centres
around the globe, with more people
working/staying at home, the increased
traffic combined with data centre
operators themselves having to selfisolate
will be a challenge.
CNet is still able to run a full schedule
of programs in time zones across the
world that are Guaranteed to Run (#GTR)
to ensure our clients are still able to
professionally train and develop their
teams during this time.
It’s never been more critical for data centres
to have the right confident and competent
PEOPLE ARE
VIRTUALLY
CONNECTING
WITH FRIENDS,
FAMILY
AND LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
MORE NOW THAN
EVER BEFORE
FACE-TO-FACE.
teams in place to ensure they can continue
running 24/7 with minimum downtime.
How will companies view Remote
Attendance and remote working
after COVID-19?
I think the COVID-19 pandemic will impact
the way businesses look at technology
going forward, ensuring that they have
better systems/processes in place to
allow people to work from home more
frequently, looking at more flexible working
options and where possible, hold more
virtual meetings rather than requiring
everyone to travel for one meeting. The
world can’t stop because we aren’t capable
of running things the same way we did
previously. People are virtually connecting
with friends, family and local communities
more now than ever before face-to-face. If
utilised correctly, there are some fantastic
technology tools that can really bring the
meeting or education program into an
environment that best suits the individual
and so is more flexible for them and more
sustainable for the environment. There
will always be clients that will prefer a
classroom-based learning environment or
face-to-face meeting, but I do believe the
pandemic will reinforce the belief of those
organisations that were already working
more virtually/remotely, and start to make
companies and employees that were
previously against this way of working
re-assess their approach. I believe it’s the
forward-thinking companies and the ones
that have the ability and conviction to
adapt to change that will lead the way in
the future. ◊
www.intelligentdatacentres.com Issue 15
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