Learning Light promotes both e-learning investment from USA, and UK e-learning in the USA

Learning Light (LL), a non-profit Centre of Excellence which highlights and promotes best practice in the use of learning technologies in the workplace, and the North of England Inward Investment Agency (NoE) is collaborating to promote the UK’s capacity to produce top quality bespoke e-learning materials as well as to encourage US-based producers of e-learning and related products and services to expand to, and invest in, South Yorkshire.

Representatives of both LL and NoE will be attending the ‘Learning 2006’ conference, being held in Orlando, Florida, from 5th to 8th November, with the NoE as one of the event’s sponsors. Hosted by US e-learning guru, Elliott Masie, Learning 2006 is a major event in the US e-learning calendar and has attracted over 1,200 delegates.

“Over the last 20 years or so, the UK has developed skills and expertise in all aspects of designing, developing and delivering e-learning materials to the point where UK e-learning producers now lead the European market,” commented Mark Pittaway, LL’s CEO. “It makes sense for US e-learning producers looking to develop their markets throughout Europe to make use of this expertise and market leading position by coming to the UK.”

”The NoE highlights the advantages which the North of England can bring to a company's strategic vision and can add value to clients' plans by working closely with them connecting them to its private and public sector network, while providing a powerful, independent consultancy service,” explained the organisation’s UK Project Director, Piers Willson. “Furthermore, it partners with companies that have already invested in the region, helping them to anticipate strategic shifts and facilitate operation in the region, while constantly improving their North of England experience.”

Willson added that, since LL is a Centre of Excellence promoting best practice in the use of learning technologies in the workplace, the NoE is enlisting its help at Learning 2006 in explaining, to the event’s delegates, the e-learning market in the UK and the benefits of them establishing a base in Yorkshire.

“There are also some grants being made available to attract inward investors from the US e-learning industry to south Yorkshire,” revealed LL’s David Patterson.

“There are already some 800 US companies with bases in the NoE region, which encompasses the North West and North East of England, as well as Yorkshire. These companies are a valuable source of employment in the region and there is every reason to suppose that more US firms can benefit from investing here – and creating jobs locally.

“Sheffield, for example, has excellent communications with the rest of Britain, a strong pool of skilled workers who are experienced in the ‘digital industries’ and a number of large, potential customers for these e-learning products and services.”

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