We provide a highly flexible approach to source, develop and manage training design, delivery, administration and evaluation. |
KnowledgePool re-establishes itself with focus on outsourcing and new management
29th June 2004
One of the best-known names in the training and development industry has chosen to focus on its core capability of providing outsourced learning services. KnowledgePool is enjoying sustained profitability, as an independent business under private equity ownership, since it was acquired in February 2004, by investment company Root Capital.
As part of its new focus, the company has launched an 'outsourcing menu' - a list of training functions and projects that it can manage on behalf of clients, including training administration, third party supplier procurement and management, training programme delivery, training needs analysis, learning consultancy and talent management.
Clients can 'selectively outsource' any of these functions. If required, KnowledgePool can also take over the management of an entire in-house training department.
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"We have focused the business to concentrate on outsourced learning services, an area that KnowledgePool has a long track-record and a real competitive edge, although the business has not actively tried to build on this strength in the past," said Simon Philips, Chairman of KnowledgePool. "We're a dynamic, market-oriented company with 40 years experience in the training industry and nearly 20 years experience in outsourcing. This expertise enables us to share best practice across client organisations and pass on substantial cost savings through economies of scale and through technology." |
To champion this change of emphasis, KnowledgePool has appointed Rod Edwards as Chief Executive and Paul Jefferson as Managing Director of its managed learning division.
Rod Edwards has significant experience of business process management, operations and sales, including large outsourcing agreements. Before joining KnowledgePool, he was President and General Manager for Europe at TeleTech, a global teleservices and outsourced customer relationship management company. Prior to this, he spent eight years at Electronic Data Systems (EDS), latterly as Vice President of Strategic Sales, across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He was previously a managing consultant with Computer Sciences Corporation and, before that, a Commander in the Royal Navy. He holds an MBA from the Open Business School, a masters degree from the Royal Military College and a BSc from Imperial College.
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"Outsourcing is an attractive, low risk strategy that enables an organisation to increase capacity, reduce administration costs and accommodate fluctuating workloads," said Rod Edwards. "It is a compelling business proposition. We can help clients free up their resources from low-level training tasks so they can concentrate on their pressing HR concerns. Our priorities now are to build on the successful KnowledgePool brand and to grow the business." |
Paul Jefferson has 15 years experience in management consultancy and operational roles. As Managing Director of managed learning, he is responsible for the division's key client accounts.
For seven years, he was a management consultant with global firm A.T. Kearney, responsible for procurement, supply chain and large-scale operations implementation projects across diverse industry sectors. He recently worked as an independent consultant on a post-merger integration project in the retail sector. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and an engineering degree from the University of Cambridge.
KnowledgePool claims to be using a proven outsourcing methodology that can cut an organisation's training overheads and provide a measurable quality of service, delivered to agreed service levels, without the client losing 'control'.
The company has vendor-independent relationships with 30 major training providers and 80 individual trainers. This enables it to objectively recommend and utilise the most appropriate delivery method and supplier for a client's IT and soft skills training needs.
It also provides learning and HR consultancy services; bespoke instructor-led training; bespoke e-learning and blended learning programmes; off-the-shelf e-learning and an online mentoring support service.
For more information about KnowledgePool, please call 0800 783 1765 or e-mail info@knowledgepool.com
