The challenges of physical labs: Why traditional software training labs are no longer feasible

Why in-person software labs are no longer feasible...

Traditionally, hands-on software training was provided using physical labs. Learners would congregate in classrooms filled with expensive computers pre-loaded with the necessary lab material. Instructors with limited tracking ability did their best to guide attendees through complicated material, despite significant limitations.

Needing More

However, in an age where learners demand access to training at the touch of a button, the cons of in-person labs outweigh the pros. And now the global pandemic has made in-person training unsafe, requiring organizations to find alternatives to in-person, instructor led labs for their software training.

Here are some of the key limitations to the way traditional software labs were delivered:

• Post-pandemic safety: For better or worse, Covid-19 has changed the way we deliver training of all kinds. In-person, instructor-led software labs are no longer safe given what we know about disease transmission in tight spaces and during travel.
  
  
• Cumbersome Set-up logistics: For these labs, machines would have to be set up in a classroom environment prior to the training date, requiring extensive planning and logistics.
  
  
• Excessive Set-up costs: Machines would often have to be shipped to training locations and instructors flown to the physical space.
  
  
• Endless Machine Maintainence: For these labs to be effective, the machines used would have to be maintained constantly, updated with the software necessary for training exercises. And that’s before we even mention troubleshooting.
  
  
• Limited Scale: Because there were limited available spaces at the physical location, training could not be scaled effectively.
  
  
• Rigid Schedule: Attendees would find it hard to keep up with day-to-day demands of their job to immerse themselves in an on-site training.
  
  
• Lack of Instructor Oversight: because individuals would often be responsible for their own machines on-site, instructors would have limited oversight during the training
  
  
• Lack of practicality: Simulations are better than nothing, but they lack the impact of real-world, hands-on training in a live environment.

A Solution

Luckily, virtual labs satisfy the practical needs of technical training without any in-person contact – all monitoring and instruction is built into the lab structure, with activity tracking available within the lab environment itself.

Traditional lab training sessions are difficult to deliver without a trainer, but virtual labs are designed to stand alone, and can also be used for trainer-led labs. They are designed from the ground up to be self-paced.

We provide virtual labs to some of the world’s leading technology companies – and we provide free initial consultations to investigate if virtual labs might be an appropriate solution for you and your team.

To learn more, get in touch, or download our virtual labs eBook below.