I love the looks I get from people when I tell them what I do for a living. It’s kind of a blank, yet knowing stare, mixed with a head nod that clearly says “Oh! You’re a writer.”
Then, when I add eLearning into the mix I tend to lose them completely. Why? Because in truth most people outside of the eLearning industry have no idea what it really looks like to make a career out of writing content and teaching others via technology.
But here’s the thing. They may not understand the process, but odds are good that they have used the product more often than they even realize. Why? Because the eLearning industry is booming, and all the latest data tells us that things won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
Let me give you a few examples. 
By the end of 2015 the global eLearning market is projected to surpass $105 billion. This is up from just $32.1 billion in 2010. Pretty impressive growth curve! I mean, I don’t know about you but I’m stinking thrilled to be part of an industry that can enjoy a 200% growth curve in just 5 years.
Where is that growth coming from? It’s literally worldwide. India is up 55%. Brazil is up 26%. Colombia is up 20%. The numbers go on and on. But keep in mind that these numbers translate to people. People who took the time to research the options at hand and decided that some form of eLearning proved to be the very best option to meet their needs. And it’s not just individuals who are making the move to mobile learning, its happening in the corporate world too.
The latest trends show us that online corporate training and development is projected to grow by 13% annually all the way through 2017. Today these types of corporate clients make up approximately 30% of all eLearning consumers and that number is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
How is all this training being delivered? It’s pretty straightforward. Most companies (74%) are still using LMS systems to deliver a virtual classroom setting. But they are also using other methods to supplement this approach. Things like ppt conversion tools, mobile applications, podcasting and knowledge management systems are often being offered and utilized right along side of the corporate LMS.
The best news? We are just starting to hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential. In 2015 only 44% of companies plan to use some sort of eLearning training option. This means we have untapped potential just sitting there in the other 56% of organizations around the world.
So the question is, what are we going to do with it?
I don’t know about you but seeing these kinds of numbers makes me excited! I want to know more and I can’t wait to see what the future will hold. We have such an opportunity sitting in front of us and I love the potential of it all. Think about it. These numbers represent a MAJOR shift in how knowledge will be shared from now on.
How we learn is changing. How we train is changing. How we develop content is changing. And all this is happening right now. Not only that, but we get a front row seat while it all comes together.
More than that, we have the chance to do our part to shape this new future and help eLearning become as effective and user friendly as possible. It’s a time when we are only limited by our own ingenuity and there are literally no limits to what we can accomplish. So, what exactly are we going to come up with next?
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The Axis Learning Management System is a powerful, budget-friendly, easy-to-use Online Learning Management System for authoring, managing, and tracking online training (including social e-learning). To try it FREE, go to the Axis LMS Sign-up Form.