The first lockdown marked the start of a difficult period. Although TSTC quickly switched from classroom to online, all of working Netherlands faced new uncertainties.

We were stuck at home. Children too. Those who previously were eager to join an ICT training suddenly had concerns about safety and feasibility. Justified feelings, as the workings, risks, and regulations surrounding COVID-19 were far from set in stone.

"From June," Emile says, "we started with hybrid education. Some students came to Veenendaal, others stayed home. That went excellently until November. From early December, the most recent lockdown began, and we reverted to distance education. The plan was to switch back to hybrid around the end of January, but the lockdown has been extended."

Improving

Emile and his company were challenged to switch faster and maintain excellent service. Despite TSTC facing relentless uncertainty for almost a year, the director-owner sounds particularly energetic.

He explains: "The relatively small team we work with still comes to work with pleasure. Remarkable, as we normally make contact with new students every week. Those students are now at home. Maintaining a connection is challenging. Trainers still get some interaction, while sales, exam, or catering staff suddenly have to manage without contact."

"While I don't expect us to return to a world where trainings are always given in person, we seize every opportunity for proximity. When we can welcome participants again, we will ensure distance, wear masks, and follow RIVM guidelines. Until then, we continuously work on improving digital teaching."

Looking Forward

TSTC succeeds in improvement. Trainings adapt and can continue. Challenges certainly exist, but they are being tackled.

"The goal of our trainings is unshakeable,' Emile continues. 'You want to offer a successful learning trajectory. For that, you depend on interactivity. That interactivity is tricky, as trainers work with two different target groups. Therefore, we first strive for the right balance between home students and those present."

"Next, we implement tools that enable interactivity at a distance. With digital polls, we keep participants engaged. We are also currently working on MyTSTC, an online learning portal to support the training. This portal includes a memo trainer. This way, participants can continue to practice questions online to prepare successfully for exams. We keep innovating."

Adapting

Only when the influence of circumstances is set in stone can you successfully adapt to them. When circumstances change month by month, influence must be monitored continuously and flexibly.

TSTC creates this condition by continuously evaluating. Every student is asked afterward to share their experience. The result is an inventory of important points of attention. "We now know that participants experience online lessons as a worthy alternative to classroom training," Emile says. "And those who are not satisfied can return within a year to follow the training in person. That's our guarantee!"