According to Greg Stewart, publisher of The Citizen, CitiCollege was founded in 2008 through a partnership of The Citizen, Kalleo Learning, a specialist elearning company, and Webizar, a new media production company.
“From the outset, our aim has been to change lives,” said Stewart. “We are making online education open and accessible to all learners at a time and place that is convenient for them. Learners can work at their own pace, manage their progress, generate reports and take part in online discussions.”
An integral element of CitiCollege is the support of South African companies who can utilise this powerful platform to market and advertise their company. Not only will they receive a good return on their investment, but they will also be sponsoring the cost of providing this learning material to potential learners who could not afford to pay for it themselves. Courses that are available for sponsorship include: Office 2007, Internet Explorer 5 and 6, Business Communications, Accounting Basics, Change Management, and Effective Project Management.
“It is a wonderful example of corporate social investment and marketing working hand-in-hand,” says Stewart. “We have found a way of providing the community with low-cost e-learning opportunities, while also rewarding companies with extensive advertising. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Along with offering free and low-cost learning, CitiCollege also provides an exciting Corporate Learning Solution (CLS) that is aimed specifically at small and medium size enterprises that need to train and upskill their staff at a highly affordable rate. These companies will be given access to CitiCollege material where they can create accounts for their staff, assign learning modules and generate reports. Companies can also host their existing learning material on the CitiCollege platform or create their own customized material.
The Citizen has thrown its publishing weight behind CitiCollege by committing to three million rand's worth of advertising. “Our goal is to create extensive public awareness and establish CitiCollege as the primary learning portal in South Africa,” says Stewart. “CitiCollege advertisers will benefit directly from this marketing drive, which will enhance their brand value while also demonstrating their commitment to corporate responsibility. We are unbelievably excited about this ground-breaking e-learning model and look forward to partnering with South African companies to make this a resounding success for all.”
For more information please visit: www.citicollege.co.za or contact the e-learning call centre: +27 11 782 1380.
