This forum is for the benefit of all people who want to start a career in Instructional Designing or shift jobs during this time of recession.
As far as I know and have heard the recession is not affecting Instructional Designers much. In November 2008, Prof Karl Kapp cites an article that shows that e-learning is right up and he also concludes his article saying “In this economy with large corporations laying off employees, you may want to consider designing e-learning for small companies (if you are a content developer.)
So what do you have to say?
- Are companies hiring Instructional Designers?
- Are companies hiring freshers who want to start their career in Instructional Designing?
- Are freelance jobs more available than regular jobs?
- How is the e-learning industry doing?
Please feel free to add more information.
You can do any of the following:
- Post links to articles containing factual information about how recession is affecting Instructional Designers
- Share information you have heard about recession in e-learning industry
- Inform if you know of any friend who has got a job as an Instructional Designer in recent times
Please post the information in the comments section.
Let me the first to start
1) Lots of freelance jobs are avaialble for Instructional Designers. I know of friends who are doing this.
2) Recently one of my friends got a job as an Instructional Designer in a MNC
Seems like Infosys is hiring (poaching) IDs from other organization. But that’s the only major hiring I know that is happening in ID. I am hardly getting any calls asking me to join as an ID or give references of people who might be interested
.
I think the need for Instructional Designers is critical across small/medium/large establishments.
I would like to point our attention to the 2008 US training Industry report. Some extracts are as follows: (www.trainingmag.com/msg/publications/training.jsp)
Outsourcing learning services has dropped from $16.3 Bn to $15.4Bn. This figure has not declined as much as payroll spending because companies have brought in outside providers to fill the resource gaps left by staffing cuts.
Funding has moved toward programs that are either required or directly related to a learner’s job or profession
Learning strategy inclines towards more informal collaborative tools
Find ways to cut costs thru elearning reducing travel expenses by using elearning to replace classrooms (Ref: elearning guild article : surviving 2009)
All these results tell us that recession will make learning professionals think differently and the approach towards training could become more adaptive to the situation, for e.x relying more on informal methods of learning/building quick and short learning objects/building Knowledge management portals for information exchange. Hence I feel that need for ID is critical to ensure effective learning; whether they are hired or subcontracted could be left to details.
To make a different point, a larger focus will be on the role of the ID that needs to evolve to keep pace with changing business situation and technology advancements that can support formal/informal learning.
Today’s ID builds courses for an existing learning environment. Tomorrow’s ID will need to build the learning environment itself.
@ Manish – I agree. Even I have not recieved any mails or calls from HR. Good to know Infosys is hiring.
@ Sameer – Thanks for sharing this info.
Here is an interesting link: eLearning And Knowledge Acquisition Are Up In A Down Economy
Check out this interesting article by Tom on How You Can Save Your Training Job In This Economy
Timely post, Rupa
Almost 90% of Indian e-learning companies have stopped recruiting Instructional Designers (IDs). Very few companies hire IDs after ensuring that they will have a steady flow of projects for forthcoming 6 to 12 months. Some companies hire IDs for contract positions and some hire only IDs who have 1 to 2 years of experience in instructional design.
Some of my ID friends who are located in the US and UK have been laid off and I heard from them that large e-learning companies and universities, who outsource most of the e-learning projects to Indian e-learning companies, are playing safe
I am sure the current recession and tough situaution will pass away soon and we will resume discussions about the huge demand for IDs
Thanks for the information Satish.
I hope recession ends soon.
Yes, Infosys is hiring ID’s. And if any one of you or your friends are looking out for a switch, let me know.
I just heard Wipro Bangalore is hiring and IP Soft Bangalore
This is great news… Looks like hiring is on
In fact, I am getting emails from consultancies and MNCs, regarding ID jobs. But, I have the feeling that the companies want to take advantage of my low CTC. So that indirectly implies that companies are recruiting people with less experience or freshers, to cut costs. But I am happy with my present job….
Hi,
I would like to know about the current recruitments in ID career. Are there lot of oppurutunities in this field? I am looking for a change in career to ID. How are the oppurtunities for a fresher in the field? How would the PG Diploma from Symbiosis, Pune help?
Any reply would be of great help.