Futuremedia & Royal Mail have completed the second phase of the UK’s largest Home Computing Inititative (HCI).

The Royal Mail first introduced Futuremedia’s programme last November, signing up 16,500 employees. Having proved so popular, the scheme was launched again, prompting a further 5,500 people to register for Learning For All.

Futuremedia’s Learning For All programme gives employees the opportunity to gain an internet-ready, fully installed home computer system for as little as £4.40 per week. The fully managed HCI scheme gives employees access to chart-topping games and on-line learning content, helping the whole family to develop their IT skills and capabilities.

Mats Johansson, chief executive officer of Futuremedia, commented: “Royal Mail’s second phase demonstrates Futuremedia’s accomplishment in working with one of the UK’s largest employers, as well as the UK Government’s Home Computing Initiative. We’ve uniquely maximised the reach of e-learning as well as helped Royal Mail improve employee motivation. Since November’s original launch, Royal Mail and Futuremedia have won a prestigious Employee Benefits Award, demonstrating the value of this initiative to both Royal Mail employees and the business.”

Futuremedia’s Learning For All complements Royal Mail’s existing corporate e-learning programmes by providing access to the Internet for those who lack it in their work environment. The scheme also benefits its employees and their families by introducing individual learning, home shopping via the Internet, email, games and multimedia entertainment.

Tony McCarthy, Royal Mail people and organisational director said:: “The vast majority of our workforce are postmen and women who spend most of their working day out of the office delivering letters and parcels to addresses across the UK. They do not have access to a PC learning in the workplace, but many of them do have a high desire to develop their skills. We wanted to introduce a scheme which allows them, and their families, to cost-effectively enjoy the benefits that access to a computer can bring.”

About Royal Mail
Royal Mail Group operates under three trusted brands – Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide and Post Office Ltd. Royal Mail Group has annual sales of over £8 billion and a workforce of over 200,000. Royal Mail delivers over 82 million items a day to 27 million addresses around the UK. Parcelforce Worldwide provides customers with access to the world’s largest delivery network, covering 239 countries and territories. Through Post Office Ltd the company has the largest retail network in the UK with around 16,000 Post Office branches, visited by 28 million people each week.

About Futuremedia
Futuremedia plc (est. 1983) is the European-based e-Learning provider with the broadest offering currently available in the UK and Continental European markets. The Company has 20 years experience in providing technology-based solutions in the fast growing e-Learning market.

Through the fostering of long term partner relationships with its customers, Futuremedia supplies public and private sector organisations with services and products ranging from learning consultancy, Learning Management Systems, custom made learning programmes, an extensive library of published courseware titles from leading content providers as well as Futuremedia’s sophisticated knowledge transfer systems to Human Resources systems allowing for evaluation, needs analysis and follow up of individual employees, tailored to the individual clients’ needs.

The Company uses proven technologies to drive its innovative products: Aktivna, Futuremedia’s full suite of Learning Management Solutions, which in its largest application has a capacity for 240,000 users; ELSA, an interactive learning system using leading edge simulation technologies; and the award-winning Learning For All™, a fully hosted service which allows employees to have access to learning at home for the whole family at a cost discounted through corporate buying power and Government tax incentives.

Futuremedia’s customers include Britvic, BT, BUPA, Channel Four, Daimler Chrysler, GSK, Hilton International, IDEA, the UK National Health Service, Royal Mail and Syngenta. The Company is partnered with Centra Software, Fujitsu-Siemens, Microsoft, Thompson NETg and Skillsoft in delivering its products and solutions.