Moodle Workplace Implementation |

Supporting Compliance Training for 4000+ Ski Patrollers Across Canada

All 4000+ members of the Canadian Ski Patrol are required to satisfy all extensive training program requirements – and re-certify annually – in advanced first aid, CPR, AED, and on-snow rescue technique compliant to their respective provincial zones.

The CSP has been using Moodle for about 15 years to conduct patroller training and to track member qualifications. However, as a member-managed organisation, specific operations – implementation, system management and creation of content training – were all performed by volunteers in their spare time with limited resources and no formal training on the Moodle platform. Having to adapt to ongoing change and growth, the Canadian Ski Patrol needed to review the effectiveness and efficiency of their operations.

Some of the key challenges the CSP were facing included:

• Changing member demographics and expectations – a more flexible approach to education delivery modes was required (such as mobile learning and ability to access systems at any time) to address the broad, and geographically-spread membership
• Diverse compliance requirements & associated risks – the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the inability of the current platform to easily adapt to different regional health guidelines related to First-Responder protocols across jurisdictions. This put members at risk and caused dissatisfaction among trainees, negatively impacting member retention
• Data privacy issues – the heavy reliance on hard copy record keeping created storage and data privacy concerns
• Manual, and time consuming processesThings like data and exam results management, as well as the data transfer between Moodle and CSP’s CRM, were performed manually – downloading, reformatting, verifying, uploading, shredding any printed collateral etc. These tasks were time-consuming, costing thousands of hours from volunteers across Canada to do the upkeep of the annual processes.
• Disruption – CSP’s administrators sometimes had to shut down for days, and even weeks, to ensure the systems are secure and up-to-date
• Limited resources and no formal administrator training on how to use the Moodle platform
• Inability to provide a great variety of training options e.g. only required parts of a course program for some cohorts
• Member retention challenges

To address these challenges, the Canadian Ski Patrol team was looking for a solution that would:

• Automate and integrate administrative processes
• Seamlessly integrate with the existing membership management database and certification systems.
• Simplify compliance tracking while accommodating varying provincial requirements
• Offer flexible learning options for different groups, such as partial access to training for those not required to complete the full Advanced First Aid Course
• Enable easy and efficient management of training records across different groups / cohorts
• Provide consulting and training services for content and course management
• Ensure compatibility with mobile platforms
• Offer ongoing and flexible system availability
• Enhance overall user experience
• Provide 24/7 expert monitoring and client support

While the pre-existing platform could potentially solve some of these needs, it fell short in fully meeting requirements; it still required the help of a Moodle Premium Certified Partner to complete the job. Unlocking the full potential of your Moodle LMS demands significant technical expertise – capabilities that only Moodle Certified Partners can provide.

Recognising this, the Canadian Ski Patrol team chose to partner with Catalyst IT – a Moodle Premium Certified Partner with over 20 years of experience – to revitalize their training program.

The team at Catalyst IT Canada worked closely with the Canadian Ski Patrol to understand their key needs and challenges. The outcome of the initial investigation was a decision to transition their organisation from an on-premise Moodle LMS to Moodle Workplace (MWP), hosted on Catalyst’s optimised, high-availability infrastructure with 24/7 Follow the Sun Support.

To revitalize the Canadian Ski Patrol’s training program, Catalyst IT strategically leveraged Moodle Workplace’s features and implemented a phased approach to modernise both the platform, it’s content, automation and reporting analytics.

With Moodle Workplace’s multi-tenancy and content features, it will not only provide efficiencies to the CSP’s administrative processes, but also provide opportunities for members to access their training content and achieve compliance in a new way.

Key elements of the project included a multi-phased implementation:

Phase 1: Integration

• Implementation of a new Moodle Workplace instance with full multi-tenancy, complete with the full 24/7 infrastructure, hosting and application support

• Development of a plugin that would automate user registration and enrolment; and integrate Canadian Ski Patrol’s CRM into Moodle Workplace

• Basic initial training sessions to increase the CSP users knowledge of course, activity, and user management essentials

Phase 2: Content Optimisation

• Design and deliver a Mini Pilot rollout to a select group of users, featuring blended learning content and newly developed interactive modules to replace outdated materials—providing insight into what future learning could look like.

• Interim training support for CSP administrators on the use of Moodle Workplace, as well as recommendations and best practices for creating engaging compliance training content

Phase 3: Further Training Support

• The Catalyst team provided an advanced, 3-day “Train the Trainer” program to upskill and and designate super users who can manage day-to-day site administration, including automation, reporting & analytics, course and user management, tenant management, organizational structure, programs, and certifications.

As a result of the Moodle Workplace implementation, Canadian Ski Patrol members can now benefit from efficiencies in administrative tasks and significantly improved user experience.

More specifically, the following have been achieved:

• Automation of administrative tasks
• An integrated system: The integration of the Moodle Workplace with CSP’s CRM means elimination of manual processes, such as updating member data and management of training records for different groups / cohorts
• Easy certification and re-certification management
• The user interface and courses are offered in the learner’s preferred language – English or French
• Revitalised content: A full suite of tools are now available to refresh CSP’s training and compliance programs, including greater control over content review, refreshed graphics and consistent narration volumes for video content
• Improved user experience: the refined course layouts and dashboard provide a more user-friendly experience for learners
• Engagement tools:using plugins and tools, such as H5P, enables for more engaging content through gamification
• Greater accessibility / flexibility in delivery modes: Users can now access training via mobile devices if they wish; and the ability to work through courses in offline mode, thus extending their reach into Canada’s remote regions
• Seamless management of country-wide compliance requirements: All patrollers must be compliant in their training with the National Integrated Standard (CSA Z1210-24), which may differ for each zone, district or province. With full multi-tenancy on Moodle Workplace, Canadian Ski Patrol can conduct compliance training seamlessly, while keeping different areas of the organization s. At the same time, CSP administrators maintain centralised oversight of all learners, and learners enjoy unified access to all relevant courses and programs. This approach enhances flexibility, accessibility, and overall operational efficiency.
• Overall improved user satisfaction and a much lower risk of administrator burnout

In addition, CSP team will enjoy support and training in content and course management, secure resilient infrastructure, with high availability and no disruption, and 24/7 technical support. This means, they can dedicate the majority of their time on doing what they do best – delivering effective “on-snow” compliance training for their patrollers.

As compliance standards continue to evolve, the need for efficient administrative processes and dynamic, adaptable training programs is more crucial than ever. Compliance is not just about meeting regulatory requirements: it‘s about building trust, safeguarding reputation, and empowering employees to conduct their work safely and with confidence.

The Canadian Ski Patrol now has the assurance that their LMS is up-to-date, cyber-resilient, and cost-effective. The multi-tenancy feature of Moodle Workplace gives their team the flexibility and scalability it needs to support the organisation’s growth and success.

In partnership with Catalyst IT, Canadian Ski Patrol can realise the full potential of their new and improved LMS, and this is a testament to their commitment to excellence. We thank the Canadian Ski Patrol for trusting us with this project.

Ready to take your workplace training to the next level? Chat with the Catalyst IT Canada team today and let’s talk about how we can help!