Ford Motor Company selects Solstra to deliver online training to 20,000 engineers worldwide

The Ford Motor Company has purchased a 20,000 user licence for Solstra, the net-based learning and knowledge management system from British Telecommunications plc and Futuremedia plc.

Starting immediately, Solstra will be used by the Ford Design Institute (FDI), based in Michigan, USA, to deliver and manage global training via the company intranet for up to 20,000 engineers. Futuremedia and BT will provide consultancy and customisation services for FDI for the duration of the two year contract.

By training online using Solstra, Ford's engineers located in North and South America, Europe and Australasia will have instant and flexible access to consistent training materials and job support information, regardless of time-zone or location. FDI will also benefit from Solstra's facility for centralised updating and distribution of learning materials and its detailed management overview of training in progress and completed.

The 20,000 user Solstra licence follows the purchase of a 500 user licence by Ford Motor Company's Education and Training Division for Northern Europe, in April this year. Solstra has since been used to deliver Ford's QS-9000/Q1 quality standard training course to employees and suppliers, and has been exposed to other Ford divisions with a view to extend its use by the company internationally.

Roscoe Nash Jr, the US-based Dean of the Ford Design Institute said, "We are at a critical stage in the transition of our engineering training to online delivery. Having evaluated a number of potential management systems, we selected Solstra because it provided us with the greatest level of flexibility and support, while meeting aggressive timing demands."

Norman Burton, Futuremedia's Chief Executive Officer commented, "We have been working in partnership with the Ford Motor Company for many years. In particular, we have recently helped the Ford Design Institute develop their net-based assessment and training modules. We are delighted that the FDI has selected Solstra to help them deliver and manage their engineering training."

Mick Durham, Product Manager for Solstra at BT, said, "Solstra was launched nine months ago and has since created its own market position as the complete solution for the delivery and management of learning online. Ford's decision to expand its use of Solstra endorses its potential as the preferred learning technology for world class organisations."

For further information please contact:
Zoë Steventon or Victoria Edwards
Tel: 0171-379 3234
Fax: 0171-836 4755
email: victoria.edwards@ketchumcomms.co.uk

For more information, please visit Solstra