If you catch your postman with a laptop these days, it's a sure sign that electronic methods of delivery are catching on with traditional methods of distance learning!

Not content with working to establish a joint online HR and Training Academy with TrainingZONE, Futuremedia have been contracted to put together a new e-learning service for the Post Office in the UK. As one of the UK's biggest employers , around 200,000 Post Office employees will eventually be able to access induction training, generic IT training, bespoke internal IT systems training and training to develop marketing skills electronically. In the first six months, Futuremedia's e-learning package will deliver training directly to 6,000 employees.

The Post Office hopes that adding e-learning to their methods of delivering training will increase the reach of training where logistical problems have previously limited the number of staff able to take part. It's unclear whether those involved in directly distributing mail will be able to log on to lap tops, or will have to visit designated e-learning centres to access the training materials.

Futuremedia will look after the software, platform and site-hosting of the new system, but will also search for and administer any additional e-learning requirements the Post Office may have. Mats Johansson, CEO of Futuremedia, says, "The Post Office's move to embrace e-learning is a major coup for e-learning. The fact that this world-famous distribution company is adopting Futuremedia's approach to teach thousands of employees cost-efficiently will encourage many more."

The joint collaboration between Futuremedia and TrainingZONE will see the creation of an online academy providing training courses, live virtual classroom events and a unique combination of resource materials, news and community features.