Norrtälje Municipality – A role model in digital education

In a time when municipalities face increasing demands to streamline processes and reach more people with limited resources, Norrtälje Municipality has taken a significant leap forward by digitizing its education initiatives. With a focus on accessibility and quality, the municipality has demonstrated how modern tools can create better opportunities for its employees.

Why digital education?

“It could take an entire workday for some employees to attend a training session,” says Maria Harg, HR Partner at Norrtälje Municipality. “By digitizing the training programs, we can create a more accessible and efficient model.”

Norrtälje is a geographically large municipality, spanning archipelagos and rural areas, meaning that many employees face long travel distances to central locations where training sessions were traditionally held. This presented significant challenges in terms of costs and efficiency.

The need for a solution became evident when the municipality’s rescue services, which were already using a Learning Management System (LMS), needed to renew their contract. This sparked a municipality-wide initiative to embrace digital education.

Further reading: How Ekerö Municipality works with digital knowledge sharing

The launch of “Mitt Lärande”

With Learnifier’s help, the municipality launched “Mitt Lärande,” a platform that consolidates all training programs in one place. “Mitt Lärande” has become a hub for everything from mandatory onboarding courses for new hires to advanced training for rescue services personnel.

One unique feature is certificate management. “We use certificates for the most critical training programs, which allows the system to automatically remind employees when it’s time for a refresher,” explains Magnus Skyttberg, Coordinator for Training and Exercises within the rescue services.

“We combine digital tools with practical exercises to ensure employees gain the knowledge they need for real-life situations. This is crucial to maintaining the highest level of readiness.”

The municipality employs blended learning, which combines digital education with practical components. This approach is particularly vital for departments like the rescue services, where theoretical knowledge is translated into hands-on exercises. During the pandemic, the platform was also used as a communication channel to quickly disseminate new guidelines and work procedures.

Further reading: Blended is Splendid – why mixed learning is the way forward

The benefits for the organization

Magnus Skyttberg adds, “Mitt Lärande has become an invaluable resource for us in the rescue services. We use the certificate function to automate the repetition of critical training and ensure that all employees are always up-to-date with the latest skills."

Through “Mitt Lärande,” the municipality has not only achieved a more efficient training structure but also created a platform that highlights career paths. For the rescue services, this has led to significant improvements in managing training, repetitions, and certifications, ensuring that all staff are prepared for their operational roles. Employees can easily see which training courses are required to advance to new roles, supporting both individual and organizational development.

Read more: Continuous learning begins with coffee – how Löfbergs works

Lessons learned and the future

The rescue services in Norrtälje Municipality have been pioneers in using digital training tools.

“Our need to continuously develop and maintain staff competencies has become much easier to manage with ‘Mitt Lärande.’ It’s not just about efficiency; it’s about maintaining vital readiness."

Norrtälje Municipality shows that investing in digital education is not just about technology but about fostering continuous learning and development. By working cross-functionally during the procurement process and including various departments in the platform’s design, the municipality has successfully created a solution that fits the entire organization.

With this success, the municipality plans to continue developing its education initiatives and inspire others to follow suit. Digitalization is not just about efficiency; it’s about reaching everyone—regardless of where they are located.

More than 320 companies and organizations currently work with Learnifier to easily and efficiently share knowledge, as well as create and administer courses, trainings, and training programs.