Michael Sweeney's  Instablog

GP Strategies' Learning Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function, operation, or task to an outside entity or person. Industries and corporations are constantly seeing and using new products and changing technologies that requires companies to ensure their workforces are trained and up-to-date.

Today's human resources and training professionals are challenged with increased expectations and reduced resources, and this contributes to the decision for firms and corporations to outsource learning.

Corporate leaders leverage learning outsourcing as a means to meet the demands of changing business conditions. Typically a client's goal is to increase flexibility, improve quality, and/or reduce costs, and GP Strategies provides expert management from a trustworthy partner.

GP Strategies' Mission: To improve a client's performance and competitiveness through the integration of people, processes, and technologies. GP Strategies accomplishes this by providing innovative training and consulting solutions in long-term partnership with customers.

Learning Outsourcing Solutions - GP Strategies offers training outsourcing services that support the full range of a training organization's needs in areas including knowledge management, learning and content management systems, e-learning development, and training business process outsourcing.

Solutions include:

• Consulting services - From front-end analysis to enterprise assessments, GP Strategies puts strategic power behind training program design and development.
• E-learning development - GP Strategies' proprietary Ready2Role™ methodology ensures that client goals are addressed and met.
• Learning technologies - GP Strategies is uniquely qualified to help find specific technology solutions for specific clients.
• Professional services - GP Strategies offers services from consulting to full systems integration capabilities.
• Hosting - GP Strategies monitors client solutions 24/7 at their certified facilities around the globe.
• Help desk - Client satisfaction is GP Strategies' first priority when it comes to addressing technology issues.

GP Strategies (NYSE: GPX) has the flexibility to scale their solutions to a client's needs with cost-effective infrastructure and best-in-class program selection, development, and delivery.

The benefits of a good outsourcing strategy include:

• Cost-effectiveness
• Greater focus on core business
• Access to world-class solutions

As a global expert in managed learning services, GP Strategies understands that every company and training organization is different, which is why they develop unique solutions based upon a client's specific needs. A client's strategic objectives may require assistance with learning operations and logistics or vendor management. GP Strategies works with clients to:

• Identify best practices
• Develop processes
• Gain operational flexibility
• Build the ideal training outsourcing solution for clients

Learning Industry Intelligence - Each year GP Strategies, in conjunction with Training Industry, Inc., undertakes an in-depth market research study on a key issue in the industry. The following market research studies can be downloaded as examples of GP Strategies' capabilities:

• Best Practices in Engaging SMEs During a Learning Content Development Project
• Delivering Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT)
• Best Practices in Working With Learning Service Providers

Quality Service - GP Strategies is committed to providing clients with quality service and continuous improvement in training outsourcing. GP Strategies' processes are ISO-registered and the company has received a favorable SSAE 16 Type II opinion for the last five consecutive years. Additionally, they have a number of quality systems in place to ensure continuous improvement and world-class service beyond national standards:

• Web-based quality system - They house and maintain the resources needed to ensure quality securely online, including job descriptions, procedures, work instructions, and forms.
• Corrective action reporting - The quality system is designed to identify and eliminate recurring problems and defects. Each time a problem is encountered, data is collected, a daily report is generated, and the problem is tracked through resolution.
• Preventive action reporting - The system is designed to proactively prevent problems from affecting the efficiency and availability of a client's solution.
• Performance measures - Performance measures are established, monitored daily, and reported on a regular basis. The service-level agreements measured include quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction.

GP Strategies delivers with expert learning solutions, finely tuned to client objectives, culture, processes, and technologies. As the largest and most experienced custom training company in the U.S., nobody has more experience with best practices, lessons learned, and proven successes to put to work on behalf of clients than GP Strategies.

See additional white papers, webinars, or case studies on the performance improvement topics affecting today's organizations.

GPiLEARN is the industry leader in online plant training. GP Strategies (NYSE: GPX) provides clients with access to thousands of lessons and exams that will lower operating costs while providing employee training anytime, anywhere. From apprentice to seasoned employee, the power plant experts at GPiLEARN partners with clients to create a blended training program.

Starting April 30, 2012, GP Strategies will be presenting the 2012 GPiLEARN Users Conference in Tempe, Arizona. This workshop is for GPiLEARN administrators, power plant management, and leadership to:

• Benchmark training programs
• Effectively utilize the GPiLEARN site
• Learn about current tools and trends to help generate peak performance

The GPiLEARN Users Conference offers up to four days of sessions covering in-depth training topics such as:

• Instructor-Led Training: (Monday, April 30)
• GPiLEARN Company Administrator Training (2 day class)
• Classroom and OJT Instruction for Trainers (1 day class)

GPiLEARN Case Study: Luminant (formerly TXU) had operated a training facility from the early 1970s until 1995. Due to stable workforce conditions and limited growth, the facility was underused and eventually closed. However, with the construction of three new power plants and attrition levels due to an aging workforce, management realized that training was a critical piece of the future planning process at Luminant. This case study describes Luminant's success and how GP Strategies implemented a "best in class" workforce qualification program.

Other GPiLearn clients include:

• Alabama Electric
• Austin Energy
• Cogentrix
• Dairyland Power Cooperative
• Delta Power Services
• Duke Power
• FirstEnergy
• GE Infra
• Invenergy
• IPR - GDF Suez
• Minnesota Power
• PurEnergy
• Seminole Electric
• Southern California Edison

About GP Strategies - GP Strategies, a NYSE-listed company (GPX), is a global performance improvement solutions provider of sales and technical training, e-Learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services. GP Strategies' solutions improve the effectiveness of organizations by delivering innovative and superior training, consulting and business improvement services, customized to meet the specific needs of its clients. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing, process and energy industries, and other commercial and government customers. Additional information may be found at gpstrategies.com.

Elkridge, MD. February 23, 2012 - GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX), a global performance improvement solutions provider of sales and technical training, e-Learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services, will release its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 results on Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

The Company has scheduled an investor conference call for 10:00 a.m. ET on February 29, 2012. In addition to prepared remarks from management, there will be a question and answer session on the call. The dial-in number for the live conference call will be 888-227-6492 or 303-223-2683 using conference ID number 21580547. A telephone replay of the call will also be available beginning at 12:00 p.m. on February 29th and will be available until 12:00 p.m. on March 14th. To listen to the replay, dial 800-633-8284 or 402-977-9140, using conference ID number 21580547. A replay will also be available on GP Strategies' website shortly after the conclusion of the call.

About GP Strategies

GP Strategies, a NYSE-listed company (GPX), is a global performance improvement solutions provider of sales and technical training, e-Learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services. GP Strategies' solutions improve the effectiveness of organizations by delivering innovative and superior training, consulting and business improvement services, customized to meet the specific needs of its clients. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing, process and energy industries, and other commercial and government customers. Additional information may be found at www.gpstrategies.com.

Contacts

Ann M. Blank - Investor Relations - (410) 379-3725