The company is launching new research that examines attitudes towards virtual classroom technology. It will canvas UK businesses to measure their understanding of how staff can be trained in a virtual environment, their awareness of it as a training option, and why this indifference exists.

"Learning in virtual classrooms is a relatively new concept. It uses cloud technology to bring live instructor-led training directly to people's computers. We all use similar technology for online meetings or conference calls, but organizations have been slow to use the virtual environment for training. We want to know what the problem is", explains Bob Woodland, CEO of REDTRAY.

The results of the study will be shared with companies nationwide in the next month to help build the business case for revolutionising training and addressing skills shortages in the UK. According to a recent CIPD report, 75% of employers are experiencing problems linked directly to skills shortages, including the recruitment and development of staff.

Only thirteen percent of all training delivery in organizations is done virtually say analysts at Bersin and Associates, although learning in virtual classrooms has a number of advantages that could address the UK skills gap.

"What this technology offers is a way of keeping staff trained without worrying about their location or out of office time. It has no travel or subsistence costs, offers flexibility of access, there's a live trainer there to answer questions instantly, and people learn by doing practical exercises. These are real benefits to any organization", says Woodland.

He adds, "We want to enable UK organizations to embrace the future, so we can drive the worldwide economic recovery with highly skilled, high-performing staff."