Online Learning Hits All-Time High, Software Engineer Anton Novikau Brings His Expertise to Talaera

Between the Covid-19 pandemic and the technical revolution, the demand for and interest in the e-learning industry has hit an all-time high. As people around the world search for ways to increase their skills, online learning platforms provide an option that is not only accessible, but also much more affordable. Often, online programs can be done anywhere in the world and on the learner’s own schedule. This provides a sense of freedom and flexibility that has never been seen before in the educational sector.

At the same time, there has been a worldwide transition to remote working conditions. This has impacted the dynamics of the workplace dramatically, in both positive and negative ways. Regardless of your own personal opinion on remote working, it is something that we must come to terms with. It’s here to stay, in at least some capacity.

E-Learning For Employees

Individuals all across the world are working to expand their education, however, there are also many companies looking to reskill and upskill their own teams. Communication in the workplace can be challenging for even the most well educated, as it is imperative to consider both professionalism and cultural backgrounds. With the popularity of remote working, teams are less localized and often include people of different ethnicities who speak different languages.

“Communication is the key to everything,” says Anton Novikau, Head of Mobile Development at Talaera, “From building personal relationships to professional relationships. It’s a key human factor that cannot be absent from creating a cohesive community. It is important, especially in today’s landscape where we can be working with an international team from the comfort of our own home.”

Anton Novikov, Head of Mobile Development at Talaera

He goes on to illustrate how important communication is in the remote workforce, “Working remotely can pose a number of challenges and employees have to figure out how best to handle them as they come, but one of the key problems that we’re seeing in today’s modern work environment is the lack of effective communication due to cultural differences.”

Talaera is an online learning platform that provides business English training for global teams on demand. Non-native English professionals get to work on their specific needs and improve their communication skills for presentations, business meetings, negotiations, professional emails, and pronunciation.

The Man Behind The Technology

Originally from Belarus, Novikau discovered software development in his childhood and recalls spending most of his free time honing his skills and even creating his own websites on his first computer. Later, while studying at the Belarussian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, he found his passion for Android development. Wisely, he recognized that it was a highly competitive industry and wasted no time gaining experience.

He was first employed with Qulix Systems, a major Belarusian IT service company, while he was still a student. He helped to develop cutting-edge applications for various Western markets and customers, and was even promoted to senior software developer during his last year with the company. In his next position, as senior software developer at ISsoft Solutions, he began to take on more of a leadership role.

Talaera had been following Novikau’s work and they were extremely impressed with his trajectory. They decided to bring him into the team on senior role and, as the head of mobile development, he became responsible for spearheading the top-tier e-learning platform.

Novikau has independently owned and maintained the entire software lifecycle of the Android application, ensuring that it kept pace with the server’s development. He quickly learned the server’s architecture and components, and made significant contributions to improving the code and enhancing the app’s features.

When asked about Novikau’s contributions, Mel MacMahon – VP of product at Talaera – shares: “He is an integral part of our team, responsible not only for building great software but [also for] finding innovative solutions to complex problems…He is regularly sought out by people outside the engineering [department] when they have questions about the product or technology in general.”

The Future Is Bright For Online Learning

According to a recent report from the World Economic Forum, there has been a five-fold increase in employer provision of online learning opportunities for employees. Furthermore, on average, 66% of employers surveyed for the report expect to get a return on investment within a year of upskilling and reskilling employees. As a result, platforms like Talaera are in extremely high demand.

In truth, a huge variety of online learning tools are needed, as individuals try to navigate the ever-changing labor market. Beyond that, it is also clear that e-learning platforms present opportunities for those from emerging economies to close the widening global skills gap. We can only hope that Anton Novikau will help to develop other brilliant tools for e-learners around the world.