Online distance training has only proliferated in recent years under the protection of the expansion of the internet, the higher and better connection speeds and, above all, thanks to the arrival of mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad That allow us learn from anywhere and at any time. And how could it be otherwise, Apple, as a technology company that it is, seems to have just taken a decisive step in this regard with respect to the formation of its Genius.
For years, the apple company has dispatched certain Genius to its Cupertino, Austin or Atlanta facilities to receive the necessary practical training. This training lasted for three weeks. However now, AppleRetail, the company's sales division that includes its physical stores, would have ended the training of its Genius in Cupertino, replacing this face-to-face training with webinars in the stores themselves.
Now the Genius will learn via the web
In order for its "Genius" to be true experts in troubleshooting and repairing the brand's products, for many years, Apple sent its employees who filled the Genius position to its headquarters located in Infinite Loop. in Cupertino; at other times, these employees were destined for the company's ancillary facilities in Atlanta and Austin.
This practical training lasted for three weeks and, according to "people familiar with the matter," was organized into groups that also included travel and accommodation for employees. But this seems to have come to an end and this Genius training program has been replaced by a self-guided experience that takes place in the store during which training material is used that is obviously provided directly by Apple.
This new modality of learning and training implies the viewing online seminars through Apple's Technical Learning Management System: ATLAS, according to information provided by another source.
Apple had a small training and education center at its headquarters in Cupertino (California) that included a Genius Bar simulation like the ones we are used to finding in apple stores, as well as numerous Mac computers reserved specifically for apprentices disassemble them and carry out the repair exercises they were being instructed on. However, with the recent shift to webinars, Genius learn without physical hardware.
Based on this information, a person familiar with the matter has stated that “This means that many customers who bring their computers in for repair can [be] served by someone who has never physically worked on their computer model before".
Goodbye to a "life changing experience"
Over the years, some of these Genius have shared some images through social networks, and there have even been those who have described this phase of Apple's face-to-face training as a "life changing experience". From MacRumors They have spoken with some people who have had this experience and describe it as a "rite of passage" y «A milestone in the career» from an Apple retail employee.
Apple's Genius training program was for years a rite of passage for Apple Retail employees: not just a training opportunity, but an opportunity to visit one of Apple's corporate campuses, to answer questions at the source and for those who were heading to Cupertino, to experience Silicon Valley and Apple culture. The traditional "selfie" in front of the One Infinite Loop was a milestone in the career of every Apple Genius.
At the moment, it is not yet clear if this change will be definitive, or if in the future it will return, although it would do so at new apple park.
