Every day, millions of people come through TSA checkpoints, and while their reasons for travel may be different, they all share a common goal: To get where they need to go, safely. With airline travel on the rise again, ensuring that airports remain secure is vital to protecting travelers and workers around the world.

For over 50 years, Analogic has provided technologies that save lives, starting originally with advanced digital mammography and MRIs that help medical providers treat disease. As innovators in imaging and detection, the company is always looking for ways to make the world safer. Analogic found its next bold frontier in the skies, branching out to aviation security through its checked baggage screening technology and ConneCT™ computed tomography (CT) scanners.

With ConneCT checkpoint security scanners in place at major airports throughout the USA — and 26 other countries — roughly half a billion bags have passed through Analogic scanners in the past three years. The number of travelers passing through TSA checkpoints is steadily increasing, reaching over 359 million people in 2022. If a scanner breaks down or needs a software upgrade, it can cause significant delays that impact many travelers and staff. Ensuring that technicians can maintain this sophisticated software, keeping scanners updated and in good condition, is key to helping airports run smoothly.

To help technicians work with its equipment, Analogic established a comprehensive training program, including recruiting leaders with expertise in instructional design and learning theory. Understanding that many airport technicians are hired without any CT experience, Analogic held in-person sessions led by trainers who worked closely with new technicians to build fundamental skills. Once technicians complete fundamental training, they are certified to start working.

Providing the right skills, on-demand

The need for learning continues even after technicians are out in the field. For instance, they can be called on to install software, complete a radiation survey, or handle other important activities to maintain scanners. To equip technicians with highly specific, situational skills, Analogic needed an agile, scalable digital learning management system (LMS).

After examining several options, the Analogic team was impressed by the ease of using Adobe learning solutions, along with the robust suite of features to enable a small, efficient team to share content with thousands of learners.

“In Adobe Learning Manager, we have an online learning platform that allows us to share technical materials in ways that technicians can easily understand. It gives us incredible reach without needing to build out an extensive IT framework,” says Chris Bade, Vice President & General Manager, Security Products and Services, Analogic. “Increasing our reach is especially important as we support technicians in every part of the United States, as well as a growing number of international locations.”

Achieving new heights with effective online learning

The team has made the LMS an important part of its level one training, using automated on-boarding features to assign training material that technicians review outside of the classroom. Through this early pre-work, technicians get experience learning online while instructors spend less time reviewing basic material in the classroom.

Using the Adobe LMS, the Analogic team has developed a centralized, one-stop shop for learning that technicians can access even after they’ve completed in-person level-one training.

Technicians can log into the LMS to access portals containing rich technical documents developed by experts, along with other multimedia content. Through learning pathways with material designed to help troubleshoot common scenarios such as swapping out X-ray parts or making updates, learners can review printed guides or watch a short video outlining all required steps — even cross-referencing written material with the video to help with learning.

Instead of being called back to in-person training for specific features or overall product changes, technicians can find appropriate resources exactly when they need them, improving the speed and quality of their service.

“Within the first year of providing on-the-ground training through Adobe Learning Manager, there was a 14% decrease in the time to complete service tickets,” says William Quinlan, Manager, Tech Training, Analogic. “The depth of content we share with Adobe supports the strong foundation we provide in initial training, allowing us to reach technicians as they need us without incurring the time and cost of frequent in-person sessions.”

Skills development takes flight with creative content

Providing the right training for the right purpose starts with internal experts at Analogic sharing their deep knowledge via compelling multimedia content.

With Adobe Captivate, the Analogic team creates videos to seamlessly upload into the learning management system. Integrations with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps enable the team to develop more immersive material and publish it to the LMS with the click of a button. Features within the Adobe environment allow the team to separate content into catalogs based on learners’ job functions, such as servicing equipment or installing upgrades.

Technicians can be hired as third-party contractors by different stakeholders, such as private agencies or the TSA directly, which will come with their own specific training requirements. Through the cataloging feature, the Analogic team can organize training material based on those requirements — while also automatically tracking technicians’ course completion rates and scores to report back to their hiring agencies.

“Through the efficiency of sharing content with Adobe Learning Manager, we’ve developed 42 training modules that present complex technical concepts in a streamlined, accessible way. Technicians are eager to learn, driving a high 70% participation rate within one year,” says Omar Rios, Manager, Technical Services Support, Analogic. “Knowing that technicians respond positively to our content, giving an average feedback score of nine out of ten, helps support product updates and rollouts.”

In 2023, Analogic made a major software update which technicians at airports would have to install. Between integrations within Creative Cloud applications and Captivate, as well as the ease of organizing and sharing that material in the Adobe LMS, the team quickly created e-learning to support the update.

“When we launched this recent rollout, we saw a 53% reduction in the time it takes for technicians to update software,” says Rios.

A runway for more training

As Analogic explores the potential of blended learning between its instructor-led sessions and online learning, they’ve added another layer of training.

After several months out on the field, technicians return to another in-person session to deepen their skills and earn a second certificate. The team uses the learning management system to conduct pre- and post-assessments for all technicians coming into level-two training, making it easier to gauge skills development and track the certificates they’ve awarded.

“Between the personal attention technicians get during in-person sessions and the training delivered from the Adobe LMS, there’s been a 58% increase in skills development once learners have completed their second level of training,” says Dan Ronan, Vice President, Service and Support, Analogic.

To remain in good standing with the TSA, Analogic must provide documentation that all technicians working on its equipment are continually re-certified. Using the dashboard within the LMS, Analogic can pull that information at a moment’s notice, sparing the team from the time and labor of manually tracking all certifications while ensuring that technicians in the field can continue working without interruption.

Excited by the success, Analogic plans to add social learning elements to online training. The team is also looking to add further levels of blended learning, as well as formalized training plans based on technicians’ job responsibilities.

“With Adobe Learning Manager, we can focus on the safety of airline travelers, starting with the integrity of our equipment, and continuing through the growth of our technicians,” says Bade.

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