KLM Cargo

The challenge

KLM Cargo operates one of the world's most extensive air freight networks, connecting 457 destinations globally, handling 1.2 million tons of cargo every year, and employing nearly 2,000 people whose certified knowledge of procedures, protocols, and safety requirements underpins the whole operation.

For years, that certification requirement was met through annual recurrent training. Employees gathered at a venue, spent a full day with instructors and materials, and sat an exam. On paper, the cycle fulfilled its purpose. In practice, it created three persistent problems.

First, the logistical burden: booking venues, scheduling trainers, sourcing materials, and pulling employees from operations for a full working day added up to a significant annual cost. Second, the stress: knowledge faded between certification cycles, and employees had to cram before each exam, creating anxiety rather than genuine readiness. Third, and most critical for a safety-driven organisation, regulatory updates introduced during the year were rarely absorbed when they were issued. Employees typically encountered those changes only in the weeks before the exam.

The core question became unavoidable: what is the point of a recurrent exam if everyone forgets the information within weeks?

From periodic exams to continuous competence

Answering that question meant rethinking the model entirely. Rather than concentrating a year of compliance content into a single classroom session, KLM Cargo chose continuous, distributed learning.