12 Best Manufacturing LMS

A learning management system (LMS) is the virtual home for all of your manufacturing business’ training and development initiatives. 

Considered a step above a shared drive with an unorganized mixture of videos and presentations, a manufacturing LMS lets you track student performance, improve the learning experience, and maintain regulatory compliance.

But with so many use cases, it can be difficult to find the right LMS for your industrial organization. Does it have prebuilt training courses to launch your new online academy in record time? Can it quiz students on their knowledge retention? Does it offer compliance tracking to meet regulatory requirements the manufacturing industry abides by?

To help you with your search, we’ve ranked 12 of the best manufacturing LMSes by their features—so you can find the right one for your organization.

What is a manufacturing LMS? 

A manufacturing learning management system (LMS) houses all of an organization’s learning and development resources. It helps manufacturers maintain regulatory compliance, onboard and upskill employees, address skills gaps, and improve employee retention. 

The best learning management systems for the manufacturing industry

A quick search for “best manufacturing LMSes” will retrieve a laundry list of vendors. To save you time on your search, we’ve compiled a list of the top LMS vendors for industrial organizations:

1. WorkRamp
2. Vector LMS
3. AbsorbLMS
4. Litmos
5. Docebo
6. ProProfs Training Maker
7. Maple LMS
8. LearnUpon
9. Talent LMS
10. Paradiso Solutions
11. Gurus Systems
12. 360Learning

1. WorkRamp

WorkRamp is an all-in-one learning cloud that’s capable of training employees, partners, and customers. It’s trusted by top organizations like Reddit, Intercom, and Lattice.

What’s great about WorkRamp is that you can house a wide variety of training materials inside the LMS, and use personalized learning paths to surface the most relevant modules to each individual employee—no matter how large your team gets.

It also offers AI Assist, a native generative AI feature that lets you create new content, translate learning materials, caption videos, and generate images within the LMS.

Broadband provider Gigaclear is just one brand that’s using WorkRamp’s LMS to onboard employees. It relies on AI Assist, prebuilt content, and reporting tools to get new engineers field-ready as quickly as possible.

Since implementing WorkRamp’s manufacturing LMS, Gigaclear has reduced field readiness time by 50%. It’s also seen a 25% increase in field productivity time and a 30% decrease in employee attrition rate.

“We’re now able to get new hires trained within two months and schedule training out three or four months ahead, as opposed to being two to three months behind previously, so it’s been a huge success, and WorkRamp has been a key element in making this possible,” says Gigaclear’s technical training and development manager Dave Brown.

Key features include:

• Prebuilt content to speed up the creation of new modules
• AI Assist to create, translate, and repurpose learning content
• Support for interactive content formats including polls, surveys, and quizzes
• In-app notifications to encourage learning 
• Compliance certifications and renewal reminders
• Enterprise-grade security to keep data secure
• Partner training programs to certify resellers
• Integrates with tools such as Zoom, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy Business

Schedule your free demo of WorkRamp to experience first-hand how the manufacturing LMS can help you onboard new hires, address skills gaps, and maintain compliance.

2. Vector LMS

Vector’s cloud-based manufacturing LMS helps training facilitators create new content, maintain compliance, and track learner performance. It also has a library of prebuilt courses on topics ranging from industrial maintenance to transportation safety and compliance.

Key features: 

• Prebuilt online courses
• Automated training schedules
• Performance tracking
• Licenses and accreditations 
• Competency assessments

3. AbsorbLMS

Absorb has two core offerings that sit under the brand’s suite of learning tools: Infuse, its microlearning platform, and Create, its online course builder. Both options are scalable and easy to use, yet plans can get confusing since important features aren’t all in one place.

Key features: 

• Mobile app available
• Integrates with various apps
• Easy-to-use interface
• In-app social profiles 
• Learner leaderboards

4. Litmos LMS

Litmos supports a range of training initiatives within its online learning platform. You can train employees, customers, and partners within the manufacturing LMS. It also offers native integrations and an open AI to customize the platform for your own needs.

Key features: 

• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Native SCROM course authoring
• Custom branding options
• Personalized learning paths
• Vast integrations library

5. Docebo LMS

Docebo describes itself as an AI-powered learning platform. While not specifically designed for manufacturing and industrial organizations, it does offer features to help you train employees, maintain compliance, and address skills gaps.

Key features: 

• Automated workflows
• Gamification tools
• AI authoring to encourage engagement
• Native learning communities
• AI-assisted learning pathways

6. ProProfs Training Maker 

Add ProProfs Training Maker to your shortlist if you’re looking for an LMS that offers advanced course creation features. You can translate content, upload a variety of content formats, and host virtual classrooms to engage students.

Key features: 

• Support for multiple content formats
• Virtual classroom
• Searchable knowledge bases
• Prebuilt content
• Supports 70+ languages

7. Maple LMS

Maple LMS integrates with Salesforce, making it a good choice for manufacturing businesses that want to train their sales team. The interface is easy to use—it lets students enroll in courses at their own pace, and have their knowledge retention tested with online exams.

Key features: 

• Self-paced training courses
• Online exams and AI proctoring
• Role-based training recommendations
• Salesforce integration
• Real-time analytics and 50+ reporting templates

8. LearnUpon

LearnUpon is a cloud-based LMS with a vast integrations library. You can onboard, upskill, and retain industrial employees by adding training content to your online manufacturing training academy.

Key features: 

• Self-serve content hub
• Assessment and certification engine
• Social learning tools, such as interactive leaderboards
• Advanced user management functionality
• Supports a variety of content formats

9. Talent LMS

Talent LMS is a full-stack LMS vendor that lets industrial organizations train partners, customers, and employees. It offers in-depth training reports and the TalentLibrary™—a library of prebuilt courses on topics such as cybersecurity and workplace safety.

Key features: 

• Prebuilt content library
• Advanced search and filter tools 
• AI skills-based learning 
• Survey engine to gather feedback
• E-commerce functionality to sell your courses

10. Paradiso Solutions

Paradiso Solutions’ LMS gives you the benefits of AI without the complexity of a traditional AI-powered LMS. Manufacturing leaders can use the software to produce new content, customize the appearance of their academy, and integrate data tools such as Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and Dropbox.

Key features: 

• User-friendly interface
• Social learning with features like interactive video
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Support for multiple languages
• White labelling to customize your training academy

11. Gyrus Systems

Gryus has LMS features that are purpose-built for manufacturing organizations. It offers role-based training enrollment and lets training facilitators recognize and reward learner engagement. 

Key features: 

• Compliance tracking and reporting
• Blended and social learning 
• Real-time progress tracking
• Customizable learning paths
• Automated employee onboarding

12. 360Learning

360Learning’s LMS is built upon collaborative learning. It encourages students to produce their own training materials, reportedly boasting higher course completion rates and higher student engagement. 

Key features: 

• SCORM compliant
• Customizable training academy
• Off-the-shelf content
• Automated student enrollment 
• AI-powered content recommendations
• Learner skills dashboard

Benefits of using an LMS platform in manufacturing

If you’re not yet sold on the idea of using a manufacturing LMS, here are the advantages that could convince you otherwise.

Improve administrative efficiencies

The best manufacturing LMSes have automation features to streamline administrative tasks. WorkRamp, for example, integrates with HR tools like BambooHR. Every time a new hire is added to the HR software, WorkRamp automatically creates a new learner profile and pulls custom attributes—like their name, job title, and experience. 

WorkRamp’s integration also removes the profile when the employee leaves the company, and adjusts their content recommendations if they switch roles or departments—giving you one less administrative thing to think about when training a growing team. 

This is especially important if you don’t have a designated L&D manager. Training usually falls onto the lap of your HR team who are already busy with other tasks: running payroll, conducting employee reviews, and onboarding new employees. The more tasks you can automate, the more efficiently you can operate the learning program.

Upskill and retain current employee

High employee turnover rates are expensive and time-consuming to contend with. Unfortunately, brands in the manufacturing industry have one of the highest turnover rates at 39 percent, on average. 

Lack of development opportunities is a major culprit for staff turnover: Almost three-quarters feel like they aren’t reaching their full potential due to a lack of development opportunities in their workplace.

Manufacturing LMSes alleviates this issue by providing your employees with regular training opportunities. They can sign into their student profile and complete as many courses as they wish, whenever they like—rather than patiently waiting for managers to enroll them into specialist (and expensive) external courses.

Quicker onboarding of new employees

All new hires have a learning curve when they join your company for the first time. Even if they’re an experienced professional with a few years of experience under their belt, there are likely company-specific procedures and values that new hires need to get up to speed with.

Manufacturing LMSes are the ideal place to store this type of training material. New employees can be automatically enrolled in your onboarding course to learn about:

• Your company values
• Important policies and procedures
• Their role and responsibilities
• Compliance requirements

Not only does this speed up the onboarding process, but it delivers a consistent learning experience. Everyone absorbs the same knowledge to build a stronger learning environment that maintains company values, policies, and procedures.

Compliance and regulation management 

The manufacturing industry is heavily regulated. Health and safety are a major concern; failing to adhere to safety standards could cause harm to your employees and leave you liable for compensation.

Manufacturing LMSes help you maintain compliance with important regulations. WorkRamp, for example, can automatically enroll all employees into your annual compliance training program and issue certifications that act as a paper trail in case of an audit. 

The all-in-one LMS also notifies you when compliance must be renewed. This is a difficult task to juggle manually—each employee will need to renew their certification at different points throughout the year. Notifications flag any expiring credentials with enough notice for students to take refresher training and maintain their compliance. 

Top features to look for in a manufacturing LMS

Before committing to a new subscription with an LMS vendor, confirm they have the following features on offer to speed up LMS implementation and reduce the likelihood of migrating to another platform later down the line.

​Industrial or manufacturing training courses

Manufacturing training courses cover a broad range of topics: quality control, automation, tooling, and maintenance. L&D managers likely aren’t professionals in these niche topics. This presents the need for prebuilt training courses.

WorkRamp, for example, offers prebuilt training modules that cover key manufacturing and industrial concepts. Authored by industry professionals and designed to increase learner retention, it gets you one step closer to quickly implementing your new LMS and driving return on investment (ROI).

Combining prebuilt content with instructor-led training gives the best of both worlds. AI Assist lets you speed up the content creation process by brainstorming ideas, structuring training modules, and generating first drafts of your content.

Accessible learning options

Not all manufacturing employees have access to a computer. Don’t let this become a barrier to learning. Accessible learning options let employees still interact with training and development materials—even if they’re working offsite and only have access to their smartphone. 

The best industrial LMS vendors offer features to make this possible. That includes:

• A mobile app that’s compatible with iOS and Android
• Microlearning functionality, which breaks down longer content into digestible chunks
• Asynchronous content, such as video replays, to enable learner autonomy

Easy-to-use modules

Not all manufacturing employees are technically proficient. Those in non-technical roles, such as assembly line workers or quality control inspectors, must be able to navigate your manufacturing LMS. 

The best way to figure out whether a manufacturing LMS is easy to use is to take a free demo. Many vendors offer this as an opportunity to showcase their most impressive tools. Try not to fall into the hype and remain level-headed. The less friction non-technical employees experience when using the platform, the easier it’ll be to get buy-in from your team.

Gamification and engagement opportunities

Static content doesn’t require any participation from your learners. Interactive content, however, encourages them to engage with the learning content. They might be prompted to answer a multiple-choice question, interact with a simulation, or complete a poll.

Regardless of what the prompt is, interactive content is a valuable asset in any L&D program. Studies have shown that 82 percent of enterprise employees think that interactive videos hold their attention better than static content. 

Your manufacturing LMS vendor must be able to support this type of content if you’re to stand a chance at increasing learner participation, knowledge retention, and satisfaction.

Robust reporting

The first iteration of your training content likely won’t be the one that best engages learners. It takes trial and error to figure out what works (and what doesn’t). Robust reporting features inside your manufacturing LMS can surface this data without manually tracking learner data. 

“Throughout the process, we survey participants to solicit feedback,” says Spot’s John Forehand. “We use some of that feedback and apply it to the program. We have some managers that have gone through other management training programs, and we accept, listen to, and apply their feedback as well–all in an effort to improve.”

​​Performance tracking 

Performance tracking allows course leaders to see where students may be struggling. For example, your manufacturing LMS analytics might show that learner retention drops off midway through your health and safety training module. Just 11% of students pass the end-of-module quiz. 

Gut intuition might tell you that this happens because the video doesn’t have digestible chapters—just an hour-long presentation. However, you can combine performance tracking with native feedback tools to uncover the truth as to why the course isn’t meeting its learning objectives.

Perhaps students wanted subtitles or asked for interactive segments such as Q&A sessions at regular intervals throughout the presentation. Both are much smaller tweaks than overhauling your entire program, while also improving learner outcomes.

Enterprise-grade security

Trade secrets are like gold dust in the manufacturing industry. The last thing you want is for your unique formulations or manufacturing processes to fall into the wrong hands. 

Not only that, but your manufacturing LMS also holds sensitive data on your students. You have a legal obligation to keep this information safe, which presents the need for a secure LMS that offers security features such as:

• Two-factor authentication 
• SOC 2 Type II compliance
• 256bit AES encryption
• Audit logs and trails
• Automated data backups 

Choose the right LMS for your industrial workplace

Choosing a new LMS is no small feat, but these shortlisted vendors are a great starting point to begin your search. 

Be long-sighted in your analysis. It might cover all bases right now but does the LMS vendor have the capabilities to support your manufacturing L&D initiatives as your business grows? Answering “yes” reduces the likelihood of having to migrate platforms further down the line.

WorkRamp is one of the best LMSes for manufacturing organizations. Contact us today to find out why with a free, personalized demo.