A Skillsoft Case Study: How Welspun is future-proofing its workforce

The nature of work is evolving rapidly, with digital transformation reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace. Organizations that fail to keep up risk becoming obsolete, making continuous learning and upskilling more critical than ever. The manufacturing industry, traditionally reliant on static processes, is undergoing a major shift toward automation, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making.

Welspun, a global leader in the manufacturing sector, recognised this urgent need and embarked on a mission to ensure its workforce remains at the forefront of change. With the DigiSpark initiative, launched in partnership with Skillsoft, Welspun set out to equip its employees with future-ready digital skills. By embedding structured learning into its core business strategy, the company is not just preparing for the future—it is actively shaping it.

However, implementing large-scale digital learning across a diverse workforce is no small feat. It requires a structured approach, seamless accessibility, and strong engagement strategies. This is where Skillsoft played a pivotal role, helping Welspun deliver a scalable, gamified, and impactful learning experience. 

As part of The Skill Shift series—a collection of transformative learning stories curated by Skillsoft and People Matters—this case study explores how Welspun successfully leveraged Skillsoft’s expertise to drive a culture of continuous learning, digital adoption, and business transformation.

Constantly keeping up with the digital age: The Challenge

Welspun, long known for its manufacturing excellence, faced a pressing challenge—how to equip employees with digital competencies in a traditionally machinery-dependent sector. As the world moved towards automation, artificial intelligence, and big data, the company realised that a digital mindset was no longer optional.

“Technology is reshaping our industry at an unprecedented rate. If we don’t adapt, we risk becoming obsolete,” said Bidisha Banerjee, HR Head and COE Learning and Culture at Welspun. 

Banerjee observed that the primary obstacles were engagement and perception—many employees were sceptical of taking part in day-long training programs, as opposed to learning on the go, making them sceptical of a structured program. Hence, the challenge was to make learning accessible, relevant, and engaging.

The Solution: DigiSpark and the power of gamified learning

To overcome these hurdles, Welspun launched DigiSpark, a structured, gamified digital learning initiative, in collaboration with Skillsoft. The program was designed to demystify digital concepts and integrate learning into employees’ daily workflows.

Key focus areas of DigiSpark were - 

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)
• Big Data Analytics
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Agile Methodologies
• Digital Transformation Mindset

By using Skillsoft’s Percipio platform, Welspun ensured that the employees had access to curated, easy-to-digest content that was mapped directly to their roles.

“Percipio’s user-friendly design, mobile accessibility, and structured courses helped us break down complex tech concepts for our employees. It transformed learning from a task into an opportunity,” said Banerjee.

When learning meets competition

To drive participation, Welspun introduced a leaderboard competition across its business verticals, gamifying the learning experience. Banerjee gave examples like the introduction of the Championship Trophy to reward the highest-performing division. In this, daily leaderboards, much like IPL scorecards, tracked progress and created a sense of excitement. This was effective as employees pitted against one another to complete courses and improve their digital acumen.

Banerjee noted that the response was great, with 80% workforce participation, which far exceeded the expectations. Employees actively sought learning opportunities instead of avoiding them, and many senior leaders became champions of digital learning, positioning DigiSpark as a business-led initiative rather than an HR function.

Transforming mindsets: From static to agile thinking

DigiSpark wasn’t just about learning technology—it was about shifting mindsets. Employees were encouraged to reimagine processes, collaborate digitally, and embrace data-driven decision-making.

Key outcomes included:

• Greater collaboration and innovation across teams.
• Enhanced efficiency in manufacturing processes using digital tools.
• A newfound enthusiasm for continuous learning and upskilling.

“We wanted employees to move away from ‘this is how we have always done it’ to ‘how can we do this better using digital tools?’” explains Banerjee.

The Skillsoft Factor: Enabling learning at scale

Skillsoft’s Percipio platform played a pivotal role in making DigiSpark a success. The key advantages of the platform included:

Personalised learning pathways: Courses were tailored to employees’ specific roles and skills.

Integration with Welspun’s business needs: Custom content was designed to support digital transformation goals.

Multimodal learning: A combination of videos, articles, assessments, and leadership insights was developed with Skillsoft to cater to different learning styles.

Mobile accessibility: Employees were provided with on-the-go learning, accessible on any device. This made the activity flexible and convenient.

One unique feature that boosted engagement was leader-led learning. Banerjee shared that the Percipio platform allowed them to add the recorded personal insights of Senior Welspun leaders. This allowed Welspun to reinforce the importance of digital learning at every level of the organization.

The impact of DigiSpark: The measurables

The effectiveness of DigiSpark was measured through three key metrics which included knowledge improvement, application at work and quality of content where employees showed a significant knowledge boost post undertaking it. This was followed by employees applying their learning to real-world situations like in manufacturing processes, paving the way to improved and efficient processes. Also, employees who had completed the courses then actively recommended the content to other employees, resulting in increased organic participation.

“We saw a shift in how employees approached their work—there was a greater willingness to experiment, collaborate, and apply new knowledge,” noted Banerjee.

Therefore, Welspun has started focusing on expanding digital learning further by enhancing AI and automation training to keep up with evolving industry trends and scaling digital learning initiatives to include frontline workers & blue-collar employees. Welspun collaborated with Skillsoft to integrate learning into performance management, ensuring that employee upskilling translates directly into business success. 

Welspun also aimed to encourage their learners to become ‘ambassadors’ of the program. Hence, Welspun ran the NPS survey along with Skillsoft where almost 85% of the learners recommended the program for the tools and usability. 

A blueprint for organizational transformation

The Skillsoft-Welspun partnership exemplifies how structured, engaging, and gamified learning initiatives can drive business success. By aligning learning with real-world applications, making it accessible and competitive, and engaging employees at every level, DigiSpark has set a new benchmark for corporate learning.

This is part of the Skill Shift Series, where Skillsoft and People Matters together explore how companies are redefining learning to bridge the skills gap and drive business impact.

Learn how Skillsoft Percipio can transform your organization’s learning journey today!