How the First private brewery built a comprehensive e-learning system using LMS Collaborator
How can we combine centuries-old brewing traditions with a modern approach to employee training and development?
This issue arose for “First Private Brewery” at a time when the business was rapidly expanding. As the company grew, so did the need for training that was not only high-quality but also flexible and accessible to every employee.
The solution was to create a comprehensive learning ecosystem that seamlessly integrated into the company’s daily operations and corporate culture. A key factor in this process was the implementation of LMS Collaborator, which brought together training, communication, and access to knowledge within a single platform.
It guides new employees from their very first days at the company, helping them adapt quickly, find the information they need, and develop their skills in a user-friendly format. And to ensure that the learning experience is not only useful but also engaging, employees are supported throughout the process by the corporate mascot, Bronyatko, who helps them immerse themselves more fully in the company culture.
Alina Hakh, the staff training manager, explains how “First private brewery” transitioned to a systematic e-learning program, created a team favorite, and made learning a part of the corporate culture.
How “First private brewery” transitioned to systematic e-learning
First private brewery is a Ukrainian brewing company founded in 2004 in Lviv. It was Lviv’s brewing traditions that inspired Andriy Matsola’s family to create a business that combines history, quality, and modern production methods. Today, the company operates throughout Ukraine and employs a team of 2,500 professionals.
Training is an important part of the development of both the business and the employees at “First private brewery” It supports employees throughout their entire career at the company: from their first day of onboarding to the development of their skills.
To achieve this, a hybrid approach is used: in-person learning provides the foundation, while online tools help reinforce knowledge, enhance results, and scale them across the entire team.
The company already had a learning system in place, but as the business grew, it became clear that a more flexible and scalable solution was needed. As a result, the team decided to switch to LMS Collaborator.
«When selecting an LMS, we focused on several key criteria: the platform’s functionality, ease of administration, and reliable technical support. It was also important to us that other Ukrainian companies had had positive experiences using the system.
LMS Collaborator platform brings together all the necessary tools in a single system, allowing us to effectively manage training and quickly scale educational initiatives. That is why choosing it was a logical and well-founded decision for us», – Alina Hakh, staff training manager.
Home page of the learning portal
Thanks to the transition to the new system, the online format has become a strategic tool for the company. Now, regardless of region or department, every employee has access to knowledge and opportunities for professional development.
Learning without the chaos: how to scale knowledge for 1,200+ employees
1,200 employees of the First private brewery have already registered on LMS Collaborator platform. The Sales Department is the most active user of the system, as it is critically important for them to have access to the necessary knowledge “here and now.”
The company is gradually introducing remote learning to the central office and the management of its two plants, helping them adapt to the new format and discover the system’s capabilities.
E-learning addresses a key business need: speed. When offline training is difficult to scale due to the pace of growth and the large number of employees, online tools provide the perfect solution. Every employee at “First Private Brewery” can learn at their own pace, regardless of their schedule or location.
«For us, an LMS is more than just a learning management system. LMS Collaborator platform is also a vital tool for internal communication.
Our goal is for it to become not only a learning tool, but also a space for the daily exchange of important knowledge and useful information. To keep everyone engaged in learning, we also host various activities on the platform that are highly popular among the team.
In 2026, we plan to expand its use and launch a 360-degree feedback system within the company. This will allow us to conveniently conduct surveys and obtain clear analytics within a single system», – Alina Hakh.
Thanks to this approach, the First private brewery turns learning into a continuous process that not only imparts knowledge but also unites the team around shared goals.
From onboarding to beer culture: what learning looks like within the company
At “First private brewery” learning is a comprehensive system that supports employees from their very first days at the company.
To make the onboarding process as clear and structured as possible for new hires, part of their orientation takes place in LMS Collaborator.
The onboarding program is designed for all employees and consists of five stages:
The first is the “New employee onboarding plan.” It includes a training map, key steps for the first few weeks on the job, and important contacts.
Next, the employee completes four training modules:
- Welcome training;
- A course on the company’s history;
- Material on the brewing process as the foundation of the business;
- A course on the company’s mission and values.
And separately, there is material on business correspondence etiquette: corporate communication guidelines, signatures in emails, and booking meeting rooms.
Employee onboarding
Depending on the employee’s pace, the onboarding program can last anywhere from one week to three months.
At the same time, the company is actively developing product-related training. All materials are compiled in the Knowledge Base. Today, it already covers 12 categories and continues to expand.
Particular attention is paid to product knowledge. All employees have open access to these materials, and for the sales team, this is one of their key tools.
Product line training
The learning formats vary: videos, interactive courses, and quizzes. The team is constantly experimenting to find the most effective approaches.
«Employees decide for themselves when and what they need to learn. The main goal of this initiative is to provide a basic understanding of our product and its features so that every employee can speak confidently about our products and apply this knowledge in their work», – Alina Hakh.
In addition to product information, the Knowledge Base also contains other useful and interesting content:
- Resources for developing soft skills: analytical thinking, self-directed learning, productivity, and communication.
- Resources that help broaden professional horizons in the field of brewing, such as articles on beer culture or its role in the arts.
- Corporate newsletters covering the company’s offline learning events.
“The knowledge base is gradually taking shape as a kind of internal Wikipedia for ‘First Private Brewery.’ We regularly update it and add new content every week. Since the platform is still relatively new, we’re actively working on expanding its content to make it as useful and engaging as possible for our employees,” says Alina Hakh.
First private brewery knowledge base
A unique feature of the portal is Bronyatko, the corporate mascot and guide to the world of knowledge at “First private brewery”. The idea for the character originated within the team: employees suggested various options, and the final design was created by the company’s designer.
Bronyatko, the corporate mascot
It helps employees navigate the learning materials, build an emotional connection with the platform, and increase their interest in learning.
Learning at “First private brewery” isn’t just about courses; it’s about an environment where employees can grow, find the information they need, and better understand the product and the company’s culture.
More than LMS: results and plans
Since implementing LMS Collaborator, “First private brewery” has already seen tangible changes.
First and foremost, the company has managed to significantly improve the onboarding process. New hires now have structured access to all necessary materials from day one and are able to get up to speed with the company’s processes more quickly.
The platform has also become an important tool for fostering corporate culture. In particular, it has helped scale the initiative to implement the company’s mission and values through learning materials and content accessible to the entire team.
LMS has given the training team greater flexibility: they can now quickly create and launch new training initiatives without complicated processes or lengthy approvals.
«As a portal administrator, I find the flexibility in managing content and the ability to quickly implement new training initiatives to be major advantages. I’d also like to highlight the responsive technical support, which helps resolve issues quickly. At the same time, the platform’s user-friendliness is a key factor: employees can access training from both computers and mobile devices», – Alina Hakh.
The training team plans to develop the learning portal so that it supports employees at every stage of their journey with the company: from their first day and onboarding to development, evaluation, and the end of their employment.
“Our goal is to make the LMS not just a learning platform, but a fully-fledged work tool that’s as easy to use as, say, Outlook,” Alina explains.
The focus is on developing the portal as a unified platform that:
- helps with day-to-day work,
- supports professional development,
- and at the same time brings the team together through internal communication.
In this way, the LMS is gradually evolving from a learning solution into a key component of the company’s ecosystem—a place where knowledge, experience, and collaboration come together.
Try LMS Collaborator—a platform that helps you do more than just train employees; it helps you create a comprehensive ecosystem for employee development. Submit a request to see how it works in practice.
