Maersk Training has gone live with a new training marketplace for bp

Maersk Training has gone live with a new training marketplace for bp, giving employees a single, streamlined way to find and book external courses worldwide. 

The launch supports a clear ambition from bp: optimise external training at scale, create a more automated service for employees, and improve forward planning for L&D teams. It also provides a practical example for other organisations looking to simplify training access without replacing the systems their people already use. 

Optimising external training through one connected service 

bp wanted to build on its existing training processes with a technology-enabled marketplace that makes it easier for employees to find and book pre-approved courses. For the L&D team, the service provides greater visibility of demand, stronger forward planning, automated administration, synchronized training records, and accurate reporting—all aligned with bp’s security requirements. 

A connected marketplace designed to minimise change 

Employees now access more than 16,000 courses from 540+ vendors through one integrated marketplace. The platform connects with bp’s master HR and learning management systems, allowing bookings, completions, certifications, and employee records to move seamlessly between systems. By working within bp’s existing digital environment, the solution reduces change management while providing a consistent user experience. 

The marketplace was designed, integrated, tested, and rolled out in under 14 weeks. The pace of delivery reflected close collaboration between bp’s technical and solutions teams and Maersk Training’s digital and service specialists. 

Kenneth Thomsen, Chief Digital Officer at Maersk Training, said the integration reflects the direction the business is taking. "This launch shows what's possible when we build our platform around a client's existing systems rather than asking them to change how they work. We are grateful to have worked with bp’s technical and solutions owners who supported through the build, testing, and go-live.” 

Tom Milburn, Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk Training pointed to the trust behind the project: "bp has been a valued partner for a long time, and this platform is the next step in that relationship." 

Technology backed by Training Management Services expertise 

The technology is supported by Maersk Training’s Training Management Services (TMS) team, which helps coordinate vendors, bookings, records, reporting, and service performance. Key touchpoints in local markets add practical knowledge of country-specific requirements and industry regulation, helping bp maintain compliant and relevant training provision across its global operations. 

The approach offers a useful blueprint for organisations managing external training across multiple countries, vendors, and systems: connect the employee experience to existing HR and LMS platforms, combine technology with managed-service expertise, and retain local touchpoints for regulatory and market requirements. The model can be adapted to different operating structures and rolled out at pace. 

A model other organisations can adapt 

bp anticipates a meaningful reduction in external training costs over the next four years, alongside an easier employee experience, improved forward planning, and clearer data for its L&D team. With the integrated marketplace and TMS service now live, the focus turns to adoption, compliance insight, service performance, and measurable savings. 

Graeme Lannigan, Head of Learning and Skills, HSE&C and Projects at bp, echoed that focus on what comes next. “We're excited about what this platform means for our people. It's still early days, but the ambition is to make training simpler and more accessible across the business." 

We'll be following this partnership closely, and sharing the results as they come in. 

Delivered in under 14 weeks, the launch establishes a connected foundation for how external training can be planned, accessed, and managed. For organisations considering a similar journey, the bp project shows that meaningful simplification can be achieved quickly by integrating with existing systems and combining digital capability with global TMS expertise and local market support. To explore what this approach could look like in your organisation, speak with the Maersk Training team.