Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the subscription?

Each subscription is a comprehensive package that offers:

Over 35 lubricant sales courses; New courses added regularly
Over 1500 pages of easy-to-search reference material provides a quick refresher or a resource to answer your customer questions

Phone and e-mail access to Castrol experts to answer questions about the Castrol Academy lubrication materials.

What is included in a program?

Castrol Academy online facilitated programs give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. Industry experts guide you through each step of the learning process. The programs combine online, self-study courses and written assignments with online discussion tools that allow you to exchange ideas with your peers.

Programs require about 2 hours a week for 6 weeks* and conclude with a comprehensive exam. Every program comes with a 12-week subscription to over 30 online courses and an extensive online reference library at no additional charge.

*Program length and intensity vary; see the specific product page for more information.

Which Castrol Academy facilitated program series should I take?

Castrol Academy programs are offered at a variety of levels to give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed. All programs are conducted online, facilitated by an industry expert and include weekly assignments over a 6-8 week period. Assignments can be done online anytime during the week. Days, nights, weekends, it is up to you.

Castrol Academy participants typically increase their knowledge of the lubrication topic taught by 20-40% per each program week.

Castrol Academy currently offers three series of online programs:

Professional Fundamentals Series – Be a credible resource for your customers. Learn the basics of lubricant chemistry and equipment lubrication in this 2 program series.

Suitable for any employee wishing to understand how lubricants work and are sold. No knowledge of chemistry required. Recommended for sales, customer service and non-technical marketing people.

Effort: 6-7 wk/program, 2hr/wk.
Professional Specialists Series – Confidently discuss critical aspects of transportation or industrial lubrication and diagnose common problems. Pick the programs from this 4 program series that match the products you sell. Recommended for sales, customer service and non-technical marketing people who understand the concepts taught in the Professional Fundamentals Series.

Effort: 7-8 wk/program, 2hr/wk.
CLS™ Development Series – Want a more in-depth understanding of lubrication or plan to sit the CLS™ exam? This series is for you. The 7 programs in this series cover all the topics recommended by STLE to become a Certified Lubrication Specialist.* Recommended for sales, and technical representatives, marketing, and plant personnel who specify and trouble shoot lubrication.

Effort: 6 wk/program, 4hr/wk.

Do I have to attend online programs at specific times?

No. Online programs have only one scheduled meeting. This optional meeting is to teach you how to use the online classroom. You only attend this meeting once, just before starting your first program. The rest of your program work can be done anytime during the assigned week. Days, nights, weekends, it is up to you.

Is a Castrol Academy program facilitator the same as a classroom instructor?

Castrol Academy online materials are developed to be interactive, engaging and available whenever you need them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, that makes the role of an online facilitator slightly different than a classroom instructor.

Facilitators do not lead live class meetings; they do not call on you when you are daydreaming and they do not give lectures. They don’t notice if your cell phone rings or if you need to run out to solve a customer’s problem.
Facilitators do monitor your weekly attendance, course completion, test scores and answers to discussion questions, as well as send out assignment reminders by email each week. They summarize the weekly discussion responses of all participants in a program, make corrections and point out excellent answers. They provide private feedback to students who are progressing well several times during the program and privately alert student who are falling behind. Upon request, facilitators also provide progress reports to managers of participants.

All facilitators are experts in the lubrication topics their programs cover. They are available to answer questions about the program materials by phone meeting or email.

What can I expect if I enroll In Castrol Academy programs?

Castrol Academy teaches you about lubrication in real-life selling situations. A typical program is 6-8 weeks long and includes these online activities:

Weekly simulation courses that teach lubrication within the context of your job*
Weekly reading assignments to extend your skills to additional situations
Weekly written assignments to reinforce and polish your skills
Online discussion with your classmates to learn from their experiences and approaches
Weekly short quizzes before and after each course to show what you have learned
Pertinent reference material to provide answers and quick refreshers
A comprehensive final exam to demonstrate your mastery and enhance your retention

Our unique approach gives salespeople, marketing professionals, distributors and installers a practical opportunity to learn how to close sales by helping customers understand how to get the most out of your products.

*Castrol Academy courses simulate lubricant sales calls. You work with virtual customers to sell lubricants or troubleshoot “real-life” problems. That means:

You can use what you learn immediately on the job. While you are learning, the instructor and reference library are always available to answer your questions, guide you and clarify the details.
Experts save time. Lubrication experts quickly answer the “customer’s” questions, reviewing only the materials they need. A Castrol Academy course does not force experts to relearn basic lubrication.
Beginners learn faster. Rather then drown novices in a flood of information, Castrol Academy programs are structured to repeat and build on critical skills over a 6-8 week period.

For Lubrication Experts: Castrol Academy courses let you quickly skim or skip material you already know so you don’t waste time listening to lubrication explained for beginners. You work with the virtual customers learning just what you need.

For Beginners: Can’t finish all your basic lubrication training before you start talking to customers. No worries. Castrol Academy courses let you work virtual customers in real sales situations right from the start. Beginning in your first course or program week you learn how to answer common customer questions, address common problems and handle common objections … while building your knowledge of lubrication. You’ll receive hints and access to over 1200 pages of searchable reference material along the way. Tour our online self-paced course and see how easy it is. (Flash player is required)

Castrol Academy courses and programs allow you to work privately at your own pace during the week. Peer interaction through discussion forums and question can be reserved for last, allowing you to familiarize yourself with all the materials and get clarification from facilitators.

You can expect to grow more credible and confident every week.

How long does it take to complete a Castrol Academy course?

You can earn a Castrol Academy certificate in just six weeks—all online! No required meetings. No travel.

Is Castrol Academy an accredited program?

Castrol Academy employs Lubrizol K2M to provide training course design, materials, administration and online facilities for the training listed on this site. Lubrizol K2M is a STLE™ Education Partner and accredited by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Lubrizol K2M awards Castrol Academy participants continuing education units (CEUs) and STLE CLS™ renewal credits. (STLE and CLS are registered trademarks of The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.)

What does "Powered By Lubrizol K2M" mean?

Castrol Academy defines the sales skills and knowledge of lubricant technology and Castrol products that participants need to be successful. Castrol Academy employs Lubrizol K2M to assist with training course design, materials, administration and online facilities for the training listed on this site. As a participant in Castrol Academy online learning programs, you will receive communications from both Lubrizol K2M and Castrol Academy.

Lubrizol is a STLE™ Education Partner.
*The CLS™ Development Series does not replace the CLS™ exam or guarantee you will pass the exam – that will depend on your lubrication experience and expertise. Participants are expected to have access to or purchase critical reference texts to participate in this series. STLE and CLS are registered trademarks of The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.