Presented by Skillsoft
Ditch the passive presentations. “Challenge-centric learning” gives employees the hands-on experience they need to manage any cloud scenario. In this VB Live event, learn how to leverage challenge-centric learning to turn employees into experts.
Register here for free.
Across industry verticals, companies are going all-in on the cloud, migrating their development and data storage, hosting applications, deploying cloud solutions, or building cloud-native services. It’s the essential business tool that’s changed how companies work — but it’s also presented some major challenges.
It’s not just that the difficulty of maintaining cloud infrastructure adds risks and potential costs. It’s also the tech talent shortage that’s impacting every company. Skilled, certified cloud and cybersecurity experts are in short supply — and when you find one, they can be very expensive. Business leaders are then faced with data they can’t touch, employees who are resistant to using new technologies, and employees with non-transferable skills.
By the end of 2020, one-third of U.S. employers said the skills gap had increased compared to 2019, a Monster survey found, while 80% were struggling to find skilled employees to fill openings. This skill gap is directly impacting operations and growth.
How do you break down this wall? Organizations are investing in reskilling and upskilling the employees they already have.
Why upskilling works
Reskilling and upskilling is a win-win for everyone. For employees, it’s equipping them with the skills they need to excel in a digital world, both inside their own company and beyond. It makes them more valuable hybrid workers and helps their organizations gain the flexibility they need to weather the post-pandemic landscape. Many employees are already keenly aware of the need to increase their own skills and look for new learning opportunities.
In return, employers are investing in their talent — which is far more cost effective than attracting and onboarding new workers. By boosting your employees’ abilities and training them in a future-ready skill set, you’re improving retention, boosting morale, and ensuring that institutional knowledge remains within the company. You’re also developing the kind of employees who can contribute to the growth of their business. You’re strengthening your workplace culture, and making a name for your company as an organization that buys into its own workforce, cementing your advantage in a competitive hiring field.
However, it takes time to retrain an employee. As upskilling becomes more common, so does the focus on challenge-centric learning.
How going challenge-centric slashes the learning curve
Offering informational presentations isn’t going to cut it anymore. And typical learning programs push the learner through a process of learning and testing that only measures their ability to memorize — and soon forget. There’s no substitute for challenge-centric learning — it’s experiential, helping employees develop skills by actually applying them. In other words, employees need goal-oriented, scenario-based, hands-on labs. Reskilling and upskilling require a lot of practice. To get the most out of learning, learners need practice tasks that are authentic and challenging, and make sure you’re there to offer immediate feedback.
As they continue on with non-linear and challenge-centric learning that reflects real-world problems, the learner gains deeper understanding of the context of tasks, why they need to be completed, and how these fit into the larger picture. And as they continue to get their hands dirty, pulling off the jobs they’re tasked with, learning is reinforced, and often inspires further learning and curiosity too.
Even if they struggle, there’s a tremendous amount to learn from the agile motto, “fail fast, fail forward.” Plus, having employees who know what risk or a crisis looks like is crucial in emergency situations. The philosophy leads to a powerfully effective training environment where employees can engage in experiential challenges to build durable skills in a safe setting.
Some companies are implementing learning platforms that offer a blend of on-demand courses, purpose-built/prescriptive journeys/paths, and challenge-based labs that get learners building the durable skills that they can truly use.
To learn more about how reskilling and upskilling will protect and grow your cloud investment, the power of challenge-based learning, and how to implement it, don’t miss this VB Live event.
Registration is free here.
Agenda:
- Skilling plans: How to create learning journeys with scored hands-on experiences to ensure your team is gaining relevant skills
- Validation: See how learners can prove their skills mastery — not just their course completion — with scenario-based labs
- Reporting: Learn how you to develop validated skills map for your team members to see where people excel and where growth opportunities exist
Presenters:
- Frank Gartland, Chief Product Officer, Skillable
- Seth Colaner, Moderator, VentureBeat
More industry thought-leaders to come!
