04 Mar Learners are Leading Industry Evolution

Learners are leading the way in industry evolution; those who continuously love to learn and seek skill improvement are leaders in innovation. Learning is a mindset and life-long learning leads to both personal and professional growth, but to industry progress. We must seriously consider whether learners have enough time and resources to up-skill and how can they be appropriately supported in this? Many businesses are embracing ongoing upskilling and are interested in hiring and supporting learning-minded individuals, by providing positive validation and the time for self-directed learning these businesses can further support these employees. 

With the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses had to rapidly adjust (A case study exploring the impact of Covid-19 on business practices can be found here). Almost overnight business operations had to become almost entirely remote – they had to work, manage, and collaborate without any direct contact, presenting unique challenges that highlight why learning is so important. This crisis required skills that were not considered essential beforehand and those with the drive and mind to continuously build on their skill-sets were better equipped to meet the challenge.

Not only are those with a mindset for learning better able to adapt in a crisis, but they are also better prepared for times of economic uncertainty. During times of change, these individuals are better prepared to re-skill for a shifting business model and to fill gaps when developing new products or services becomes necessary. In a competitive market, continuous learners are able to shift gears and develop the new skills necessary to survive and thrive.  

In the journey to better support ongoing learning, agile training is becoming increasingly important. While previously learning and training was a simple, one-way exchange between trainer and trainee, it is becoming increasingly apparent that an agile, ongoing, self-guided training method provides a stronger foundation. Life-long learners are going to look for ways to improve and strengthen their skills over time. Businesses that support these workers will build a future-ready workforce; they will have a stronger foundation and be able to adjust to the continuous change of the modern economy.  

Learning is a mindset and while skill development can be pursued for a single, tangible reason like receiving a degree, certification, or job requirement, it can also be encouraged with ongoing, incremental rewards. The positive validation of periodic rewards creates an environment where those who actively seek ongoing training are recognized for their initiative. This can take the form of digital badges or company rewards, what is important is that these rewards are shareable and verifiable. 

Guided learning can be an excellent way for organizations to support their employees. By not only encouraging learning but nudging people in a particular direction, businesses can increase learning engagement. Many learners may feel the urge or desire to gain new skills but are unsure of which skills would be relevant. By providing direction, organizations can further engage their learning-minded employees. 

Life-long learning can be integral to both personal professional growth and industry growth. Learning drives innovation and provides a strong foundation for any business. More and more organizations are shifting their mindset and seeking and supporting learning-driven individuals for their business. When someone actively seeks improvement and training throughout their career, they look to the future and when a team shares this attitude, they are better able to adjust, excel, and lead change.  

 

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You can read more about innovative approaches to education in our blog post: 5 Skills Students Build with Challenge-Based Learning

 

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