The Business of Learning

Today's learners want training that is engaging and relevant to their job role — and they want to see how learning can help them achieve their career goals. In other words, standardized, check-box learning is no longer sufficient (if it ever was) when it comes to training the modern workforce. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Parker Donnafiled, CPTM, a learning specialist at Canvas Credit Union, and Keri Borba, L&D and talent development director at AAA Northeast, to learn what it takes to deliver personalized learning at scale: Because one size never truly fits all.

Today's workforce is more globally dispersed than ever before, with some employees logging on to the same virtual meeting oceans apart from their colleagues. While globalization has brought with it numerous opportunities for organizations (and employees), delivering training to an international audience can be a challenge. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Ken Stockman, senior L&D strategist at IBM Consulting, Melaine Mahabir, CPTM, knowledge management associate at Guardian Insurance, and Shezelle Krei, global head of learning and development at Western Union, to learn more about what it takes to train and develop globally dispersed learners.

From navigating gender bias to dealing with systemic issues like the pay gap, women have long faced challenges in the workplace. These challenges and more have led to what’s commonly known as the “women’s leadership gap,” or the underrepresentation of women in leadership, most notably in the C-suite. In honor of Women’s History Month, in this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Cathrin Stickney, founder and CEO of Parity.org, and Dr. Theresa Horne, CPTM, a speaker and government leader, to learn more about the women’s leadership gap — and how learning and development (L&D) can help.

LinkedIn Learning’s 2023 Workplace Learning report found that the C-suite’s top priority is keeping employees motivated and engaged. Their second highest priority? Giving employees opportunities to move into different roles within the business. We wanted to find out more about how learning and development (L&D) can help organization support internal career mobility. So, in this episode, we spoke with Megan Dillon, senior manager of L&D at Q-Centrix, Rebecca Gaboda, CPTM, organizational development manager at Skyward, Inc., and Chris Massaro, CPTM, manager of learning and professional development at Androscoggin Home Healthcare and Hospice, to learn more. 

To kick of season 6 of “The Business of Learning,” we spoke with Kristin Davis, CPTM, training supervisor for the Wake County Government, Lauren Harris, CPTM, assistant director of training and development at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Amber Hancharick, CPTM, education and training manager at Northwest Bank, to learn what it takes to manage a thriving training function in 2023. Tune in for expert insights on: How the training manager job role has evolved in recent years. The skills learning leaders need to manage training in 2023. How to mitigate burnout and prioritize your well-being as a busy training manager.

Ongoing Training Industry research has found that strategic alignment is the most important process capability of great training organizations. The training function is expected to support the business by delivering programs and initiatives that improve human performance and, as a result, business outcomes. However, building a strategic training function can be a challenge, especially as business needs shift and evolve. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we sat down with Heather Balcerek, talent development program manager at Amazon, and Michael Poll, an experienced learning and development professional who has led learning functions in industries including pharmaceuticals, insurance, technology, oil and gas, and higher education, to hear what it takes to build a strategic training function.

Navigating the world of learning technologies can be daunting, to say the least. From tried-and-true learning management systems (LMSs) to virtual and augmented reality solutions, there’s no shortage of learning technologies on the market. However, selecting and managing learning technologies remains a challenge for even experienced learning leaders. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Kim Davis, CPTM, senior manager of comprehensive and innovative faculty development programs at the American College of Surgeons and an instructor for Training Industry’s Managing Remote Learning Certificate course, and Ted Schmitz, LMS program manager at Alight solutions, to learn more on: How to evaluate and select learning technologies strategically. The LMS integration process. How to gain buy-in to purchase a new learning technology.

The world of work has transformed over the past few years, and the pace of change facing businesses around the world shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. In order to support employees in this new world of work, it makes sense that we need to transform our learning and development offerings, too. But how can learning leaders evolve their offerings to support modern learners, and what role does unlearning play in setting them up for success? In this episode of The Business of Learning, sponsored by Canvas, we spoke with Bruce Landry, managing partner and chief experience officer at Canvas, and Dr. Susan Gray, chief creative officer at Canvas, to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Digital transformation is disrupting the way we work and learn, and many companies are struggling to keep pace. The digital skills gap continues to widen, and learning and development (L&D) leaders are tasked with delivering innovative programs and solutions that can help them navigate digital disruption and thrive in the future of work. In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Dr. Kim Tran, vice president and head of talent management at Allstate, and Stephanie Woerner, principal research scientist of MIT’s Center for Information Systems Research, to learn more about how training and development can support organizations in the age of digital transformation. 

In today's fast-paced business environment, a learning culture is a strategic business advantage. However, creating a  learning culture can seem daunting for even seasoned learning leaders. This episode of The Business of Learning, sponsored by KPMG Learning Services, offers an inside look at how the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (the "V.A.") created a culture of learning and growth by partnering with KPMG Learning Services.