Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 33

Learning Cultures in Action
Don't count out the use of automation
for parts of upskilling, either! There is
lots of potential with artificial intelligence
(AI) when it comes to scenarios, content
development and reporting with
enhancements constantly being offered.
At the end of the day, the easier the
upskilling opportunities are to find and
access, the more likely people will be
to get on board quickly - meaning that
if automation brings the options closer
to learners, use it! A recent Gallup study
found that over 50% of employees want to
upskill, with up to 48% of Americans willing
to switch companies for more upskilling
opportunities. Making the chance to
improve skills readily available is of the
utmost importance to your L&D plan.
Business Acumen: The
Core of L&D Buy-In
As is the case with all initiatives, upskilling
needs to garner organizational buy-in
before learning teams can put them
into place. This buy-in often comes from
differing business units with varying
needs and expectations, so making sure
that there is a pitch for upskilling that
highlights its benefits while addressing
concerns is critical. In doing so, learning
teams use business acumen to speak the
language of the organization to justify the
investment in skill development.
Business
acumen,
as
defined
by
Training Industry, is an " understanding
of how an organization makes and uses
money strategically. " By speaking about
In organizations of all sizes, employees are looking for the opportunity
to upskill, yet fail to utilize the resources available to them. To combat
this, one of the largest organizations in the United States is putting the
spotlight on learning in both their culture and investments.
McDonald's has expanded its upskilling options for employees to include
" the chance to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront college
tuition assistance ... and learn English as a second language, " through
its Archways to Opportunity Program. These innovative solutions aim to
meet employees where they are on their upskilling journeys. While this
is a huge investment for McDonald's, its culture emphasizes learning in
a way that ensures this will have a significant return on investment.
upskilling as an investment in people, a
tool to reduce turnover and a strategy
for agile team development, learning
leaders showcase their understanding of
business continuity using the framework
that other units rely on to get things done.
Putting Upskilling
Initiatives Into
An L&D Plan
With a concrete understanding of
upskilling and its applications, learning
professionals will find that L&D plans
must include it as a feasible way to
support learners and organizations
alike. By offering skills development
opportunities to all employees, learning
teams become more strategic partners in
organizations and easily demonstrate the
value in emphasizing upskilling.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER 2024 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
An initial investment in upskilling
occurs within the
culture of the
organization when employees are
motivated to take their development
into their own hands, using systems
and structures already found in dayto-day
operations. With this, learning
teams should utilize business acumen
to justify the investment to leaders
within the organization. Developing
an L&D plan around upskilling occurs
naturally when the framework for
sustainable skills enhancement is in
place within organizational cultures,
structures and conversations.
Parker Donnafield is a CPTM and MHRM
candidate focused on providing learning
functions with the tools necessary for
successful upskilling and analytics
programs. Email Parker.
33

https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/6-ways-ai-is-transforming-ld-content-development-and-course-creation/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/6-ways-ai-is-transforming-ld-content-development-and-course-creation/ https://www.aspeninstitute.org/of-interest/upskilling-news-mcdonalds-boosts-tuition-assistance-employees/ https://www.gallup.com/analytics/354374/the-american-upskilling-study.aspx http://www.linkedin.com/in/parker-donnafield https://trainingindustry.com/wiki/professional-development/business-acumen/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024