The Power of Learning Paths in Skills Development

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The pursuit of continuous learning and development has become paramount for organizations striving to stay ahead of the curve. While the concept of learning and development is not new, the methods and strategies employed to foster it have evolved significantly. One such evolution is the implementation of Learning Paths, a structured approach to employee development. 

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Let’s explore the advantages of Learning Paths over traditional employee-driven open learning and development programs.

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Alignment with Organizational Goals

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Learning Paths are designed by Learning and Development program administrators and Managers. This means, the curriculum of those Learning Paths are designed to align with specific skills development needs and goals of the organization. This ensures that employees are acquiring skills and knowledge that directly contribute to the company's success, while also progressing their career within the organization. 

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Structured Development

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When it comes to being introduced to a new concept or developing a new skill, there is an order that makes sense to approach it. 

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Learning Paths provide that structure and sensical systematic approach. Introducing the various elements in phases that encourages the learner to digest and apply the new knowledge before moving onto the next phase, allows the learner to progress in a logical and efficient manner. 

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Providing employees with clear paths with digestible amounts of content that align with the work they are doing day to day helps foster a culture of employee engagement and learning.

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Consistency

A risk with employee-driven learning programs is inconsistent level of skills development across teams and departments.

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Learning Paths that are developed by department and team leads, and assigned to everyone within a business unit means there is shared knowledge, best practices, terminology, methods and approaches applied across groups. 

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This can be especially important in industries where compliance, safety, or specific standards are critical.

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Personalization

While consistency is an essential element of how learning and training is delivered across an organization, personalization is also vital. It may seem paradoxical but both can be true at the same time. 

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These are the reasons why personalization is also essential:

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• Learning styles: Different people have different learning styles. Meeting people with learning material that is most conducive to how they digest it, is always going to be a key component in the uptake of a learning program. It will boost learners confidence and uptake in learning.
  
  This means that organizations can have a consistent curriculum for certain concepts or skills and have resources that deliver that content in different formats.
  
  
• Individual goals: Employees have different goals, and roles can be feeders into different departments, which can vary by organization. For example, at one company customer service roles can lead people into sales roles or more senior customer success roles. Those two career paths require different development resources.
  
  Learning Paths provide employees with the tools they need to fulfill their personal career aspirations while enabling talent mobility within the organization.
  
  
• Skills gaps: While the skills necessary for a role are consistent, the skills profiles of all the employees in that role differ. This means, each employee has a different skills gap. That skills gap may exist as the absence of a skill or the employee doesn’t possess a skill at the proficiency level that the organization requires.
  
  Personalization addresses the skills gaps that exist in the organization to work towards teams where the skill sets of the people match the skill requirements. 

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Tracking Progress

With Learning Paths, Administrators and Managers can track progress in the Learning Plan. Monitoring progress allows leadership to provide support or adjust Learning Paths based on where employees may be getting stuck. 

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Tracking progress can also be critical for compliance training. 

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Succession Planning

Having a strong bench of burgeoning talent ensures the future of departments and the organization. Succession planning should be an ongoing concern with programs in place to be fostering that bench.

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Learning Paths are one component of nurturing Managerial and Executive leadership, in a consistent yet personalized manner. 

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Compliance and Certification

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In regulated industries, learning plans can help ensure that employees meet specific certification or compliance requirements, reducing legal and regulatory risks. Learning Paths also ensure that the training is consistent in quality and standards. The tracking component of Learning Paths means Administrators can track and ensure compliance. 

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Conclusion

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Organizations must adapt and innovate not only in their core operations but also in how they nurture and empower their workforce. Learning Paths offer a multifaceted solution to the complex challenges of skill development, consistency, personalization, progress tracking, succession planning, and compliance. By aligning learning objectives with organizational goals, providing structured development pathways, ensuring consistency in knowledge dissemination, embracing personalization, and facilitating compliance, Learning Paths become a powerful catalyst for employee growth and organizational success. As businesses continue to strive for excellence, the integration of Learning Paths into their learning and development strategies emerges as a strategic imperative, fostering a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience in the face of change.

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