Many learning and development leaders did not set out for careers in L&D. Most say they had experiences and a natural talent that attracted them to it. This video highlights a sample of how learning and development leaders ended up in this career.
Special thanks to the learning leaders who shared their passion for L&D:
Briana Washington, MGM Resorts International
A Conversation with Ken Taylor, President, Training Industry
With 28 destinations worldwide, MGM Resorts International includes some of the most famous resorts and casinos in the world. Recognized as one of FORTUNE’s Most Admired Companies, MGM Resorts International has 81,000 employees and purchases all of the products and services necessary to provide quality entertainment, luxurious facilities, and exceptional customer service. As Corporate Training Manager in strategic sourcing, Briana Washington ensures that the purchasing team uses their roles to enable the organization to succeed.
Created in 1970 to be the national passenger rail system, Amtrak today operates 300 trains each day to more than 500 destinations. In order to make the system efficient, safe and reliable, operators must be well trained to identify and solve issues that may inhibit performance. As Amtrak’s lead instructional designer, Trent Bartholomew integrates content, experiential learning and assessments to ensure operators are adapting to the system’s evolving priorities.
Understanding your learning ecosystem is the first step in creating impactful and successful training programs. Your organization’s learning ecosystem is a combination of your organization, learners and need jointly guiding you to the training solution and delivery methods.
Learn more in our online guide created in Rise that I recently presented to peers at ATD.
Navigating the Learning Ecosystem
Learning and development leaders are bombarded with information about new training approaches and technologies. They evaluate these trends considering the mission of their organization and what might have the biggest impact on performance and results. This video highlights a sample of training trends that have captured the attention of learning and development leaders in a variety of organizations.
In July of 2017, Adobe announced plans to “stop updating and distributing the Flash Player at the end of 2020.” At the same time, the company encouraged “content creators to migrate any existing Flash content to … open formats.”
Best Buy Canada is Canada’s largest consumer electronics retailer with more than 175 stores and 12,000 employees nationwide. As the company’s Senior Manager, Learning and Development, Marjorie Van Roon, CPTM, provides innovative programs that drive performance while being inspiring, relevant and fun.
General Mills is a global manufacturer and marketer of a variety of well-known food brands, including Cheerios, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and Yoplait. As the Senior Manager, Learning Development within the company’s supply chain organization, Sharron Northern leads change and training initiatives that increase work process efficiency worldwide. In her role, she partners with functional learning leaders in Sourcing, Logistics, Engineering and Manufacturing to create centralized access for employees' skills development.
Through its publications, events and professional development opportunities, Training Industry is a leading source for the insights and resources needed to effectively manage the business of learning. As president and editor in chief, Ken Taylor has a constant connection with the industry’s leaders while sifting through the latest thinking from a variety of perspectives.
Recently, I began asking the learning and development leaders I interview for our video blog why they love being in learning and development. The video below is a compilation of some of the responses.
Special Thanks to the Following Learning Leaders for Sharing Their Insights:
Grayce Langheine, Turkey Hill Dairies
Mary Farrell, The Hershey Company
