New technology will always find a home in the workplace, and training methods are evolving to incorporate that new tech. However, proved and trusted instruction methods aren’t going away, according to a new study.
IT trade association CompTIA’s new report, “Workforce and Learning Trends 2020,” reveals that a hybrid model of learning and development that includes tried-and-true instruction and new technology is taking hold among human resources and leadership staff.
According to the report, artificial intelligence, people analytics, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), technology-as-a-service and other innovations are reshaping workplace training.
The challenge is to understand which technologies to incorporate, CompTIA says in the report.
What is emerging is what CompTIA calls the “New Traditional” training method that utilizes scalable technologies while simultaneously relying on quintessential learning methods.
The report identified six trends after 400 human resources and learning and development professionals were surveyed:
- The need to be agile due to the rapid pace of technological innovation
- Learning and development can shape the strategic direction of the organization, but resources may not allow it
- A gap in the soft skill of tech workers is bringing a new focus on challenges and solutions
- Regardless of what technology is used in training, subject-matter experts are still critical to learning
- Technology can create seamless, blended learning experiences across platforms
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However, the report also cautions that although companies are pushing out training solutions, there are still kinks to be ironed in some technologies out before human resources offices and learning centers become an IT burden.
- AR/VR: This technology is most useful in industries involving complicated and expensive equipment, like the airline industry. That model could be extended to train IT professionals to manage a data center or troubleshoot an autonomous vehicle in a smart city environment.
- Gamification: This is still considered to be an experimental learning tool and is catching on, but gamification should be paired with challenging assessments and expert instruction.
- Automation: In large part, robots are not coming for the jobs of human resources professionals. However, learning and development leaders are watching for intelligent technologies that can help people train or to help design curriculum specialized for each individual worker.
In a statement, Charles Eaton, CompTIA’s executive vice president for social innovation and CEO of Creating IT Futures, said workplace trainers are being exposed to new options.
“In some instances, however, having too many options can make it a challenge to identify the innovations that are the best fit for each unique audience of learners,” Eaton said. “The choice for many instructors is to blend familiar learning and certification methods with some technological enhancements.”
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