From the President – Greg Adamson
It’s time to think about your own professional development
There’s something about September that makes me feel like a kid again. Family vacations, relaxed weekends –your typical summer activities.
Of course, the kid in me also remembers that September means summer’s time is running out again. Back-to-school sales have started and it’s almost time to start the daily business of learning again.
Now that we’re adults working in training, we know that learning is a daily business year-round. Still, there’s that childlike part of us all that remembers – with either dread or excitement – that school is about to be back in session.
Guess what? School is about to be back in session, and not just for your kids. Now is the perfect time to think about your own professional development. New semesters are starting up at all levels and new learning opportunities arise as summer winds down. Somewhere in there is the workshop, the course, the connection you need.
Of course, I can’t tell you about all the opportunities out there at your local institutions or online in the specific area you’re thinking about. But I can tell you about what LTEN has available, and I know that’s a good place to start.
The LTEN eLearning Lounge is our repository for self-directed microlearning lessons. Each of our 15 modules is about 20 minutes long, and they provide a comprehensive look at various elements of training. They’re perfect for both onboarding new trainers and as a refresher for existing teammates.
LTEN webinars are another good source for self-development, with access to speakers and topics on the latest trends, solutions and best practices. They are presented live and are recorded and archived for on-demand access. You should definitely search the titles in our on-demand library and see what you might have missed.
LTEN also has virtual and in-person workshops with new dates coming up. These are great programs taught by industry leaders and subject matter experts, and they’re great for individuals or groups as a shared learning experience. Let me share more on each of those:
- Our newest workshop, LTEN Metrics, Measurement & Learning Analytics, kicks off on Sept. 20 with the first of four 90-minute virtual classes. Measurement expert Dr. Steven Just will show you how to leverage learning data to enhance the effectiveness of training programs and measure their impact on the business.
- Another of our popular programs is the 6Ds Workshop, the Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning. Andy Jefferson and Roy Pollock, the authors of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning and Getting Your Money’s Worth from Training and Development, lead the two day, in-person training that will share knowledge on learning design, measurement, impact, performance improvement and post-training support. Attendees also receive a workbook and an electronic 6Ds Toolkit. The next class takes place Oct. 11 and 12 in Chicago.
- One of our most popular workshops is actually two workshops – first there’s the LTEN PrimeTime! For Trainers core program, led by Tina Greene. The core course isn’t just for beginners – trainers of all experience levels learn to rethink learner engagement and delivering on learning objectives. The remaining core courses for 2023 take place Sept. 11 to 13 in Cambridge, Mass., and Dec. 4 to 6 in Short Hills, N.J.
- The LTEN PrimeTime! For Trainers master program is phase two of the series, also led by Tina Greene. This one is designed to enhance those skills taught during the core program and focuses on real-life simulations with practical applications for trainers. The next master course is Dec. 7 and 8 in Short Hills, N.J.
If you haven’t already experienced the LTEN workshop programs, I hope you’re able to this fall. We do have programs taking place year-round if you can’t. Getting back to school is the important part – the “never stop learning” philosophy starts with us.
See you in session!
Until then…
Greg Adamson is president of the LTEN Board of Directors and executive director, sales training, for Olympus Americas. Email Greg at greg.adamson@olympus.com.
