With job roles ranging from instructional designer to training manager to chief learning officer and more, a career in learning and development (L&D) offers purpose-driven opportunities for growth and advancement. However, most L&D careers are far from linear, and it's inevitable that you'll face both highs and lows along the way.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, sponsored by Edstutia, we spoke with two “accidental trainers” — Jen Recla, leadership coach and trainer at Recla Coaching and Consulting, and Annie Lee, Ed.D., senior director of organization and talent development at PepsiCo Beverages North America — to hear about their L&D career journeys and their advice for others in the field.

Tune in for insights on:

• The skills that training professionals need to be successful (and how to develop them).
• How to “be your own advocate” throughout your L&D career.
• The benefits of pursuing a career in L&D.

Business acumen can help position learning leaders as strategic business partners. The challenge? Most of us aren’t born with business savvy. The good news, however, is that business acumen is a skill that can be learned.

In the 75th episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Dr. Keith Keating, author of “The Trusted Learning Advisor” and chief learning and development officer at BDO Canada, to learn more about how to build business acumen as a learning leader.

Listen now for insights on:

• Learning the lingo: Why speaking the language of your stakeholders is key in gaining their buy-in and support.
• Seeking feedback: Why feedback is ultimately a gift that can help you advance L&D in your organization.
• Listening to learn: Why taking the time to listen and learn is essential for delivering strategic training programs.

Today’s workforce consists of a diverse blend of generations whose distinct values, experiences and skills bring both challenges and opportunities to organizations. After all, research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform their counterparts.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, brought to you by Wisetail, we spoke with Ryan Jenkins, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and thought leader on working and leading across generations, about navigating the multigenerational workplace.

Listen now to hear Ryan’s thoughts on:

• Why generations are “clues” not “absolutes.”
• How to leverage each generation’s strengths.
• Leading multigenerational teams.

In 2024, it’s widely established that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is essential for business success. However, many companies still struggle to deliver DEI training and awareness initiatives that make a lasting impact.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Deanna Singh, author and co-founder of Uplifting Impact, a training and education workplace inclusion firm, to learn more about the state of DEI training in 2024 as well as tips for developing and delivering effective DEI programs.

From recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to immersive learning technologies and much more, the learning tech space is an exciting and fast-paced segment of the corporate training market. In the first episode of The Business of Learning's seventh season, we spoke with industry experts about learning technology trends and innovations.

Listen now for insights on:

• How advancements in AI are impacting the learning tech space.
• How to select the right technology to support your programs.
• The skills learning leaders need to maximize their learning tech stacks.

Without reinforcement, even the best training programs will fail to drive sustained behavior change. Delivering “sticky” learning programs that encourage learning retention over time is key to realizing the business benefits of training and development.

To learn more about learning reinforcement strategies and best practices, we spoke with Elena Agaragimova, a talent development specialist, author and podcaster, and Rachel Walerstein, CPTM, senior manager of learning and talent development for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, in the latest episode of The Business of Learning.

Listen now for insights on:

• The manager’s role in learning reinforcement.
• Leveraging technology for improved learning retention.
• How to create a learning culture in both in-person and virtual settings.

Competency modeling offers learning and development (L&D) professionals a data-driven approach to understanding employee skills and abilities, and their alignment with job roles and functions.

However, building impactful competency models can be complex, particularly in large, geographically dispersed organizations. This episode of The Business of Learning offers expert advice that can help you begin building custom competency models for your organization. Listen now for insights from Dr. Amy DuVernet, CPTM, director of training and development at Training Industry, Alyssa Kaszycki, learning product manager at Training Industry, Brian Blecke, founding partner and senior learning strategist at Actio Learning, and Kelly Smith, partner and senior performance consultant at Actio Learning.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies have made the need for digital skills training a top business imperative. Without digital skills, employees will be ill-equipped to do their jobs in today’s world of work — and in tomorrow’s.

In this episode of The Business of Learning, we spoke with Shauna Begley, founder of ModernWork and current program head of the business information technology management program at the Business Columbia Institute of Technology, and George Hanshaw, director of digital learning solutions at Los Angeles Pacific University, to learn more about building a digitally fluent workforce.

Listen now for insights on:

• The difference between digital fluency and digital literacy.
• Why “technical know-how” is just the beginning of cultivating digital fluency.
• How to assess your organization’s current level of digital fluency.