The Push and Pull in Corporate Learning
Corporate training and learning is a full-fledged division of its own in most organizations. While it is heartening to see companies set aside resources for ongoing training sessions for employees every year and align them with their career progression goals, the extent to which these programs are beneficial is often questionable.
This is mainly for two reasons: (1) The training courses are often not in complete sync with the latest in the industry and mainly provide theoretical information instead of practice, and (2) Employees are heads down in their day-to-day tasks and are not able to find time for a planned training session, even if they really want to.
Even though everyone understands the importance of ongoing learning, these challenges make it less feasible for the employer and the employee to reap the benefits of an ongoing learning program. An effective push-pull mechanism between the employer and employee is what is needed to weave in time for learning and training despite everyone’s busy schedule. Let’s look at this from the testing point of view.
From the employee standpoint, the tester has to devise a pull mechanism to chalk out a learning plan for himself. Picking and choosing the right training sessions within the organization and ensuring time is set aside for them in consultation with the manager and aligning them with annual performance goals is an important start. Besides such training programs, one has to find time as part of day-to-day activities to learn from multiple sources.
For example, use resources such as Khan Academy, which is becoming increasingly popular—and not just among school students—in visually and illustratively understanding concepts. Following specific forums, blogs, and newsletters that specialize in software testing and information technology helps a tester get a holistic learning experience and contributes better on the job with a wider market and technology perspective.
Online resources are plentiful and can easily get randomizing. Choosing ones to follow based on interest and job requirements and setting up RSS feeds to easily access the information for reading make it fun yet effective. Similarly, organizations have to devise an effective push mechanism to make learning possible for testers within the constraints in which they operate.
Making online learning possible using learning management systems to track learning progress and associated metrics, implementing an objective evaluation program, periodic mentoring for software testers, and setting up innovative programs such as reverse mentoring are all going to encourage the employee to voluntarily partake in the learning program making it a WIN:WIN scenario for everyone involved.
Objectivity in measurement, equal and unbiased learning and growth opportunities for all testers, and empowering them with the right resources are key to a successful learning program. A push-pull mechanism is a useful means to getting there, where everyone takes it upon themselves to participate and make learning a self-imposed exercise rather than a mandate.
