Close Critical IT Skills Gaps More Effectively

Close Critical IT Skills Gaps More
Effectively
Michael Watkins, V.P. Client Solutions & Product Innovation

© Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. Page 2
We all know that change is a constant in life, but the changes we
see in technology today aren’t just rapid—they’re exponential.
Martin Cooper – Invented the Cell phone in 1973
Let’s split the difference between the tech Martin was using to
invent that first cell phone and where we are today with our
iPhoneX. If you were to build an iPhone using the technology
available in 1991, it would set you back $3.56 million, rather than
the $1,000 MSRP of the iPhone X today.
According to the futurist Brent Yax, If the average car had
advanced as quickly as the computer over the last 35 years, cars
would get 3,666,652 miles per gallon and cost less than $5,000
today!
Change is Exponential

The digital skills gap is already hampering digital transformation at 54% of companies.
And that gap is widening: Korn Ferry’s research predicts that by 2020, the technology,
media, and telecommunications (TMT) industries may be short more than 1.1 million
skilled workers globally.
Fast forward to 2030, and that deficit may reach 4.3 million, or That’s 59 times Alphabet’s
entire workforce. And since companies across all industries already struggle to find great
digital talent, that’s a big problem for everyone.
In total, these shortages are predicted to cost the Tech industries nearly $450 billion in
unrealized revenue.
So how do we make up for this workforce shortfall? How do we realize that figure of
$450B by 2030? Education…is that the answer?

No Time
Education may be in part the answer but for this solution to work, we have to
overcome the biggest challenge facing the individual IT worker – NO TIME
The average It worker puts in over 52 hours per week
- Network World
Businesses have a significant need for measurable technical skills acquisition but
cannot afford to have employees spend three to five days in traditional off-site
classes. The difficulty of fitting learning into a busy work schedule highlights the
need for flexibility; however, organizations also recognize the need for structure to
maintain motivation and engagement.

Training has evolved to try and meet this skills gap and the ever shortening time professionals have for education.
We have seen the market progress from traditional 5 Day Classes – Travel, cost, time out of office
To Virtual Instructor Led Training – Travel slashed but the pace is overwhelming, and the student has to integrate it
into the work day
To the surge in online providers offering OnDemand – promise of anytime learning – but motivation is poor, no
access to up to date information, no access to an expert or colleagues
Training over 100K professionals a year, we have realized there are really 3 keys to effective education for today’s
professional.

Accountability and flexibility may seem to be somewhat contradictory, but they
actually are complementary. Providing flexibility in how learners consume content
respects the ever-changing demands on their time. Unlike a purely self-paced
approach, this flexibility is exercised within the boundaries of a paced structure,
with both instructor and group interaction, creating accountability.

Prior assumption is that “exposure” equals “learning”
We now move into being accountable not just for “completion” but for demonstrating that learning has
taken place.
Accountability: When learners meet with the instructor, they are accountable for having completed work
outside of the classroom.

Pace
Whether learners meet weekly or monthly, having a scheduled meeting time is
important to support accountability and give learners time to retain key ideas and
practice what they have learned in a real-world setting.

So, what’s missing?
Training managers around the world are seeing limitations in a
digital-only training approach. After several years of relying on
digital training, they lack the measurable results that traditional
classroom training provides. This dilemma points to the need for
an approach that focuses on producing meaningful and
measurable results, while incorporating structure, accountability
and flexibility – or more succinctly what you might call “flexibility
with accountability.”

Anatomy of Blended Live
Our answer to these needs is Blended Live:
Weekly learning assignments: Learners use an online, self-paced platform to learn specific topic areas before testing their
skills in the labs. They have access to an expert throughout this process for assistance. Pacing the content in smaller
chunks over several weeks allows them to learn on their schedule, at their speed and at any location.
Instructor-led activities: Expert-led exercises deliver a learning experience that transfers critical skills and knowledge and
meets the expectations of today’s enterprise.
Structure and accountability: Learners meet regularly over the duration of the program to discuss what they have learned
in the digital lessons and gain the advantages of a shared learning experience.
Review and feedback: When the learners meet, they work together on challenge labs that allow them to apply what they
have learned using real-world scenarios in a hands-on lab environment. Expert instructors review their lab work and
provide feedback and guidance.

Framework
VIRTUAL
ON-DEMAND
Videos
Practice Labs
Knowledge Checks
Forum Discussion
Mentoring
INTRO
Course Intro
Format Intro
Challenge
(practice)
Content Intro
Challenge Intro
VIRTUAL
WEEKLY
Content Review
Challenge Intro
Challenge Work
Challenge
Review
Content Intro
Challenge Intro
VIRTUAL
FINAL
Content Review
Challenge Intro
Challenge Work
Challenge
Review
Course Review
REPEAT for 4 weeks
c. 2 hours 4-8 hours
over one week
2-4 hours 2-4 hours
Access to On-Demand for one year
Cohorts work through
course together

Central to Blended Live are Chellenge Labs that provide the learner with hands-on experience. Challenge labs immerse
learners in real world challenges and help the learner to integrate what they have learned and practiced through other
formative labs. Challenges may be completed alone or working as part of a team, like back on the job.
When students complete the challenge, their work is assessed and a formal debrief takes place with the instructor. This
way students gain professional guidance and validation of their skills and can learn from asking the expert questions
about anything that they did not grasp.
In the case of certification courses, this means that no only do students learn the material that will be covered on the
exam but they spend time understanding and practicing the types of questions they are likely to encounter on the actual
exam. Students then review their progress and overall score with the instructor and drill down on challenge areas,
allowing them to come away confident that they understand the concepts and material being tested in the certification
exam.

To achieve measurable skills acquisition, learning must provide rich, immersive hands-on experiences for students,
supported by expert guidance. One solution is to integrate instructor-supported challenge labs into the blended model.
Challenge labs provide the learner with a live hands-on environment and a real-world problem to solve. Learners are
tasked with completing the challenge by synthesizing the information and skills that they learned through course materials
and prior skills labs. They work individually or in a team to create a solution, which the expert instructor then assesses. The
result of the challenge lab is a quantifiable work product that demonstrates the acquisition and application of technical
skills.
Besides Blended Live just being a good training fit, we've added an element that's often missing - demonstrated application
of new skills via the challenges. For cert prep, it means students go into the exam confident. For skill gap closure, there's no
guesswork about ROI: students have done the things they need to do. Our experts say so.
The digital skills gap is already hampering digital transformation at 54% of companies. And that gap is widening: Korn
Ferry’s research predicts that by 2020, the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) industries may be short
more than 1.1 million skilled workers globally.
Fast forward to 2030, and that deficit may reach 4.3 million, or 59 times Alphabet’s entire workforce. And since companies
across all industries already struggle to find great digital talent, that’s a big problem for everyone.
In total, these shortages are predicted to cost the TMT industries $449.7 billion in unrealized revenue.

Learn More!
Blended Live from Global Knowledge:
- Our complete offering including courses and resources
https://www.globalknowledge.com/blended
Why Blended Live learning:
- Understand the top benefits of Blended Live
https://admin.globalknowledge.com/us-en/topics/blended-live/why-blended-live/
Learn more about Blended Live:
- View the video
https://globalknowledge.wistia.com/medias/6qn5s3yxjz
Is Blended Live right for you?
- Use the delivery format picker
https://admin.globalknowledge.com/us-en/content/learning/delivery-format-picker/

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