Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:01 <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:00:07 Welcome to the edge, a Skillsoft podcast for learners and leaders alike. In every episode, we engage in candid thought provoking conversations on the topic of learning and growth in the workplace. But this, this is different. This episode is one in a special five part series. We're going to be talking to five Skillsoft experts. Each of whom is going to share his or her predictions for the field of learning and development in 2021. Now, to look at the year ahead, you have to take into account what you've seen and experienced in the year. That's about to end and, Oh, wasn't this one, a doozy. I will say it started auspiciously for me. I actually broke my ankle on January 1st, but now let's come back to the industry because I think one thing that we've witnessed is that the learning industry looks a lot different than it did a year ago.
Speaker 1 00:00:59 And that's largely because of the pandemic. 2020 was tough. It was full of challenges. It was full of sacrifice and a whole bunch of stress. 2020 was a tough year full of challenges, sacrifice and stress. But I do believe it is important to look for the silver linings. Clearly 2020 has prompted so many of us to question norms, to rethink how we've always done things to grow as people and to speak up when events have called for it. So with 2021, just around the corner, it's imperative, that is champions for learning and growth that we build upon those silver linings and ask the important questions. Like what are the key learning trends that will define 20, 21? And how can organizations act upon them even more? How can we create inclusive, innovative, and safe environments that allow people to learn, grow, and gain access to opportunities. That's what we're going to unpack in these sessions. I hope you enjoy the series. In this episode, we're talking to Debbie <inaudible> vice president and general manager of product and user experience for sum total systems. Who's going to share his 20, 21 prediction focusing on the internet of careers. Welcome. Devasheesh. It is a pleasure to have you here. How are you today?
Speaker 2 00:02:27 I am doing excellent. Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 1 00:02:30 Let's start by sharing with our listeners a little bit about you and your role at Skillsoft. Would you mind telling him a little
Speaker 2 00:02:37 Sure. Um, I help organizations to utilize technology solutions and their learning and investments to solve their business problems. I'm a product evangelist working in the same domain for 23 years. My role at Skillsoft is vice president and general manager for product and using the experience teams for the sum total business. Excellent. And
Speaker 1 00:03:00 So, you know, I think that this notion of a product evangelist, I love that because it means that your responsibilities are in helping customers understand what it is, you know, the value that we can bring, but also getting insight from customers and bringing it back into the organization. Is that true?
Speaker 2 00:03:21 Exactly. And that's what we all strive towards, right? Uh, the customer pinpoints, what build a product that helps the customers.
Speaker 1 00:03:30 Absolutely. So why don't we get into 20, 21 predictions because this has been a year, like no other. So when you think about what can HR executives, what can talent managers, what can chief learning officers expect or, or what should they be thinking about as we head into 2021?
Speaker 2 00:03:51 Yeah, I think 20, 21, like, uh, with all my experiences over the years, it will be a year of the internet of careers. So what is internet of Koreans? Right? Um, it's not a fancy word, right? It's, it's designed to give the individuals the ability to properly showcase the skills they gain and carry them digitally throughout their careers. This can be realized to a self sovereign, secure, trusted digital wallet of verifiable career credentials. And these are all possible to advancement and maturity of blockchain now, which is coming into the same space. This revolution, if I may say, like what's in the works for quite some time, right? But you, as you rightly said, that real progress and digital acceleration took place during the pandemic, the pandemic pushed forward. The adoption of remote work and hybrid work models has become the new standard as a changing workforce and redefinition of the business, right?
Speaker 2 00:04:51 This call for new skills. Like we all learn how to use the collaboration tools effectively, how to work in a virtual environment, how to do like, um, the events online, completely online, right? And virtual, we have seen that understanding and investment in the value of specific skill development is there and which is good. How are we ever as the approach of world of work that calls for future ready employees eager to engage with ongoing learning. Those who have a clear record of both ambition and achievement when it comes to up-skilling will have a leg up many when it comes to advancing their own careers and helping their teams achieve organizational goals. I know it was a long and winded answer, but, but that's what I see as a prediction for 2021 around the internet of careers.
Speaker 1 00:05:40 So first of all, I love this concept because what it signals to me is ownership. Right? I take ownership of my own career. I'm not reliant on an organization to do it for me. Not that that's not important. I certainly, you know, I'm probably loyal to a company that has provided me with so much, but when I know and own my skills, number one, I become more valuable to that organization, but I also might become a little bit more marketable. Is that true?
Speaker 2 00:06:07 Yeah. And, and, and what it, what it helps is actually when you look from a learner's perspective. Absolutely. Yes. Right? All the employees would be marketable, but when you look from an automation perspective, it helps as well. When you allow this to happen, like people are actually very encouraged to get on to ongoing learning, right. Basically to get onto this. Like I will learn because I know my skill will still be trusted and transportable, even if I change a job or, or I go to the next, um, like employment. So that helps overall to build your resilient workforce.
Speaker 1 00:06:42 So can you just maybe describe for our listeners, what is one way that organizations should be acting upon this prediction? What can they do now
Speaker 2 00:06:53 Prepare? Yeah, I think first we need to understand this ecosystem around verifiable Greg, to Korea, Korea, credentials, and internet of careers is inevitable. So the organization just need to embrace and be part of it rather than getting impacted and missing out. Right? So as working skills become much more dynamic organizations need to shift away from a top down approach and focus on the needs of individuals. What it does is, as I said, right, it gives more agency for the individual to continue learning and developing new skills by ensuring that these credentials will be transferable and trust it, even if they change their job or employer, this will be the new world of work and pave the way towards more agile, adaptable and resilient workforce. So to answer your question, right, the plan of action would be a embrace and acknowledge that internet of careers is a business imperative. B we define the talent processes towards being more equitable and C be part of the credential exchange platforms to facilitate this change in the new world of work. So these would be my three, you asked for one, but I think this is, this is a step by step a, B and C towards that.
Speaker 1 00:08:00 You know, I love this notion of, you know, it is an imperative and organizations need to embrace it rather than, rather than fear because when we have happier, more motivated employees, we know that they are number one, probably going to want to stay. And, you know, with an organization that is giving them this opportunity to learn continuously, but also they're going to be more fulfilled as individuals. So I think it's tremendous. Thank you so much devastation. And there you have it. One of the five predictions that will shape and define the field of learning and development in 2021. Boy, I can't wait to see how this unfolds and I encourage you to check out the other four predictions in our special edition series of the edge podcast. I'd like to thank our Skillsoft guests for taking the time to join me here today and share their visions and to our listeners. Thank you for tuning into this. And every, as we unleash our edge together on behalf of the entire Skillsoft team, we encourage you to keep learning and keep growing. And in light of our conversation today, look ahead to 2021. Think about these predictions and make a game plan for how you're going to contribute to a new game-changing era for the learning and development field. I'm Michelle BB. This is the edge
Speaker 3 00:09:18 <inaudible>.
