“Training for Good”

There’s a lot of focus in the L&D world on corporate applications of training or elearning. Which is understandable, but it would seem that the not-for-profit organizations are underserved and under-represented. Several months ago I saved this link with the idea that the L&D world needs a bit of this. https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamforrest/2015/05/26/wearables-for-good-unicef-challenges-the-tech-industry/

Some examples do exist:

• I was pleased to read this article that highlights how a coding school is providing their students with the ability to apply real world learning to projects that need web design. https://www.redacademy.com/about-red/community-projects/
• And of course LINGOs does a great job doing this as well.
• And over in the UK, there’s the Learn Appeal capsule that is able to store a ton of content on a device that needs no wi-fi and runs on battery.
• Some organizations are using older technologies: https://www.canadianfeedthechildren.ca/news-views/features/change-is-in-the-air
• And using technology to support education: https://www.changeheroes.com/

As an industry, there’s more emphasis on the hard aspects of training – e-learning is efficient, compliance training is risk mitigation, etc.

But, we have tools and skills at our disposal to help the planet!

We should use these tools and skills. Help people learn, connect, grow, make good choices, etc. For example, MOOCs started by MIT opening their content up in 2000 mainly for developing nations to gain the skills they’d need even if they didn’t get “credit”. It was about equipping the world to build and solve. Training can help a lot of people. Learn how to start their own business. Learn how to manage a household budget. Learning how to manage a chronic condition. And the list goes on. Our focus as a company is to use training to help build capacity.