Another event complete!

We've just returned to Thrive HQ from two inspiring days at the World of Learning Conference and Exhibition held at Birmingham's NEC, and it's safe to say the event was a success. The conference was abuzz with discussions on coaching, skills development and the potential impact AI will have on the realm of learning and development.

One of the highlights of the conference was a thought-provoking roundtable discussion on skills facilitated by our very own CLO, Helen Marshall. The diverse group represented industries ranging from utilities and medical engineering, to hospitality and retail, highlighting some common themes and challenges:
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• ‍Graduate skills gaps: Graduates are not entering the job market with the relevant practical skills that employers are seeking. This gap between academic knowledge and practical skills is causing a significant upskilling problem as graduates enter the workforce. Universities are struggling to develop the depth of practical and soft skills required by today’s businesses. This mismatch between educational offerings and industry demands adds to the skills deficit.
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• ‍Talent attraction dilemma: Talent attraction is being affected by the lack of flexibility in working locations and patterns. Many prospective employees are increasingly seeking roles that offer flexibility in working arrangements, causing a shift from entirely remote to hybrid or in-office approaches.
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• Skills expectations discrepancy: There is a notable difference between skills expectations at the organisational, functional, and individual levels. The top-down approach to skills development is not effectively addressing the needs of businesses.
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• De-siloing skills challenges: Breaking down silos in skills development across locations, departments, and even globally is a significant challenge for businesses. Communicating who possesses specific skills and where they are available remains a complex task for most businesses. Is that where an all-in-one solution comes in?
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• Skills gaps and global hiring: While hiring individuals with the right skills can address immediate gaps, it can also introduce challenges related to business alignment, ways of working, and soft skills capabilities, thus fixing one problem while creating another.
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These themes resonated with discussions at other sessions, and reflected widespread opportunities for how learning and business leaders can approach skills within their organisation.

Now, it wouldn’t be a learning technology conference without the mention of AI would it?

The conference also shed a big spotlight on the growing prominence of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning and development. AI was a hot topic, but it interestingly wasn't a primary focus for most L&D teams when seeking new solutions.

It was clear that while AI showcases forward-thinking capabilities and innovation among vendors, it isn’t what’s top of the list when searching for a new LMS, learning platform, LXP… the acronyms go on. Instead, it acts as an enabler of all the things that go on the list of requirements, such as: skills-based talent management, reporting and analytics, coaching and mentoring, personalisation, reskilling/upskilling etc.

Finally, Thrive CLO Helen Marshall and Co-Founder Mark Ward  took to the stage. During their seminar, they shared how we can stay human during a time of digital evolution, practical tips on adopting new ways of working and learning, and how Thrive is approaching AI with the core focus being: how can we make learning easier and more effective for our end users by utilising AI to help us achieve our aims?

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If you’re facing any of the challenges that were highlighted in the conference, why not find out how Thrive can help you unite, train and upskill your workforce? Book a demo to speak with a member of our team about our innovative, all-in-one LMS.

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