Pomerleau

Louise Kyprianou

At Pomerleau, we’ve built a foundation for success by promoting a continuous learning culture. This helps us to respond to the agile, innovative and ever-changing needs of the business. For our employees, it ensures that they are focused on being a lifelong learner and role models for themselves and their peers. Now, how do we go about doing that? 

As working professionals, we are challenged with finding new ways to engage employees to foster organic growth and development opportunities. Enter cohort learning: a dynamic approach to engaging and accelerating learning. Simply put, cohort learning brings together groups of dedicated employees to build skills collaboratively over a period of time. It combines many traditional elements, including traditional facilitated sessions and self-directed exploration. It offers a chance to connect, collaborate and grow together. Since the inception of PX³, our state-of-the-art training center and learning ecosystem, cohort learning has become a favored training delivery choice. The concept is incredibly transformative, with benefits seen in many areas. Let’s take a look at a few benefits of cohort learning. 

Competence and Skill Building

Unlike static learning, this model provides the opportunity for a deeper level of skill development. With clearly identified objectives, participants can take concepts and apply them directly to the context of their work and real-life situations. They build off their experiences and contribute these to the learning of others. A properly structured program over a period of time will help to revisit past learning and add to future concepts as well. 

Connection and Community

At the core, cohort learning fosters engagement and connection between learners. The opportunity for interaction is exponential when compared to static individual education experiences. The opportunity for interaction motivates and engages participants, reinforcing new concepts. People learn best when they are in a safe environment that allows them to make mistakes, try new things and develop their expertise. Networking opportunities naturally arise from these experiences, which influence the creation of lasting professional relationships within the organization.

"Based on the needs of your organization, learning for cohorts can help support employees of different experience levels. Employees learn from each other. This helps to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion, which increases productivity."

Applied Learning and Business Impact

Based on the needs of your organization, learning for cohorts can help support employees of different experience levels. Employees learn from each other. This helps to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion, which increases productivity. When designed well, cohort learning can include elements focused on critical work practices. Assignments might involve preparing a sales forecast or elevating the engagement of a team. This model incorporates tangible business practices to showcase impact and commitment.  

As organizations look for effective training solutions, the model of cohort learning stands out. We need to remember that the best learning experiences and outcomes don’t come from learning something new. The lasting effects come from building competence, fostering connections and driving business impact. 

Give it a try, join a cohort, or start a cohort at your organization to learn collaboratively and unlock success!