Learn and grow this May by participating in a free webinar or two. This month’s list is large, and it covers a variety of topics. From sparking your creativity to enhancing your business insights, there’s plenty to learn. Don't miss out on these enriching educational experiences — make the most of this month by investing a little time in learning something new. And be sure to share this list with friends and colleagues!

Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Solving the L&D Disconnect: Frontline Worker Skills Growth in 2024 and Beyond
In a world where most frontline workers say that they’ve experienced additional stress due to low staffing levels over the last year, it’s time to turn your attention to this critical segment of the workforce in a practical, proactive manner to help them be more productive and engaged in their work. Join David Wentworth, Talent Platform Evangelist at Schoox, and Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research and Advisory, to review the results of the 2024 Lighthouse Research and Advisory report, “Frontline Worker Skills Growth and the L&D Disconnect.”

Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PT: Top Five Most In-Demand Skills to Future-Proof Your Career and Organization (Free for ATD members)
In a rapidly evolving professional landscape, this webinar will focus on the importance of staying ahead by developing key personal and professional skills. Paul Eschen, Chief Marketing Officer, Bizlibrary, will share key takeaways from a recent Trends in Training survey of hundreds of HR and L&D professionals on the top skills that organizations are prioritizing in 2024 and beyond. Here are the top three takeaways from the session:

• Talent versus Technology: Navigating Conflicting Priorities.

• Creating versus Order Taking.

• Leadership 2.0 — What the Leaders of 2030 Will Look Like.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: How to Use a Coaching Framework for Training Reinforcement
In this webinar, Tim Hagen, Chief Coaching Officer at Progress Coaching, will reveal a very specific approach that combines the world of leadership coaching as a tool for training reinforcement. For far too long, training has been left alone without the value of training reinforcement. This webinar will illustrate how reinforcement can easily be applied to elevate the value and delivery of your training.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Connecting Skills to Career Outcomes: A Framework for Learning Program Growth
Not every microcredential carries the recognition and credibility learners need to progress in their careers. Only those training programs that connect skills with career outcomes, design thoughtful learning pathways and engage meaningfully with learners will earn the awareness and reputation they need to grow. Enter Accredible’s Digital Credential Framework: a proven approach to developing credential programs that are scalable and valuable to both learners and employers. In this webinar, Maise Hunns, Director of Professional Services at Accredible, will outline:

• The three elements of the Credential Framework and how they can be used to build or improve your learning program.

• Strategies for positioning your courses as essential milestones on the path to career success.

• Proven methods for leveraging your certificate holders to drive awareness of and growth for your program.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Stand Out, Get Noticed and Create Influence with Expert Market Positioning
Do you struggle to communicate your company’s value and uniqueness to prospects? Debbie Allen, the world’s #1 authority on expert positioning, will show you exactly how to position your business as a top industry leader and authority. Discover how to stand out far above your competitors. Expert Market Positioning allows you to quickly accelerate income-generating opportunities as you gain more high-value customers, business referrals and sales. You’ll walk away from this innovative marketing presentation with proven and time-tested strategies that you can implement in your business right away.

Thursday, May 9, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: Unmasking Truths: Demystifying Training Evaluation with the Kirkpatrick Model
Dive into the heart of training evaluation in this enlightening session dedicated to dispelling the four most common myths surrounding the Kirkpatrick Model. Join Kirkpatrick Partners’ Vanessa Alzate, President and CEO, and Wendy Kirkpatrick, Senior Consultant, for an eye-opening exploration that separates fact from fiction, ensuring you have a clear understanding of how to leverage this powerful model for accurate and impactful training assessments. Here are the four most common myths that will be addressed:

• Myth 1: It’s only about smile sheets.

• Myth 2: Evaluation is complex and time-consuming.

• Myth 3: The Kirkpatrick Model is inflexible.

• Myth 4: Results are hard to measure.

Thursday, May 9, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Harnessing AI to Tackle Front-Line and Leader Learning Challenges
For years, L&D has struggled to address the disparate needs of front-line workers and managers. L&D functions must address attrition through career pathing, while also continuing to support operational and productivity metrics. In this webinar, Steve Dineen and Chris Tramantiny will explore how new advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are enabling learning leaders to solve both problems — while accelerating engagement and driving measurable business results.

Thursday, May 9, 2024, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PT: ATD Research:  Localization of Elearning (Free for ATD members)
Localization of training goes beyond just translating a course; it includes adapting the information to be appropriate for other regions, countries and cultures. In 2024, ATD research will introduce new research that focuses on localization adoption, effectiveness of localizing trainings and its impact on accessibility. Join Rocki Basel, Associate Director of Research at ATD, to explore key findings from the report, including:

• Translating language and phrases was a common way that organizations localized their training.

• There are benefits to localizing elearning. Training was more effective, learners retained more information, training could be completed faster and satisfaction with training increased.

• The top three reasons organizations struggled with localizing content were a lack of time, staff and funding.

Monday, May 13, 2024, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PT: Learn to Ride a Cloud Computer (Free for ATD members)
Real-world experience is required to solve real-world challenges, and IT professionals agree that hands-on learning is the most effective way to develop new skills, retain knowledge and get going. Learn how individuals are getting hands-on experience with cloud computing using playgrounds and sandboxes to accelerate their learning journey in a safe, secure and risk-free environment. During this event, Drew Firment, Chief Cloud Strategist at Pluralsight, will discuss how:

• 87% of IT professionals agree that hands-on learning is the most effective way to learn new skills.

• Hands-on learners retain 75% of knowledge compared to only 10% for traditional methods like lectures.

• Cloud playgrounds and sandboxes drop learners into real environments to learn real-world hands-on skills.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 8 a.m.–9 a.m. PT: Level Up: Harnessing the Power of Gamification for Safety Training
Imagine transforming vital training — like that for utility protection and damage prevention — into an engaging, memorable and impactful experience. This is the magic of gamification. Join Jay Stephens, President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Damage Prevention Academy, to delve into the power of training games, showing you how to turn essential knowledge into captivating adventures. Embark on a journey that will revolutionize the way you think about utility protection and damage prevention training. Let’s game on!

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: Accessibility and Section 508 Compliance in Adobe Captivate
Join Sharath Ramaswamy, Senior Elearning Evangelist at Adobe, for an essential webinar to ensure that your elearning content reaches every learner, regardless of their abilities. In today’s digital age, creating accessible content isn’t just a legal requirement, but also a moral imperative to promote inclusivity and provide equal learning opportunities. In this session, you’ll delve into the tools and techniques within Adobe Captivate that enable you to create elearning content that adheres to accessibility standards and Section 508 compliance.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Awesome PowerPoint Tricks for Effective Presentations
PowerPoint is such an essential tool for all types of communication, but it’s badly used. Revolutionize your content with amazing visuals, engage your audience with compelling animations and impress them with beautiful, professional design, all using only PowerPoint. You’ll see a host of visual storytelling techniques, all demonstrated live by Richard Goring, Director at BrightCarbon, that you can use immediately to create amazing presentations or interactive content. You’ll see how to apply these to marketing content, sales conversations and training sessions, plus get free sources for graphics and productivity boosting tools.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: How an L&D Executive at Google Measures Learning Impact
Learn to develop an end-to-end evaluation strategy using the same tools, processes and templates that Google does and apply them to your organization with the guidance of Nikki Le, Head of Education Impact at Google. You’ll develop the skills to draft evaluation questions that are tied to your business use cases, map them to the behaviours and indicators that will answer those questions and create the instruments necessary to track those metrics. With those tools, you’ll have an evaluation strategy to inform your data-driven decisions and influence your stakeholders.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Building Future-Fit Leaders That Drive Growth
Building future-fit leaders throughout an organization encompasses not only identifying potential leaders, but also the ability to attain, retain and develop talent through impactful L&D strategies that can keep pace with the future of work. A key component of these initiatives involves implementing measurable L&D programs that translate efforts into tangible business results, while equipping employees with the necessary skills and mindset for future leadership roles. Join Leena-Maija Rinne, VP of Skillsoft Coaching at Skillsoft, for an insightful discussion on how to foster a culture of continuous growth and leadership development across all levels of your organization.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. PT: Accountability in Action: Cultivating a Culture of Engaged, Empowered and Account (Free for I4PL members)
Join Heather Hilliard, Principal Consultant at Caliber Leadership Systems, to delve into understanding the subtle intricacies of employee behaviour and dynamics, ensuring sustained team morale and productivity. The proposed presentation on “The Impact of Quiet Quitting on Performance and Development” focuses on equipping leaders and managers with insights into the phenomenon of quiet quitting, a silent yet profound manifestation of employee disengagement. Leaders and managers need to be adept at detecting, addressing and preventing this undercurrent that can lead to a decline in performance, morale and mental health.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Drawing Remote Interest: How to Master Online Whiteboard Sketching for Meetings that Engage, Surprise and Stick
Virtual meetings and presentations can inflict a mind-numbing combination of death by PowerPoint and Zoom fatigue that leave your attendees disengaged, distracted and desperate for it to be over. Adding simple live drawings to your online meetings breaks the monotony and illustrates your points clearly, so your audience understands, remembers, enjoys and implements your trainings better. Lisa Rothstein, CEO of Drawing Out Your Genius, will also cover tech solutions that will have you looking like a whiteboarding pro right from the start. This session will give you the skills and tools to draw ideas live in virtual meetings, and how to work them seamlessly into your existing trainings.

Thursday, May 16, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: The #1 Way to Motivate Adult Learners
Within a group, people will participate more to avoid letting down their peers. Even if someone doesn’t want to be in training, they won’t punish their partner. When learners work together as partners or team, it can bring out their best. They may not be motivated to please the trainer, but they’re motivated to come through for their partners who are counting on their cooperation. Discover how to motivate learners with activities you can make your own. Join Becky Pike Pluth, President and CEO of The Bob Pike Group, to:

• Discover what works and what doesn’t work to motivate adult learners.

• Examine how rewards, recognition and approval can tap into intrinsic motivation.

• Discuss one size doesn’t fit all — but fits most — and why that matters.

Thursday, May 16, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Building Compelling Use Cases for Emerging Learning Technologies
How do you know when extended reality (XR), AI and other innovations should be leveraged and when other methodologies are better choices? It starts by understanding the desired business outcome from a learning initiative and the skills that need to be developed to reach those outcomes. You’re invited to join Bob Szostak, Director of Customer Solutions for VPS; Nicole Fairchild, Director of Learning and Development-Operations at Entergy; and Claude Werder, Senior VP and Principal Analyst for Brandon Hall Group, to learn insights and strategies on how to use a proper analysis to:

• Build use cases for incorporating new media and methodologies.

• Build the business case for investment and ROI.

• Establish the structure for development prioritization and asset management. 

Thursday, May 16, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Leveraging Manager and Peer Engagement to Build Superior Training
Manager and peer involvement in training can dramatically improve effectiveness. However, manager coaching is at an all-time low and the shift to more remote training methods has limited peer engagement. The solution has been identified as three keys that drive alignment among learners, peers and managers ensuring you get the most from your training investment. In this engaging webinar, Michael Leimbach, VP of Global Research and Development at Wilson Learning Worldwide, and Jacob Nikolau, Head of Product Marketing at NovoEd, will describe these keys to ensure success of your learning and discuss the impact of using these keys with the example of sales training.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 8 a.m.–9 a.m. PT: The Evolving Role of Spanish in the US and Why Language Training is the Key to Success
The number of native Spanish speakers in the workforce is skyrocketing, and the impact on the economy and industry cannot be ignored. Businesses and their leaders need to recognize how the rise of Spanish in the workforce is an opportunity for growth and productivity and that language learning is a key skill for both native Spanish and native English speakers — today and in the future. Join B2B’s Becky Gundy, Head of Marketing, Americas, and Marisol Gómez, Customer Success Manager, as they share key insights into why businesses across industries should develop language learning as a key focus for employee upskilling.

Thursday, May 23, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: The Future-Focused ID: Your L&D Career in the Age of AI: The Future-Focused ID: Your L&D Career in the Age of AI
AI is revolutionizing the field of instructional design (ID), automating many routine tasks and opening up exciting new possibilities for personalized, adaptive learning experiences. But as AI takes on more of the heavy lifting, the role of the instructional designer is evolving. What skills and competencies will be most critical for IDs to thrive in an AI-powered world? ELB Learning’s Ellen Burns-Johnson, VP of Learning Strategy, and Michelle Lentz, Senior Learning Strategist, will explore the emerging skills landscape for instructional designers in the age of AI. They’ll share insights into how AI is transforming ID roles and the new opportunities it presents for L&D professionals to expand their impact and value.

Thursday, May 23, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Seven Pivotal Moments That Lead to Personal Growth
During every journey, there are pivotal moments where you remember the person, place and time when you learned something that changes the course of your journey. Steve Reiner, Author and Leadership Expert, shares some of the biggest moments when he learned about Emotional Intelligence (EQ). It is said that EQ dictates 60% of your future success. It’s how well you can understand and connect with other people. Leaders are in the people business, so it only makes sense that most of the success is connected to understanding people.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 9 a.m.–10 a.m. PT: Best Practices in XR Learning: Lessons from the Frontlines
The future of extended Reality (XR) just arrived. Join Anders Gronstedt, President of The Gronstedt Group, for a demo-packed session to learn how industry leaders onboard, upskill and reskill their workforce with virtual practice spaces that mirror their real-life workplaces. You’ll watch hyper-realistic 3D rehearsal studios that provide intense, deliberate practice at the edge of users’ comfort zones and feedback loops to hone skills. Students and instructors can collaborate on tasks, working shoulder-to-shoulder, just like in real life, learning with and from each other in the performance environment.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PT: ATD Research: Bridging the Skills Gap (Free for ATD members)
In 2024, ATD Research will publish Bridging the Skills Gap: Using Learning Opportunities to Address Current and Future Talent Needs which examines the current and future skills gaps organizations are facing, as described by talent development professionals. In this webinar, Rocki Basel, Associate Director of Research at ATD; and Rosendin’s Jeff Daigle and Brandon Dickey, will focus on the role of talent development in filling skills gaps in organizations. Key findings include:

• Nearly three-quarters of organizations were experiencing a skills gap in leadership and executive-level skills, managerial and supervisory skills, communication and interpersonal skills, and process improvement and project management skills.

• 75% of organizations expect a skills gap in the future.

• Organizations were using a variety of formal and informal ways to address skills gaps, including instructor-led training (ILT), coaching and mentoring, microlearning, and simulations and scenario-based learning.

• Employees want opportunities to improve their soft skills, such as critical thinking, creativity and communication.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Putting the SPARK into Your Virtual Training Sessions
Have you attended a few humdrum webinars or virtual training sessions that were so monotonous or uninteresting you found your attention wandering to that unfinished project on your desk? Join Cynthia Clay, CEO of NetSpeed Learning, as she explains and models five techniques that put the SPARK into your virtual training. From storytelling to creating a positive learning environment that motivates people to action, you’ll experience what it means to kindle interest, engagement and enthusiasm when you facilitate online. Take away a SPARK checklist to ensure your next virtual training session is your best virtual training session.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 12 p.m.–1 p.m. PT: Love ’Em or Lose ’Em: Getting Good People to Stay
Managers have always struggled to keep their best employees, but that challenge has become particularly intense during The Great Resignation, perhaps because employees now expect what they previously only hope for: meaningful work, supportive bosses, regular resignation and a chance to learn and grow. How can today’s managers meet these expectations? Beverly Kaye, Founder of Career Systems International, will give you some simple advice that has been around for more than 20 years.

Thursday, May 30, 2024, 10 a.m.–11 a.m. PT: Beyond Chat: AI and the New Frontier of Multimedia Content
As seen over the past year, AI has the potential to revolutionize how organizations train their employees and improve performance. But the changes are far from over — the current state of AI holds promising new capabilities for creating training content and enriching learning experiences. Join Tom Whelan, Director of Corporate Research at Training Industry, Inc., to explore new ways that AI is being used to support L&D through generative video, localization and more. In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• How AI is being used to support L&D through generative video, localization and more.

• The importance of subject matter expertise when working with AI.

• The limitations of AI today and the likely limitations in the future.

Friday, May 31, 2024, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. PT: Enterprise Learning Management in Regulated Industries: A PeopleFluent Learning Demo (Free for ATD members)
One size doesn’t fit all in L&D. When your bottom line depends on keeping staff both actively working and up to date on industry compliance, the right training technology can be the difference between keeping your business running or running into regulatory hot water. It’s also critical to maintain a skilled labour pipeline into the future. Lori Smith, VP of Revenue at PeopleFluent, will explain how her organization’s unique customization and configurability allow their customers to implement their L&D strategies in a way unlike any other learning management system (LMS).

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