17 Aug The Top Three 2020 Training Trends Millennials Will Love

Millennials currently represent about 50% of the global workforce, and in the next five years they will come to dominate 75% of it. This generational shift means we need to come up with innovative ways to train our workforce in order to upskill and reskill those set to takeover.

So, what exactly are Millennials looking for? Their needs differ vastly from those of Baby Boomers and Gen X. What will keep them motivated to continue to build on their skillset? Keep reading to find out.

Creating exciting, dynamic eLearning for Millennial learners requires careful thought and consideration. Captivating eLearning involves more than animations, infographics and flashy effects. Millennials grew up with technology, they’ve seen it all, and they’re looking for something fresh and attention-grabbing. Here are three training techniques to keep them engaged:

1. Gamification

Why does gamification work? It’s simple. Each time the learner reaches a new achievement level, they feel a rush of excitement and pleasure—think points, levels, badges, and leaderboards. Thanks to gamification, the learner’s brain gets the message that the learning they just did is worth pursuing for more than just the sake of completing an eLearning course.

What’s happening in the brain and body is the release of various feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Think of it like a runner’s high. The gamification of eLearning creates positive associations with learning and compliance training, as learners are rewarded along the way.

2. Microlearning

Microlearning reduces seat time while decreasing time to on-the-job application. When bite-sized learning content is easily accessible and digestible, learners can take it on in their own time, at their own pace. Microlearning content generally addresses only 1-2 learning objectives, as opposed to the 5 or 6 typical of a standard hour-long module. Microlearning content is comprised of mixed-media and typically doesn’t exceed 10-minute lessons.

According to the findings of a survey on Learning and Development professionals, 94% of those surveyed said that they prefer microlearning to traditional eLearning courses because their learners prefer it. Our guess is that this is because of its ability to maintain learner interest and engagement.

3. Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is revolutionizing the eLearning industry. The platform provides super immersive experiences that take eLearning to the next level. VR allows learners to interact with the material in a totally customized virtual environment using specialized headsets and joysticks. Being immersed in the learning intensifies learner engagement and the motivation to learn; it also takes the sting out of long, drawn-out courses.

One area that greatly benefits from VR-style learning is compliance training. VR is being extensively used to allow learners to experience the consequences of unsafe practices and violations of regulations, in a safe space. It also helps learners get a real-time feel for the actual environment in which they are going to be working.

Millennials want bite-sized learning that is gamified, engaging and decreases their time to proficiency. They don’t want to be stuck on hours of onboarding or compliance training; they want to hit the ground running.

If you’re looking for ways to keep your workforce engaged, trained and motivated, contact Flint for the solution.