706 Improve Learner Engagement & Retention Using Learning Cohorts
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET
Wednesday, December 6
Many thought leaders in the learning space are encouraging leadership strategies to shift toward learning academies and cohorts where learners can interact with mentors, experts, and peers in a meaningful way. Many leaders are burdened by the ideas of hosting learning cohorts, due to the complex nature of setting up and maintaining them.
Living Spaces is a furniture retail company that has been investing in learning cohorts for several years to help with specific functional and strategic needs.
In this session you will learn why learning cohorts are a sound L&D strategy. Learning cohorts can range in complexity and modality, but they have a few common characteristics. You’ll learn how to identify opportunities to form learning cohorts among your own learner population and see how Living Spaces created learning cohorts for several situations, including onboarding, DEI initiatives, leadership development, and more. We will also share how Living Spaces evolved their mentoring and coaching programs from a system of random and ad hoc matching to a collaborative and multi-modal network with regular programing. A key component of any cohort-based learning program is projects. You will learn how L&D created projects and project teams for their learners to complete as a group.
In this session you will learn:
- Why cohort-based learning has become an essential component of any learning strategy
- How to organize cohorts in your organization by functional area and strategic need
- How to improve internal talent mobility through stronger mentoring, coaching, and team-based projects
Julio Montalvo
Senior Manager, Learning & Development
Living Spaces
Julio Montalvo joined Living Spaces in 2011, working in retail sales, and has worked his way up to the top ranks in learning & development. He is responsible for all innovations and leads a team of five instructional designers. Julio thrives in modern methods and modalities and encourages his team to write quirky, entertaining, and engaging content. He has been a leader in all major learning initiatives and is a go-to leadership facilitator and coach. He is a certified Gallup Global Strengths Coach.
Lucas Stidham
Senior Director, Learning & Development
Living Spaces
Lucas Stidham is a learning & development professional who has over 20 years’ experience in the industry. His formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in music from Northern Arizona University, a master’s degree in music education from Boston University, and a master’s degree in leadership from Grand Canyon University. Lucas joined Living Spaces in 2013 and made an immediate impact on business results. He has built a learning & development team that has been recognized by suppliers and industry peers as a world-class learning organization. He has been a featured speaker with the Learning Guild and Leap HR Retail.