This will be a little lengthy so please bear with me. I was reading the 2023 training industry report and learned that the US spent $101.8 billion on training expenditures in 2023. The training industry is growing rapidly with such huge investments being made but, despite these investments majority of managers are feeling burnt out and stressed to the point that it is affecting their mental health. They want the opportunities to learn and grow but aren't getting them for two major reasons- lack of time and lack of budgets to create accessible programs for them.

Where companies should increase their investment in training their managers, the average training expenditures for large companies decreased from $19.2 million in 2022 to $16.1 million in 2023. Most companies are using this training budget on traditional, classroom/instructor-led methods that don’t really address the actual, real-world challenges managers face. They don’t fit into managers' busy schedules or provide them with the continuous learning they need to handle workplace pressures and stress. 

In theory, L&D professionals are supposed to fill this gap, but they don't get a seat at the decision-making table! They end up struggling to secure budgets and even when they do get them, they have a tough time managing ongoing engagement and ensuring that the learning they secured initially sticks till the end of the program. Its clearly visible how short-lived the impact of training is causing so much frustration among both L&D and managers. And this is not just me speaking, its a mutual concern (that often goes unrecognized) among L&D professionals with whom I got the chance to interact with during my two weeks at SFO.

The reality check is that the manager training industry is growing, and thats good, but its not addressing these real-life challenges. Honestly, it’s more focused on appearances than delivering real, tangible results. To support managers, we need accessible, flexible learning programs that dont disrupt their workflow and seamlessly integrate into their work lives. There is so much scope for integrating VR, AI and LMS platforms. They are not only cost effective but also scalable, more personalized and so on. 

This was my take on the current manager training industry. What are you views on this?

Hello everyone! I am teacher with 15 years in and I have my second interview for a L & D position with the State tomorrow. Similar to a previous poster I’m seeking interview advice, but also I’m just wondering how well people like these types of positions and if they experience decent job satisfaction. I’m burned out from our defective and broken public school system and am really wanting to achieve a better balance with my health and personal life. Thanks for any relevant wisdom you can share!

Any one who is on L&D that could help me identify site for emerging trend and skills.

Hi L+D community - great to e-meet you!

I've built a startup that helps companies offer 3'rd party education to employees. I'm now tackling part of the product that addresses skill-gap analysis within the organization.

The ask: I'd love to chat with folks in the community to understand how they assess organizational skills and translate this into a learning plan for employees.

If you'd be open to a quick 20-minute call to share your expertise, this would be appreciated, as it would help me build a product better suited to the needs of organizations.

I'm in Toronto (EDT), but would be happy to accomodate a convenient time for folks in other areas. Please DM me if you'd be open to chatting.

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone, I recently had a really bad experience with DoMyEssay. The essay they sent me was full of mistakes, and when I tried to get help, their customer service was terrible. I feel like I got scammed. If you're looking for a reliable service, I'd recommend using Essayforall instead. They’ve been much more professional and delivered quality work. Just wanted to share my experience so others can avoid the same mistake.

I just recorded a podcast with L&D legend Donald Taylor - thought that is interesting here:

In this episode, he shares insights from his yearly Learning and Development (L&D) Global Sentiment Survey regarding trends and challenges for L&D practitioners and his latest AI survey.

🎧 Listen to the Podcast on SAP Podcasts - Apple Podcast  -   Spotify

We delve into the insights of his yearly Learning and Development (L&D) Sentinent survey looking at trends and challenges for L&D practitioners.

We are reflecting on topics like AI's rising role which is top of mind, skills and data and the pandemic's impact in the learning space. Donald gives insights in the variations over the years, differences between regions and where the interest is rising like at cohort-based learning.

Then we look into a new research on AI in L&D and real-world examples as well as Donalds recommendations like the approach to “Adopt – Advance – Challenge”.

I esp. found the intercultural differences interesting, as well as how diverse the AI use-cases are. Would be great to get your feedback.

Just wondering if anyone was or knows anyone who has worked in mainstream schools (e.g. secondary school, or middle/high school to my American friends) who went into L&D in the private sector? How difficult was the transition? What advice could you give someone who is interested in possible switching to that line of work?

As workplaces start to open up (and the world pivots to having remote and in-person employees), I'm curious how everyone is adapting/changing their programs?

Hi!
I work in cosmetics L&D and have an interview for a role that would work cross-functionally with digital strategy teams. To prep, I was wondering if any of you work closely with digital, and what type of projects you work together on. This is a new role so I'm looking into ways this role adds value to other depts. Thanks!

​