Alien Invasion:  Creating Effective Training Programs for the Millennial Generation

They tweet non-stop.  They disregard hierarchy, chain-of-command, and your “old-school” training techniques.  They are the Millennial generation, and they’re here to stay.
This young and innovative generation is shaking things up in our training rooms and online classrooms, and they’re doing it for the better.  Their expectations for innovative approaches to training design and delivery give us the opportunity to integrate technology and innovative teaching methods into our training programs. 

In fact, it’s more than just an opportunity – it’s a necessity.  With Boomer retirement on the not-so-distant horizon, organizations are flooding themselves with Millennial new hires.  When asked, Millennials say they value training opportunities as much as salary.  So your training better be good, or they’ll go somewhere else. 

We are in a war for talent and if you want to keep your talented Millennial employees from jumping ship, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon and view your training programs through the lens of a Millennial. 

Here we provide you with four insights we’ve learned from designing and delivering training for Millennials.

1. Tell me everything up front.

Millennials need to know up front what is expected of them.  They want to know how they will be evaluated and the specific criteria which will be used.  In their initial transition from the academic world to the professional, many Millennials are still stuck in the, “Will this be on the test?” mindset.  Helping them understand early on what is expected of them helps them not only succeed in training but also on the job.  You can do this by clearly communicating training objectives, informing trainees about what information they will be evaluated against and how they will be evaluated, and providing an opportunity for Millennials to ask questions and clarify expectations early on.

2. Entertain me to engage me.

Millennials love to be entertained.  Well really, who doesn’t?  The difference here is that Millennials often expect to be entertained in a training environment.  Not in the song and dance sense, thank goodness, but in the sense that the educational material itself, is also entertaining.  Here at Vivid we like to call this “Edutainment”.  It really is a beautiful thing, and allows us to create highly engaging training programs that “hook” our learners from the beginning.  So, how does one do this?  Use case studies, scenarios, interactivity, 3D simulations, and video clips to make your training programs more entertaining, life-like, and effective.  You can also work with a company that specializes in creating training and integrating innovative multimedia elements.  The result: more entertaining and more engaging learning content.  This is good for everyone, not just Millennials.

3. Enhance my experience with technology.

Everything Millennials know about education involves technology.  We can have the best, most important and credible content to share, but if we deliver it in a lecture-style format, we’re going to lose them.  Many times people respond to this thought with, “well, it’s their problem if they don’t learn!”  I’d argue that it is our problem as employers if our employees aren’t educated on very important content related to their job.  The solution?  Embrace technology!  This doesn’t mean you have to “tweet” your entire training program at them, but consider how e-Learning, simulations, interactive Smartboards, audience response systems (aka ‘clickers’), and other educational technologies can be used to further enhance your very important training content.

4. Let me create my own “ah-ha” moments.

A tale of one Millennial:

When I was in the fifth grade I was a Union soldier in the Civil War.  In fact, I sat next to kids who were in the Confederate Army, and even Union spies who helped me get slaves to freedom.  My teacher taught us about the Civil War through simulations and role plays.  While in the past students have learned about the Civil War from textbooks, my teacher created these experiences in the classroom that allowed me to make my own connections, draw my own conclusions, and formulate my own interpretation of this very historic event.  She allowed me to create my own “ah-ha” moments. 

When all young professionals have ever known are active, scenario-based, case study driven, discussion-fostering learning experiences, they learn best when these approaches are integrated into their training as professionals.  Not to say they can’t sit through a four-hour lecture, they just might not learn as much as if they actively participated in the training.  Educational research shows us that this isn’t just the case for Millennials, it’s the case for everyone.  This doesn’t mean we throw traditional instruction out the window, we just find a way to incorporate “doing” into the mix.

We’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg.  To learn more about the different generations in the work place, their specific training needs, and how you can adapt and modify your current practices feel free to contact the author at esappington@learnatvivid.com or (509) 545-1800.

About Erin Sappington
Erin Sappington is an Instructional Designer with Vivid Learning Systems in Pasco, Washington, and has spoken to audiences of all generations on topics related to the multigenerational workplace.  Vivid Learning Systems in partnership with sister company Imageworks, develop cutting-edge training and communications solutions.  Erin has designed and delivered more than 150 training programs for multigenerational audiences and brings an insider’s perspective to the Millennial generation.  She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Technology from the University of Missouri.