Three Things We Learned About Co-op from the LinkedIn 2017 Workplace Learning Report

Posted on Thursday, August 10th, 2017

Recently, LinkedIn came out with their 2017 Workplace Learning Report. It’s focused on how employers provide learning experiences and personal development to existing employees, but it resonated with us in Cooperative Education, too.

Much of the conversation around workplace learning and development ties into co-op. In fact, in some ways, co-op is ahead of the curve when it comes to professional development. When looking at the ideal industry standards for learning and development, we see that co-op is already there.

Here are three key takeaways from the article that show how co-op will give your professional development a boost.

Fact 1: 92 per cent of executives in the US think that there is a skills gap in the workforce.

While this is an American fact, it resonates here in Canada, too. It means that professional training isn’t keeping up with the changing face of industry. A skills gap means a disconnect between theory and practicality, and that’s where co-op fits right in.

As a co-op student, you are exposed to both. The classroom training is integral, giving you the background to understand your industry and job. But that hands-on experience in the workforce gives you the understanding of what practical skills you need—be they industry-specific or transferable.

This gives you an edge in a competitive world. Coming to the table with those dual experiences—theoretical and experiential—is a huge bonus for you. You present employers with a solution, a way to fill that skills gap.

Fact 2: Learning and Development in the workplace should lean on internal experts.

What this means is that training and development programs in organizations should consult with existing employees to figure out what works and what doesn’t. By working with successful employees already at the company, they can come up with a unique and effective training plan to bring all employees to the same skills level.

As a co-op student, that comes built right into the experience. When you enter an organization, you get access to those internal experts—your supervisors. They show you how the job is done, what standards are expected, and what behaviour you should be emulating. They are experts in the field and you, as a student, have a chance to learn from them directly.

It means that when you hit the workforce after graduation, you’ve already had an impactful mentoring experience. It makes you a stronger candidate and better employee.

Fact 3: Companies should strive to build a culture of learning.

One of the big conclusions of this report is that organizations should focus on creating a culture of learning, so their staff doesn’t fall behind or become disengaged with their work. What does a ‘culture of learning’ entail?

A culture of learning is a place where employees can feel comfortable taking risks, and where they can feel safe making mistakes. Learning can’t happen without those two factors. And lucky for you, that’s exactly what a co-op placement is.

When you enter a co-op position, you are still a student. This means that you are still in a learning environment, where you can make mistakes safely. You can start applying your knowledge knowing that if you make a mistake, it is only an opportunity to further your education.

This leads to something that the report calls ‘transformative learning’. This is the kind of learning that can change your worldview. It involves your psychological, behavioural, and convictional learning: basically, what you understand, how you behave, and what you believe about a topic.

Through co-op, you attain this desired transformative learning: you learn in the classroom to change your psychological understanding, you have practical experience to change your behavioural understanding, and these in turn help you attain a convictional understanding of the issue. You become a well-rounded, experienced person.

This LinkedIn Learning Report is full of important information that can give you insights into the modern workplace. You can read the full 41-page report here.

If you’re intrigued by the benefits of co-op, interested in taking a co-op course, or have questions about co-op at Algonquin College, get in touch! Please visit our website at https://www.algonquincollege.com/coop/, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623. You can also follow us on Twitter @AlgonquinCoop.


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