Employee Learning Week 2009

What is Employee Learning Week (ELW)?


Employee Learning Week (December 7th-11th, 2009) is an ASTD awareness campaign highlighting the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results.

This is critical, as training is more important now than ever before. The growing skills gap and the increased need to compete in today’s economy require organizations to develop a knowledgeable and highly skilled workforce.

As Daniel Pink states in his book "A Whole New Mind," today's economy demands the skills required by a 21st century workforce; a workforce that was educated (and continues to be developed) using insufficient Industrial Age methods & mentalities. 


Employee Learning Week offers the perfect opportunity for organizations to address this disconnect, get involved, and highlight their commitment to lifelong learning and affecting the change necessary to support & develop a competitive workforce in this new global knowledge economy.

Government officials are getting in on the act as well. Many jurisdictions officially proclaim this week as Employee Learning Week. 

Official proclamations for recognizing Employee Learning Week were secured from:

• Gov. Dave Heineman, State of Nebraska
• Gov. Ted Strickland, State of Ohio
• Mayor, Lorraine H. Morton, Evanston, Illinois
• Mayor, Mike Fahey, Omaha, Nebraska
• Mayor, Linda M. Vaughn, Machesney Park, Illinois
• Mayor, Donald Groesser, Ralston, Nebraska
• Mayor, Julian Castro, San Antonio, Texas
• Mayor, James Blinn, Papillion, Nebraska
• and many more...!

A short list of organizations celebrating Employee Learning week include:

• Marriott
• Rotary International
• Macy's
• Polaris
• University of Phoenix
• Premier Bank
• University of New Mexico
• University Health System
• and many more...!

Here at Owl's Ledge, we are joining the Employee Learning Week celebration and acting as a Champion of Learning by focusing on happenings in the CPLP community and programs related to the ASTD Workplace Learning & Performance Competency Model.

This is because we - learning & performance professionals - have to first become healthy, strong & model the 21st century characteristics ourselves before we can effectively assist the organizations we serve in developing their competitive workforce.

Join us this week for:

• Daily events, resources, learning activities & games
• Special Twitter-based discussions on learning & performance

I'm calling upon all of my learning & performance peers - worldwide - to join us in advancing our profession forward - from reactive & tactical, to strategic & responsive.

From measuring our own performance on number of training programs designed, developed & delivered (and how many butts we got into seats) - to helping to transform our organizations through innovation, globalization & strategic enablement.

The time is now!

Watch this blog for information on how you can get involved!

~ Trish Uhl, PMP, CPLP
CEO, Owl's Ledge LLC
http://www.cplpcoach.com/

Twitter: @trishuhl | @cplpcoach

Owl's Ledge - building the 21st Century Workforce, one Certified Professional in Learning & Performance (CPLP®) candidate at a time.

* Transformation * Globalization * Innovation * Strategic Enablement *