In this new era of self-service learning, learning as a service (LaaS), and very low unemployment rates, whether it’s easy to accept or not, experts are indicating that leaders must consider cultivating talent outside of their own organizations to continue to prosper in the next decade or so.
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Keep reading for more details about how to cultivate talent outside your organization and why it’s important.
Partner with Third Parties
When cultivating talent outside your organization, consider working with content developers to create original learning content or courses, as well as learning platforms and apps, that others who are external to your organization can purchase or access.
Also, consider partnering with postsecondary institutions to develop learning content and certificate programs that those outside your organization can buy or use, or partner with nonprofits and educational institutions to develop internship programs and apprenticeships, through which you can cultivate and develop talent without necessarily directly hiring or overseeing individuals.
Develop Original Courses and Materials
If your organization is privy to unique data or original industry-related research, you could develop courses that outside parties can take in order to access such knowledge and expertise.
For example, if your organization handles market research about e-commerce, you could use the market research to develop learning content for other marketers to access, purchase, and study.
Focus on External Strategic Talent Pipelines
When developing initiatives to cultivate talent external to your organization, you should still consider developing strategic pipelines. For example, you could create a pipeline of viable talent from an apprenticeship program you develop with a local nonprofit for local youth, or you could develop a talent pipeline from a certificate program you help create with a local college or university.
Benefits of Cultivating Talent Outside Your Organization
High-quality talent pipelines. When you work with external entities to develop talent, you’ll also have direct access to and confidence in the talent you’re helping to cultivate, so you would want to include them in your organization’s talent pipeline.
For example, a marketing firm that helps develop learning content for a certificate course held at a local college would feel confident in the skills and expertise those students attain, so you would want to recruit some of those students once they have completed their certificate courses and programs.
Positive brand reputation and a competitive edge. When you work to cultivate talent outside of your own organization, you are sharing insight with other professionals about what your organization values and what it has to offer. And if your organization values learning and has substantial industry expertise to share and develop, it will attract top talent from across its industry.
When other industry leaders begin looking to your organization for learning content, information, and expertise, your organization will then become an industry leader and begin to outpace its competitors while continuing to attract the best talent.
As you work on your L&D programs and initiatives, be sure to consider developing talent outside of your own organization, too.