Filling the Gap: How Learners Learn Differently at Work Than in School

Research from EAB finds that recent college graduates and prospective employers disagree about whether new college graduates are ready for work.

In fact:

• 4% of students feel their work ethic is proficient, compared to 42.5% of employers.
• 4% of students consider their communication skills proficient, compared to 41.6% of employers.
• 5% of students believe they have leadership skills, compared to only 33% of employers.

And this discrepancy could have to do with the simple fact that students and employees have very different requirements and expectations regarding their overall performance and how they learn.
Below is more information about how learners typically learn and perform differently at work, compared to how they perform and learn in school, and how you can work toward filling this gap for new college grads as a learning and development professional.

Dissimilar Modes of Instruction and Evaluation

While in school, students often experience lectures, are given take-home assignments that are graded, and then complete an exam or complete a project. They rarely get hands-on learning opportunities before they’re graded on what they have “learned.”
On the other hand, in the workplace, learners are often expected to encounter, view, or read material without being graded or tested on their comprehension of it before they must apply it in real-life scenarios that have real-world impact and consequences.

Different Requirements and Expectations

Students in school can be graded on a curve, can skip class without permission, don’t have others relying on them and their work output, etc. However, in a real-world work environment, missing a deadline or meeting can have a direct effect on someone else’s work and reputation, can lead to managers distrusting an employee’s work ethic or competency, can negatively impact an organization and its revenue, etc.
In addition, in the workplace, employees won’t always receive recognition for good work or a “passing” mark—they simply work. So, they need to determine what their own requirements and productivity requirements will be in tandem with their managers and a fluctuating work environment or industry.

How to Fill the Learning Gap

Taking the information parsed above into consideration, here are some things you can do to significantly lessen the amount of mishaps and misunderstandings that occur when new college graduates come to work for you.

• Offer more hands-on training and learning opportunities.
• Give “stretch assignments” that promote innovation and skills growth in an environment with lower stakes.
• Provide regular and consistent performance feedback.
• Administer regular assessments after each training module or program.
• Train and encourage managers of recent college graduates to be coaches, too.

Ultimately, once you understand the ways in which students and employees have very different requirements and expectations regarding their overall performance and how they learn, you’ll be able to pinpoint how you can bridge their learning gaps, as outlined above.