EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING AWARDS 2025
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Judges’ Comments Submissions in the Talent Development category highlight a shift toward more adaptive, evidence-based, and human- centred approaches that align with fast-changing organisational needs. One key trend is towards personalised learning, supported by data analytics, skills assessments, and AI-enabled learning platforms that adapt content in real time. A shift towards Skills First HR is replacing the traditional “front-loaded” development model, with organisations creating pathways that integrate formal training, experiential projects, and informal learning communities. The focus is on building transferable capabilities such as problem-solving, digital literacy, and resilience that enable employees to navigate uncertainty. Blended and technology-enabled delivery remains dominant, combining in-person experiences with virtual, mobile, and microlearning formats. Virtual reality, simulations, and gamification are increasingly utilised to accelerate skill acquisition and improve engagement, particularly in complex or high-stakes contexts. The strategic importance of on-the- job, experiential learning through stretch assignments, cross-functional projects, and international placements, to accelerate capability development while delivering business value is also evident throughout the category. Mentoring and coaching are evolving too, with structured peer mentoring, reverse mentoring, and group coaching addressing multigenerational workplace dynamics. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) considerations continue to be integral to talent development design, ensuring that programmes remove barriers and reflect a broad definition of talent. Generationally responsive approaches acknowledging differing motivations, career expectations, and learning preferences are also becoming the norm.
Finally, impact measurement is moving beyond satisfaction surveys toward data-rich evaluation frameworks that focus on impact and link learning to performance, engagement, and retention metrics. Talent analytics are being used not just to assess outcomes but to predict skill gaps and inform workforce planning. Collectively, these developments point to an approach to talent development that is agile, data-informed, inclusive, and deeply embedded in organisational strategy, positioning it as a critical driver of competitiveness and long- term workforce sustainability.
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