Learning is all about exploring. And that’s exactly what attendees did the last week of February during the Training 2019 Conference & Expo at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL, and two co-located events, the Learning Leaders Summit (held at GuideWell Innovation Center) and Innovations in Training (which traveled to various locations in Orlando).
Attended by 2,000-plus Learning and Development (L&D) professionals, the conference helped unearth valuable learning nuggets and best practices in 12 certificate programs, 16 hands-on clinics, 120-plus breakout sessions, Verizon’s 5G Experience Bus, and a scavenger hunt powered by GeoTeaming. And attendees discovered the latest and greatest products and services from nearly 90 exhibitors in the Expo Hall.
The keynoters touched our hearts and intrigued our brains (see p. 42 for keynote quotes), while the Training Technology Test Kitchen cooked up innovative solutions and the Second City Works coached participants on using improv to up their training game.
At the Learning Leaders Summit, participants tackled the $64,000 question: How can we dare to develop people differently? (See “Leaders Learning Together” for key takeaways). During Innovations in Training, attendees realized that “small changes can make a compound difference” and rediscovered “how much wondering means and matters.”
Now that’s what we call training treasure.
(For photo coverage of the 2019 Training Conference & Expo, click here.)
BP/OTI & ETL AWARD WINNERS
Training recognized innovative and successful learning and development programs and practices utilized by the 2019 Training Top 125 winners. Best Practice and Outstanding Training Initiative winners received crystal awards during a ceremony on the Expo Stage and were congratulated by Training Top 10 Hall of Famers Catherine Rickelman from IBM and Glenn Hughes from KLA Corporation. The winners are:
BEST PRACTICES
- BayCare Health System
- CenturyLink
- Haskell
- Paychex, Inc.
- Walden Security
OUTSTANDING TRAINING INITIATIVES
- Best Buy
- Birmingham Water Works Board
- CarMax, Inc.
- FORUM Credit Union
- Van Meter, Inc.
A Stellar Event
The stars were aligned for the 2019 Training Top 125 winners as their rankings were revealed during the Wish Upon a Star Gala held February 25 during the Training 2019 Conference & Expo at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL.
Attended by nearly 550 Training Top 125 representatives and Training Top 10 Hall of Famers, the black-tie gala was sponsored by Adobe (which provided a special gift for attendees), Brella (which spearheaded the event production), Pelucida (which created the crystal awards), Seiko (which served as the official timekeeper of the event and provided keepsake watches and a commemorative clock for the No. 1 winner), and the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame.
Dollar General Corporation, LLC’s wish came true when the retailer learned it had nabbed the top spot on the 2019 Training Top 125. Another retailer, Best Buy, ranked third. Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (No. 2 and eligible for Training Top 10 Hall of Fame induction in 2020), Nationwide (No. 4), and BNSF Railway Co. (No. 5) rounded out the Top 5. Some 28 new companies broke into the Top 125 this year.
Earlier in the day, Training Top 125 Best Practice and Outstanding Training Initiative winners received crystal trophies during a ceremony on the Expo Stage (see above).
Click here to see photos from the Gala.