Learning for the long haul of this pandemic
Many people thought the pandemic’s disruption would be short-lived. When many credit unions closed their branches this spring, few dreamed that reopening them would happen at a time when the number of virus cases in many states would be on the upswing.
In all, it now seems like we may be operating in a world held hostage by the coronavirus for quite a bit longer.
Out of necessity, everything digital is getting a boost. By popular demand, everything digital is getting better. Video meeting tools have vastly improved. Work-from-home capabilities have been fostered. And digital learning is also on the upswing in both quantity and quality.
Institutions ranging from Harvard to local school districts are going all-online this fall. Other learning programs, including a great number of credit union events traditionally held in-person, are being offered virtually.
While the in-person classroom experience is something people relish, online learning is an increasingly effective way for credit union executives and staff to learn what they need to know to move their credit unions forward. Online learning gives people a sense of accomplishment when other learning is impossible. We at CUES expect online learning to continue to be a greater percentage of all education in our industry even once COVID-19 is defeated.
As a perk, online learning is uniquely trackable, giving HR managers and supervisors useful reports and ideas about next steps for team members’ learning than can be generated when learning is done in person.
My staff and I would like nothing more than to see our members and other credit union industry leaders learning together in-person again. We’ll make that possible as soon as it safe to do so. But while the pandemic lingers, we’re pleased to be part of the effort to make online learning more readily available and more effective.
As CUES VP of Membership Jimese Harkley, CUDE, J.D., explains in her most recent column, CUES is currently expanding its Elite Access Virtual Classroom offerings. These virtual courses include two coming up on how to lead differently and how to manage third-party data breaches. Each features a live presenter who can answer participants’ questions in real time, plus opportunities to work in small groups with others in the class. I benefitted from attending an Elite Access session on uncovering unconscious bias, which is now free to anyone. I hope to see you registered for a future course and welcome your feedback about your experience.
