It seems delivery company UPS has discovered something we at Thought Rock already knew: that younger people prefer high-tech approaches to training:
Based on results so far, the world’s largest package-delivery company is convinced that 20-somethings””the bulk of UPS driver recruits””respond best to high-tech instruction and a chance to hone skills.
You see, UPS had a problem. They employ just under 100,000 drivers, but their training program for drivers was failing trainees at a rate of 30 percent. It wasn’t just a question of learning how to drive a van; they were learning the “340 methods,” a process worked up by time-saving experts to cut delivery time to the maximum extent possible. It was therefore very important to ensure everyone was familiar with the process.
After looking at the problem, they decided to take a “video game” approach to training the drivers, using simulators to replicate everything from patches of ice to sales leads. The result? The failure rate for the six-week training program has dropped to 10 percent.
An excellent example of tailoring learning techniques to the target audience.