5. Intel Network Builders University

Intel’s University includes a vast collection of online content, but it also incorporates face-to-face technical training. The online content supports virtual learning and has a global outreach. Delivering training face to face—think of hands-on workshops and webinars—supports the need for in-person engagement.

The goal of this corporate university is to boost the knowledge of professionals from the entire network industry. Therefore, it’s free, available to a public audience, and focuses on Intel technologies and digital transformation.

This is just a small sample of how companies use employee learning as a cornerstone for growth and excellence. But the million-dollar question is…

How Do We Create a Corporate University?

It’s not easy, but it’s possible to make a corporate university come to life. Here’s a good starting place for success:

Gather the top executives around a table—a virtual table will do. Determine how your corporate university will support the company’s vision and strategic business goals. And don’t leave the table without their buy-in! That’s the basis from which you’ll get the resources you need. And that’s how your staff will trust your project and get involved in it with excitement.

Sit down and think about what you want to achieve. Then, pick up a pen—or get yourself in front of a keyboard—and write down the university’s mission, vision, and value statement. And don’t forget the goals!

Make your corporate university uniquely identifiable. Create the name, logo, and other brand elements.
Gather a corporate training team. This is a team that will support the operation of your university. If you plan to provide in-person training or virtual instructor-led training (VILT), ensure that all trainers are excellent communicators. Consider gathering a training corp of internal managers, directors, and executives, plus external professional trainers and professors.

Align the curriculum with the business. All the training courses, content, and activities should match your organization’s industry or sector. They should also align with your company’s culture and organizational goals. Choose the delivery methods that suit your learners best. Use technology in your favor. It should help you meet your corporate university’s goals while satisfying your employees’ learning preferences.

Hire the best learning experience provider. Effective learning experience design engages learners and promotes information absorption, retention, and recall. And your provider should customize the courses they create to your learners’ profiles. That’s how you’ll convince your staff of the value of continuing education.

Define how you’ll measure the success of your learning initiative. With the company’s business goals and strategies in mind, determine the goals of your initiative— are you trying to retain or develop talent—maybe a little of both. Ultimately, you want a plan to measure the impact of the university on your customers and stakeholders.

Partner with the best business schools. Although some traditional universities fall short in preparing students to work at companies like yours, others don’t. And you can partner with the latter to give your employees the best of both worlds—academic and practical. Additionally, you’ll diversify your training offerings and teaching methodologies.

Include certification programs. Your staff might have an interest in pursuing long-term development plans that prepare them to obtain professional certifications.

Call in the marketing team. Work with them to create an internal marketing and communications plan to get your staff excited to enroll.

Create a rollout plan. Make sure that it’s detailed and each activity has an owner.

A Corporate University Feeds Talent, Loyalty, and Leadership

Your company doesn’t need an exciting campus or a heavy brand name to create a case-study-worthy corporate university. So, roll up your sleeves and take action!

Remember that education is an investment. And if you invest in your employees’ futures, they’ll feel nurtured and will be loyal to your organization.

Today’s corporate universities don’t have to resemble yesterday’s boring corporate training programs. They can focus on the individual benefit of continuing education rather than purely the company’s most immediate interests.

The corporate university model allows for developing a curriculum that nourishes the talent that already exists in your employees. This commitment to talent and leadership development separates conventional organizations from high-level learning organizations. （May 28, 2022 https://elmlearning.com/blog/the-corporate-university-shift/）