Thought Leadership
For decades, career stability was defined by tenure and predictable ladders. But as AI begins to reshape the anatomy of work, the only true security an employee has is the pace at which they can learn. At Kaplan, where I have spent over two decades in learning and development, we’ve realized that a company’s culture is not just a backdrop for work – it can be an accelerant for human potential.
When my team plans any kind of training for our large global workforce, we know a one-size-fits-all approach will never work. Recently, for example, we developed a competency framework to address three different levels for AI training—one for novices, another for intermediate users, and a third for employees with advanced experience. This differentiated approach accommodates our employees’ wide range of AI skills and basic comfort levels with the technology. To move the organization forward, we are building an ecosystem where a mid-career veteran feels as empowered to experiment with Notebook LM as a recent Gen Z hire.
This AI strategy isn’t just about the latest new-new thing. It’s about making individualized talent development a priority. Since my early years as a new leader learning how to drive performance and revenue, I’ve benefited from a culture that expects and encourages development conversations. Those growth goals are distinct from performance goals. I saw how much they mattered when I made real mid-career progress as a result of stretch assignments and seeking out the right mentors.
Here’s just one example: Five years ago, my team was tasked with implementing a six-month executive leadership development program. The curriculum required our high-potential talent to engage directly with senior executives from across Kaplan and our parent company Graham Holdings, along with internal subject-matter experts. Initially, the scale of the assignment and the caliber of the stakeholders involved were intimidating. However, the experience taught me that by leaning into our own culture of development, leveraging internal networks and seeking cross-functional mentorship, we established a flagship program that has earned consistently high reviews year after year. My boss at the time played a big role in mentoring me throughout this process.
Now my role focuses on designing a development ecosystem for others. We support colleagues through a mixture of structures, including individualized growth plans, leadership development programs, gamified learning, annual virtual conferences, competency catalogs featuring training differentiated by level, and building relationships, from near-peer mentors to leaders who open doors. Shifting outcomes for employees over time doesn’t always get headline attention, but it’s crucial work. So I was thrilled to see Kaplan’s approach recognized recently in the Where You Work Matters List created by the American Opportunity Index.
The list evaluates employers across three dimensions of creating good jobs: entry-level openings and skills training for Early Career Jobs; opportunities to advance internally and externally for Growth Jobs; and strong compensation and retention for Stability Jobs. We received a platinum rating as one of the top 20 percent of firms in the Growth category. But the important story here isn’t Kaplan’s recognition in this index (although I’m happy about it). What really matters is the signal this measure sends about how the broader talent market is catching up to valuing development and growth as core outcomes.
Why does this matter now? Anyone responsible for managing talent knows how much worker expectations have been reshaped by the same forces that are transforming the content of jobs. Employees confronting AI and automation are placing higher value on development opportunities than on perks. This is especially true of Gen Z early-career workers. While their approach to long-term tenure is more fluid than that of previous generations, they eagerly seek employers who will keep them learning through rapid change.
The LinkedIn Learning 2024 Workplace Learning Report makes the generational divide vivid: 52 percent of Gen Z employees agreed with the statement that “through learning, I can explore potential career paths at my company.” That’s 16 points higher than Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. The takeaway for leaders? Companies that invest in development and outcomes will become stronger talent magnets. I see three key pillars that define a “growth jobs” culture:
Build an intentional development ecosystem, not just isolated programs. The goal here, as with our differentiated AI training modules, is to meet people where they are. It requires giving employees with different backgrounds and at multiple career stages relevant and accessible learning opportunities. Multiple “entry points" could include on-demand content like self-paced online courses, entry-level leadership training, and cohort-based programs for executives to work on difficult business challenges. We’ve had particular success when we partner with internal subject-matter experts to present on topics from AI to finance to leadership.
Make “growth mindset” more than a buzz-phrase—it should be a practical expectation. The specifics of a growth mindset will inevitably change over time: it requires being open to completely new ways of working rather than incremental skill upgrades. Right now, employees should be encouraged to experiment with new AI tools, not to see them as a threat but to embrace them as useful for problem-solving. In this spirit, a healthy company culture encourages saying yes to stretch assignments. And it asks employees not just to sign up for classes that are offered but to actively seek exposure to learning opportunities. It makes me happy to see a colleague take the initiative by, say, using NotebookLM to synthesize a stack of documents and create a slide deck presentation, or making an app to simulate a coaching conversation, complete with a built-in feedback score.
Emphasize exposure, not only performance. Of course, performance matters. However, for advancement, it’s best to think of it as necessary but not sufficient. To get ahead, employees need exposure, broadly defined. They should hear from senior leaders, be aware of key projects, and participate in cross-functional work. They—and their colleagues and managers—need to see how their contributions matter to the organization’s big goals. At Kaplan, we intentionally create exposure opportunities, whether by having employees give presentations to senior executives or asking them to showcase their expertise at our Virtual Conference.
Each of these pillars creates an organization where chances for internal mobility and advancement are baked in. This belief in building talent is what makes a successful company. In the same way, colleges and universities increasingly focus on outcomes like job readiness and employment, an employer’s reputation is based more and more on what it does to create growth jobs. The Where You Work Matters List is a very public reminder that employee outcomes—promotion, retention, and growth—are now central measures of employer quality.
In a world where jobs are rapidly being reshaped by AI and other changes, employees can’t afford to work in places that don’t invest in their growth. In my own role, I’m prioritizing expanded access to a talent ecosystem that keeps workers progressing. With growing attention to how much development in the workplace matters, I hope other learning and development leaders will join me in ensuring more employees are not just filling a role but building a career.
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