Why have so many training podcasts become popular?

Reaching learners better with podcast learning

31% of French people have taken at least one training course in the last 12 months, compared with just 29% in 2021 (Source Visiplus). Training organizations are inevitably looking for alternative ways to enhance the value of their training and attract learners. In this article, we show you how training organizations and business schools are using training podcasts to stand out from the crowd.

Believe me, it's worth the 5 minutes of your time, and will give you real ideas for developing your OF.

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Podcast learning: a new, creative approach to learning

Podcast learning for distance learning

In the training sector, podcasts have the advantage of being accessible to anyone at any time. Often referred to as asynchronous learning, in other words, the learner can listen and re-listen to the audio on demand, choosing the moment that suits him or her and not being obliged to be present when the podcast was shot. According to some studies, this greatly facilitates memory anchoring.

Calliope tip:

Your learning podcast can, for example, be integrated into a pdf courseware package.

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Podcast e-learning: a new source of complementary learning?

In traditional teaching, once the course is over, apart from the course material, the training is finished. e-learning podcasts provide students with a new, complementary source of learning, enabling them to :

• Develop their knowledge and enrich their general culture outside traditional business class hours,
• Personalities in the business news,
• Current events analyzed.

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This is the case of :

• ESCE's "Libres Échanges" podcast focuses on international business.
• ESSCA with its podcast " le sens des affaires ", which passed the 1,200 listener mark after just 4 episodes.

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The professional training podcast can be integrated at every stage

Teaching aids? Additional content? Podcasts offer many advantages to learners, whether before, during or after training. 

The pre-training podcast

There are a lot of questions to ask yourself before embarking on a training course. Should I take part in such a course? Face-to-face? E-learning? It's precisely on these pre-training questions that the podcasts :

• ‍Lavérité sur la première année en École de Commerce in which business school students talk about their first-year experiences.
• The just help me podcast that helps students choose, integrate and succeed at the school of their dreams!

Talk to students directly.

Monsieur Ecoles de commerce, a podcast by Joachim Pinto (HEC Paris) and Arnaud Sévigné (HEC Paris), offers advice on competitive entrance exams and business schools.

‍Calliopé Tip:

A vocational training podcast, or "on-boarding", could be envisaged. It consists in providing upstream content that will help the student integrate into the school or vocational training program.

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The podcast during the training course

Between two face-to-face sessions, a podcast can be used to explore or refine a topic addressed by the trainer. 

Podcasts give students a voice

Outside associations, students have limited time to speak with the outside world and/or directly with their school. Yet podcasts offer an unlimited range of possibilities, and some schools have understood this. Such is the case of :

• ESCM, which gives its students the chance to talk about topics such as "How to successfully complete a study project? ".
• Ipag, with its "Uncover" podcast and in particular its #UncoverTips section, where guests are asked to deliver five tips on topics related to student life at business school.
• The "Alternance : Je me lance !" podcast gives access to companies recruiting work-study students in the Nord Pas de Calais region.

The podcast as a training project

Students at Grenoble Ecole de Management, for example, produced " Les impacteurs " as a study project during their training. 

The post-training podcast

Podcasts are an excellent tool for :

• Recall key training points,
• Go deeper into the themes or questions raised throughout the course.
• But to focus only on these points would be to limit its power...

Off-boarding podcasts to prepare learners for the future

Business schools and training centers are often judged on their results. In particular, their ability to :

• Achieve high insertion rates for their students,
• Upgrade students' skills to prepare them for the job market.

This is precisely what many training centers and business schools are focusing on, in particular :

• IGC Business School has launched its "IGC Business Podcast", which aims to "provide the best possible preparation for the challenges of today and tomorrow".
• The"Speak RH" podcast from L'école sup des rh gives a voice to professionals and those who make the news in human resources.

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Podcast branding to add value to your organization

The podcast to pass on your story; your brand values

Prestige is one of the key elements in a school's reputation and justifies the fact that people want to go there, and that's what EM Lyon Business School is banking on with its podcast "emlyon business school, 150 years of history", which retraces the history of this mythical school. 

Podcasts as an innovative communication format

Of all communication channels, podcasts are often associated with innovation, so rather than offering a podcast that evokes :

• Former students,
• Business/industry watch,

Expert interviews...

Podcasts can be used in innovative ways, as in the case ofEM Normandie, the first school to launch a fictional podcast with "Origin", a fictional podcast that takes us to the year 2079, in the footsteps of student Youssra. 

Podcasting to promote your training courses

There are tons of ways to sell, but in the training, e-learning and digital learning sectors, we often rely on testimonials:

• La Grande École by creating "Les Success Stories des apprenants de la GEN" which features interviews with learners trained by the school's network.
• Ipag with its "Uncover" podcast and "UncoverStories" section, featuring fifteen episodes with testimonials from students and graduates with unexpected and inspiring backgrounds.

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Avner UZAN