Much to my surprise mentoring isn’t all that different from my role as a learning designer. When I thought about bridging these two worlds, the daunting responsibility of mentoring became yet another collaborative effort in my career journey.

For over a decade I have held the professional title of Learning Designer (LD), yet I still find it difficult to answer, “What do you do?” with any real clarity. I usually default to something vague like, “Oh I create training programs for companies.” But this answer captures only a singular output of the role and overlooks the real work: the process, the people, and the culture. 

As someone experienced in developing and managing new hire orientation programs, I can confidently say that the most impactful addition I've made is the implementation of a cohort model. This approach goes beyond merely creating a cohesive culture; it actively nurtures a deep sense of belonging among new hires, fostering lasting connections.

With the growing ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT, I’ve been wondering when to leverage technology and when to rely on a human collaborator as a subject matter expert. While I don’t think ChatGPT can yet fully replace SMEs, it is clear that the tool can help mitigate certain obstacles and make working with these experts more efficient and budget-friendly.