One training that was beneficial for me was my cycling instructor training at Dixon Recreation Center. This experience stood out because it used a hands on approach as I got thrown right into what I would be doing. I began by shadowing an experienced instructor and then progressively took on more responsibility until I was leading more and more of the class myself each week. This method reflects experiential learning, where actively practicing skills builds confidence and competence. I also received consistent feedback, which helped me improve quickly. This kind of structured, supportive learning is similar to effective onboarding, where guidance and gradual responsibility are key to success (Ellis, 2017).
In contrast, a group fitness instructor course I took in a classroom setting was much less effective. Although it covered important topics like adapting workouts and inclusivity, it lacked real-world application. Most of the time was spent listening to lectures rather than practicing how to lead a class. Because of this, it was harder to retain the information or feel confident applying it.
The article Your New Hires Won’t Succeed Unless You Onboard Them Properly emphasizes that successful training and onboarding require more than just information they require social support, interaction, and engagement. For example, research in the article shows that employees are more successful when they feel socially connected and supported by their managers, and that early experiences are critical to long-term success (Ellis, 2017). My cycling training reflected this through mentorship, feedback, and active participation, while the classroom course lacked those elements.
Overall, the key difference was applying what I was able to retain. Effective training involves hands on experience, feedback, and social support, while ineffective training tends to be passive and disconnected from real world performance.
References
Ellis, A. M., Nifadkar, S. S., Bauer, T. N., & Erdogan, B. (2017). Your new hires won’t succeed unless you onboard them properly. Harvard Business Review.