Is 15 Better Than 50? Top 4 Cohort-Based Learning Benefits

There are so many cohort-based learning benefits to discover! The journey to Career Success isn’t one you have to take solo. In fact, you should grow your network and find support in any industry. This applies to your education as well.

When we talk about post-secondary education, you might immediately picture a large seminar. The professor is at the head of the class. You’re nestled among dozens (or hundreds) of other students, feeling like another face in the crowd.

If you’ve experienced sales training like that before, you know how frustrating it can be. You have questions but can’t get answers. You have ideas but no space to share them. And you want to learn from your peers, BUT there’s little opportunity for real interaction.

You learn best when you have the opportunity to be interactive, engaged, and hands-on. A sense of community will be pivotal as you develop the skills you need to grow in your career!

Cohort-based learning works. We know it does. So how can you leverage that fact to help you succeed in your career?

Why Take Cohort-Based Courses?

None of us are born with all the skills we need to excel at our chosen career path. We gain those abilities through a mix of real-world experience, and formal training.

Online courses can run the gamut in size and subject matter. Before you invest in one, it’s important to make sure it’s the right fit. The course you take should give you practical tips on how to reach the career goals you’ve set for yourself. Find courses delivered by experts who have already excelled in the space you want to enter.

But have you considered class sizes? The size of a cohort can make a major difference in how well you focus and how much you learn. Our advice...

Join a small cohort of folks who have chosen to take the same career step. Find peers who share your vision and want to move in the same direction that you’re going.

At Uvaro, we make sure our small cohorts are chocked full of passionate and determined people! That way you know you’re in a room of driven sales enthusiasts focused on the journey toward Career Success — just like you! 

Why should you choose smaller class sizes?

We believe that education and sales training should be personalized, straightforward, and informative. That's why we created a list of reasons why cohort-based learning is the best and future of the field!

Here are some of the top cohort-based learning benefits.

1. Network with your peers

In a large class, it can be difficult to make authentic connections with other students... even the ones that are sitting right next to you!

In a small cohort, you have the opportunity to work together throughout the course. You'll also make deeper connections as you work through different projects and topics. As you talk to one another, you’ll discover the specific strengths that each person possesses. How do those talents serve the group as a whole?

Remember to keep a long-term perspective. The people you meet now could be influential in shaping and growing your sales career in the future. They may even be the ones to help you land that dream job, or at least introduce you to someone who can open that door.

Of all the many cohort-based learning benefits, this sense of solidarity is at the top. Making these connections will help with your networking and communication skills. These people can set you up for Career Success.

Story Time...

You form a bond with the people you spend hours each day with. After all, you're on the same career journey. Between class and practice sessions, you talk about life, passions, and struggles.

In January 2020, it was just another day for Uvaro. But sadly, for one Uvaro member, this regular day turned their life upside down with the sudden and unexpected passing of their brother.

Loss comes with many emotions. But there was a community to wrap their arms around this member and offer comfort and support during a difficult period. While they had their family and close friends, dealing with and processing grief in a work context can be a unique challenge. With peers, mentors, instructors, and the Uvaro community there to help, you can be sure that there will always be support by your side when you need it.

2. Build a relationship with your instructors

Besides your classmates, it’s also easier to engage with those who are leading the course. Your instructors are professionals with significant experience in the topics they’re teaching.

You’ll want to pick their brain and learn as much as you can from them. You need access to the resources they can offer, and the advice they can share. It can be intimidating to approach them in a large class setting. In a smaller class, you don’t have to compete for their time or attention.

This allows you to build and develop strong, lasting relationships. Now, your new community will include people already working in the industry.

Story Time...

Much like you form a unique relationship with your peers, you'll also form a unique bond with your cohort instructor. They are in the metaphorical trenches with you, teaching you the critical skills you need to take the next step in your career. You'll share wins, losses, and everything in between together.

In a recent 12-week Tech Sales Foundations cohort, an instructor noted the following celebrations in the cohort:

• 2 members getting married
• 1 member getting engaged
• Countless 'Got hired' celebrations
• 1 pregnancy announcement
• 1 Impact Scholarship win
• AND 1 purchase of a high-tech luxury couch (Arguably the most important event to happen during the 12-weeks)

Does your traditional College or University course have this level of engagement between classmates and instructor? Food for thought.

3. Practice, practice, practice

No, it won’t make you perfect. But it will make you better. We want you to take the skills you learn and apply them until they become second nature. Wax on. Wax off.

In large groups, in-class practice times are rare. While you might go home with assignments to work on, you’ll be tackling those on your own.

In large lectures, you’ll usually find yourself sitting back and listening most of the time. If you do practice during class, your group time will consist of waiting for your turn. Even then, there are limits to the actual amount of repetitions you can do.

When there are so many people to include, no one has the chance to dive deep. That's why smaller practice sessions are one of these cohort-based learning benefits.

Story Time...

At Uvaro, practice and mock selling situations and interviews are a common occurrence in all of our cohorts. In fact, our members find them so valuable that they often wish they had more time to fully learn and perfect their skills.

One of the things that truly brings us joy is seeing our members helping each other out, without being asked. It's just individuals noticing someone who could use some support, and offering to assist without expecting anything in return. Why do they do this? Because they were likely in the same position at some point in their own careers.

It's not uncommon for recent graduates to want to get some interview practice under their belt before heading into an official interview. This is where Uvaro members who are further along in their careers often step up and offer their services. Sure, they do it out of kindness, BUT they also know that having the best talent on their team is a win for everyone. These sessions are often used by experienced Uvaro members to feed candidates to their hiring managers and leapfrog the official hiring process. It's a story we see play out time and time again at Uvaro, where a quick practice session leads to an official interview and offer letter.

4. Receive more relevant feedback

With big class sizes, your "practice" time is often limited to take-home assignments. That means if you have questions or you need clarification, you’ll have to wait until the next class.

Working with smaller cohort groups allows you to receive and give feedback in real-time. You can learn with people you’ve connected with. This means you've built trust. They can provide you with honest and constructive criticism that you can use to grow.

Peer-to-peer interaction is the best way to build new skills. If you're practicing the wrong way, you'll form bad habits. Real-time feedback prevents that.

Story Time...

One of the biggest challenges with traditional college or university programs, besides the cost and format, is the relevance of what you're learning. How many college graduates have had the thought, "this professor hasn't seen the real world in 20 years?"

Textbooks are okay teachers, but experience is a better teacher.

In real life, success is not a straight line upward like you see on a graph. One Uvaro member landed a great job but then struggled. The struggles lasted longer than they would have liked, and unfortunately, they were dismissed. It happens. It happened to that member. It's happened to the person writing this article. It hurts, but you can rebound.

This member used this experience to build themselves up in the best way possible. Taking advantage of the resources available, they reached out to their career coach for personalized sessions on how to get back into the job search, while learning to reclaim the experience and talk about the situation constructively. This member landed a new job, found their stride, and now they are a mentor to others who experience similar situations. This is the type of professional feedback that separates the Uvaro community. Setbacks happen, but it's how we move forward that matters.

Discover These Cohort-Based Learning Benefits For Yourself

Investing in your education is one of the smartest moves you can make on your career journey. At Uvaro, you'll LEARN and GROW alongside your future colleagues to discover new aspects of yourself, hone your skills, and prepare for what lies ahead.

But not all courses are created equal. If you're tired of impersonal training and leaving class feeling uninspired, it's time to try something different. Try experiencing cohort-based learning benefits first hand.

Our team at Uvaro is committed to being your partner every step of the way. Through our live, cohort-based courses, you'll have the opportunity to further your career, grow your network, and connect with people who will become integral to your Career Success story.

The career change process can be challenging, but we have the tools to help. To learn more about the Courses, Workshops, and resources available to you as a Uvaro member, download our Career Success Catalog today!