Toastmasters modernizes its education program with Pathways

Toastmasters modernizes its education program with Pathways

The organization's new program delivers skills needed in the workplace

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE

Toastmasters International, the world leader in developing communication and leadership skills, has launched the Pathways learning experience. The launch marks the first complete redesign of Toastmasters' education program since the organization was founded in 1924.

Toastmasters is recognized globally for empowering individuals to develop and improve their public speaking and leadership skills through local club meetings offering practice, evaluation and mentoring. Pathways builds on that foundation by helping members build the competencies they need to communicate and lead in a range of situations.

Highlighted by interactive, customized and flexible learning, Pathways offers expanded skill development and competencies that users can apply in their careers, personal lives and in the community. Since the launch of the Pathways program last year, users have leveraged the skills learned through the program to advance their careers. And employers around the world are using Pathways as an inexpensive option to retain their employees and enhance the skills of their workforce.

"What I like the best about Pathways education program is the fact that it is much more customized relative to the traditional Toastmasters education program. There are 10 different paths, with titles like Presentation Mastery, Leadership Development, Effective Coaching – and a minimum of 14 projects in each path. I am working in the path recommended from my Pathways assessment results: Strategic Relationships. Being able to pinpoint exactly what I am trying to accomplish with my personal and professional development goals gives me a road map, and a starting point, so I can develop those skills and add on to them along my Toastmasters journey," says Nuchanath Aumpradithpun, a Toastmasters member of four clubs.

Fortune 500 organizations like Google, Sony, Caterpillar, Coca-Cola and Bank of America all recognize the benefits of the Toastmasters program and sponsor clubs for their employees.

This is the first complete redesign of Toastmasters' education program in the organization's 94-year history. Toastmasters' Board of Directors called for the education program to be revitalized with a renewed focus on leadership learning, competencies that have immediate real-world applicability and online accessibility. After extensive research, Toastmasters created Pathways, offering contemporary skills that can be applied in a variety of practical settings. The program's three most popular paths are Innovative Planning, Presentation Mastery and Dynamic Leadership.

Since the Pathways rollout began in last year, more than 100,000 unique users from 135 countries have participated in the program, completing 64,000 projects with another 70,000 projects in progress.

Pathways program highlights include:

  • 10 different learning paths to choose from
  • More than 14 projects in each path
  • 5 core competencies (Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Management, Strategic Leadership, and Confidence)
  • More than 300 unique competencies
  • Content available online and in print materials

Pathways remains consistent with the original vision of Ralph Smedley, Toastmasters founder, and maintains what members love about the organization, which is the Toastmasters club experience.

"I am impressed by Pathways' instructional design. The projects are well structured and relevant to the members' needs. I can see a lot of thought went into the development of Pathways. The Pathways design team drew heavily on the current education program, but also added a lot of new projects that did not exist before, like ones on social media, podcasting and blogging. I also appreciate the accessibility of the program on mobile devices," says Panomporn Vajirakachorn, DTM, Pathways Chief Ambassador, District 97P. "Many club members of District 97P are now using Pathways to learn additional skills that can be translated to their daily lives," adds Panomporn, DTM.

To discuss Pathways with Toastmasters representative, email pr@toastmasters.org. For more information about Pathways, visit www.toastmasters.org/Pathways.

About District 97P

Established in 2014 the provisional District 97 of Toastmasters International is comprised of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, covering almost 40 corporate and community clubs in the current year. All members of District 97P share two goals: improving our communication skills and enjoying our weekly or biweekly 2-hour meetings depending on the schedule of individual clubs.

The majority of the clubs within District 97P are "open" clubs which means all visitors are cordially welcome to observe at each regular meeting. To learn more about District 97P, please visit http://www.toastmastersdistrict97.org

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 352,000 in more than 16,400 clubs in 141 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on
Twitter.

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