The Essential Role of Hands-On Learning in Engineering Onboarding

The onboarding experience for an engineer can have dramatic impact on their overall employee experience. A strong onboarding process can start them on a path to success. A lackluster onboarding experience sets them up to fail.

So how can you ensure that you set the right tone with your engineer onboarding programs? By leveraging the power of hands-on learning.   

What is Hands-on Learning?

In the context of engineer onboarding, hands-on learning involves immersive and interactive training methods where engineers and developers actively engage in practical tasks and projects. 

This approach is a departure from the traditional models of learning that often plague training and onboarding programs. Hands-on learning facilitates the application of theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, enhancing understanding and skill acquisition. 

It aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice, preparing engineers to effectively tackle real-life challenges from the start of their tenure.

The Benefits of Hands-On Learning in Engineering

Ok so hands-on learning is better. But, like, why?

Here are some of the primary benefits of hands-on learning for onboarding engineers. 

Enhances Understanding and Retention

Hands-on learning immerses engineers in direct experience, fostering deeper understanding. This method of learning encourages the formation of neural pathways, making the recall of information and techniques more accessible.

Learn from Mistakes Without the Consequences

Making mistakes is an invaluable tool for learning –and it’s a foundational component of hands-on learning. Having a safe sandbox to learn through mistakes is especially valuable for engineers, whose on-the-job mistakes can have damaging security repercussions. 

Hands-on learning allows newcomers to experiment and fail in a controlled setting, instilling resilience and a deeper understanding of engineering principles.

Facilitates Smooth Transition from Classroom to Workplace

Hands-on learning permits real-world application of newly-discovered knowledge. Think back to when you learned how to drive. It probably began with a boring driver’s education class, which made driving seem like a breeze. Then you got behind the wheel of a moving car, and the learning began.

By applying theoretical concepts to tangible projects, new engineers can see the direct impact of their work, enhancing motivation and engagement.

Prepare for Unpredictability and Problem-solving

Hands-on learning prepares engineers for the unpredictability of real-world engineering tasks, equipping them with the problem-solving skills necessary to navigate challenges effectively.

Structuring Effective Onboarding Processes

Now that you're on board with hands-on learning, let's dive into how to bring it into your engineering teams. 

To structure a more comprehensive and effective hands-on engineering onboarding process, consider the following steps:

• Define Core Competencies and Tools: Begin by identifying the essential skills and technologies that are pivotal to your projects and organizational goals. This should cover both the technical and soft skills required to navigate your engineering environment effectively.
• Develop Realistic Training Modules: Craft training sessions that mimic the challenges engineers will face on the job. These modules should incorporate the use of the tools, platforms, and programming languages that are standard within your projects, ensuring that learning is directly applicable to daily tasks.
• Incorporate Project-Based Learning: Design team projects that reflect real-world scenarios and actual company workflows. These projects should encourage collaboration and problem-solving in a context that mirrors the engineers' future work, including practices such as version control, code review processes, and continuous integration and deployment methodologies specific to your engineering culture.
• Utilize External Educational Resources: Enhance the learning experience by integrating established external resources. This can include coding boot camps known for their practical approach, online courses featuring hands-on exercises, and participation in internal hackathons to drive innovation and creative problem-solving.

• Mentorship Program: Pair newcomers with experienced engineers for a mentorship opportunity. This arrangement helps in the seamless transfer of institutional knowledge, offers new engineers a reliable source for queries, and aids in assimilating them into the company culture more effectively.
• Continuous Feedback and Improvement: Establish a feedback loop with participants to gather insights on the onboarding experience. Use this feedback to make iterative improvements to the training modules, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.
• Establish Success Metrics: Define clear metrics to measure the success of your onboarding process. This could include metrics like improvement in coding proficiency, reduction in time to become project-ready, and positive impacts on project outcomes.
• Build in Regular Assessment and Adaptation: Conduct regular assessments to ensure the onboarding process is meeting its objectives. Adapt the program based on technological advancements, changes in project requirements, and feedback from participants.

The integration of hands-on learning in engineering onboarding is not just beneficial—it's essential to an engineers success on the job. It bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, preparing new engineers for the complexities of the real world. 

How does Instruqt empower companies to leverage hands-on learning for their engineer onboarding programs? Schedule a demo today to discover for yourself.