MindSage Method: Durable Skills Training
Designed by professionals, refined by educators.
THE ORIGIN
We created the MindSage program because interns onboarded to work on live projects in our company were still in “classroom mode”. College interns needed to be told what to do, how to do it, and in some cases why a specific task needed to be completed. They were not ready for the workplace. It became necessary to quickly transform them into contributing, competent team members.
THE SOLUTION
We developed a training program based on concepts from our own soft-skill training experiences as professional developers. We also incorporated insights from soft-skill training courses from leading companies like Google, Apple, and Starbucks.
To ensure alignment with current industry needs, we conducted surveys involving over 130 companies, HR organizations, universities such as Harvard and Stanford, and professional communities like LinkedIn, identifying the top 15 sought-after soft skills (or durable skills).
The results were clear and immediate.
At the time, our interns included coders, 3D modelers, 2D and 3D animators, 2D and 3D artists, and UI designers. We were able to reduce the time an intern spent on a test project before moving to live projects by half. We increased the number of interns hired from each group, going from zero out of 12, to 3 out of 12. Interns we hired later went on to become developers and project managers at companies like Disney, Sony, and Adobe, to name a few.
MindSage: Transformation, not memorization. Growth not grades.
Effecting transformative shifts in both mindset and behavior requires a different approach, distinct from the approach normally used to teach science, technology, engineering, and math.
“The most profound changes a person can make, are those they choose to make themselves.” - Unknown
In the following pages we’ll review the testing, approach and implementation of the MindSage durable skills program.
Part 2
What they’re saying.
It's crucial for students to understand the relevance and advantages of what they're learning. Please watch the following videos:
High School Student
High School Students