AKAR: Redefining Enterprise Learning for Lasting Business Impact

The half-life of skills is shrinking, and industries are transforming at unprecedented speed. Organizations can no longer afford to treat learning as a checkbox activity. Training sessions, no matter how well-intentioned, often fail when they stop at delivering information. What enterprises need is not more training, but structured transformation - a design that moves individuals and organizations from awareness to sustained behavior change.

This is where upGrad Enterprise’s AKAR framework (Awareness, Knowledge, Application, Reinforcement) creates a shift. Unlike fragmented approaches, AKAR ensures learning is sticky, outcomes are measurable, and businesses see tangible returns.

Why Learning Needs a Rethink

Corporate learning often assumes information leads to change. Yet research shows:

• Employees forget nearly 70% of new information within a week if not applied or reinforced.
• Businesses report persistent skills gaps despite heavy L&D investments.
• Learners demand relevance and applicability, not generic modules.

Effective learning design must mirror the journey of mindset and behavior change. This is the essence of AKAR.

Breaking Down the AKAR Model

1. Awareness: Building the "Why"

Transformation starts with mindset. Awareness helps learners see why change is necessary - connecting skills to business imperatives. Pre-assessments, context-setting, and storytelling overcome resistance and seed curiosity.

2. Knowledge: Equipping with the "What"

Once primed, learners acquire structured knowledge. Self-paced videos, SME-led sessions, and curated resources introduce skills in flexible, job-relevant formats. Knowledge delivery is not about information overload, but precise, contextual learning.

3. Application: Practicing the "How"

Knowledge without practice has little value. Projects, AI simulations, and case studies let learners test skills in real-world scenarios. Assignments and facilitated exercises drive problem-solving and bridge the gap between classroom and workplace.

4. Reinforcement: Sustaining the Change

The most critical stage is reinforcement. Concept reviews, capstone projects, and coaching ensure continuity. Nudges and on-the-job aids sustain retention, embedding new skills into daily performance.

Why AKAR Matters for Enterprises

1. Closes the Knowing-Doing Gap: Structured application and reinforcement ensure employees can act, not just know.
2. Aligns Learning with Business Outcomes: Awareness ties learning to productivity, KPIs, and growth.
3. Future-Proofs the Workforce: AKAR fosters adaptability in the face of AI, digital disruption, and customer shifts.
4. Drives Cultural Change: From awareness to reinforcement, the journey embeds agility, collaboration, and growth into organizational culture.

The Enterprise Case

• Measurable ROI through pre- and post-assessments.
• Scalable design across geographies, roles, and cohort sizes.
• Personalized journeys with SME sessions, simulations, and reinforcement.
• Sustained retention, reducing the forgetting curve.

From Events to Ecosystems

AKAR aligns with a global shift: moving from event-based learning to ecosystems of continuous development. Skills are not one-time acquisitions; they evolve. Learning must combine formal, informal, experiential, and social approaches - all anchored to business strategy.

Embedding Continuous Transformation

As industries face disruption, thriving organizations will be those that embed continuous learning into their DNA. upGrad’s AKAR framework is more than methodology - it is a philosophy. Learning must be crafted for optimal experience, deep retention, and transfer into performance.

It challenges enterprises to move from training-as-usual to transformation. From tick-box programs to measurable capability shifts. From workshops to journeys that create real change.

In a competitive world, business success will increasingly hinge on how well organizations design, deliver, and sustain learning. AKAR is not just a model - it is a blueprint for enterprise resilience.

Conclusion

The world is changing too fast for outdated models of training. Employees need clarity, context, and continuity. Enterprises need measurable outcomes and ROI.

The AKAR model delivers both. By weaving Awareness, Knowledge, Application, and Reinforcement into a seamless journey, it closes the loop between learning and performance. For learners, it ensures transformation. For businesses, it drives success. For the future, it builds resilience.

AKAR is more than a framework - it is a promise that learning will stick, outcomes will scale, and organizations will thrive.