What Netflix's "Stranger Things" Can Teach You About On-The-Job Training

If you’ve spent any amount of time watching Stranger Things, you know that no matter what situation they find themselves in, those kids are having a tough time. If you look at monster-fighting as their full-time job — which it lowkey is — then all of them are thrown into the fray and are learning in a trial-by-fire kind of way… sometimes literally.

So what can these storylines teach us about on-the-job training? Those kids have been THROUGH it. The on-the-job training model that Eleven and co. have embraced is one that’s been used by many other major companies as well if you can believe it. If it’s been such a high-stakes disaster for the Stranger Things crew, then how come some of us continue to encourage on-the-job training? What can we learn from Eleven? Is there a better way?

There are season 4 spoilers ahead! Be warned!

1 - Rookie Mistakes Can Have Disastrous Consequences

You can’t predict the future, but it’s always good to be ready.

Most recently, there was a lot of trial and error in Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown). When Papa (Matthew Modine) decided to withhold information from her about 001/Henry/Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), this led to her season 4 failures and the Upside Down swallowing half of Hawkins.

These mistakes could have been avoided if Eleven was properly trained in the first place. While she technically was supposed to be properly trained, her pre-emptive escape meant she had no formal training of any kind and as the Upside Down began to invade the real world, it forced her to learn on-the-job.”

As we learn in the finale of season 4, her lack of training led to her first major failure with disastrous consequences. If she was able to prepare to face 001 and was given all the information she needed to do so before being thrown in the fray, many lives may have been spared, and the entire gang of kids wouldn’t have been nearly sacrificed to a demonic underworld.

Prior training and live feedback with role-play scenarios can greatly improve confidence in employees and give them the opportunity to make mistakes without jeopardizing company goals or the well-being of the universe.

2 - There’s a Learning Curve

The opposite holds true as well. Jim Hopper (David Harbour) was dropped into the middle of a scenario — and the middle of Russia — and had to update his skill set immediately. Think about it: he’s a local small-town sheriff that finds himself in the middle of a government conspiracy and plopped into a Russian prison and forced to fight for the safety of EARTH, not just keeping the peace in a tiny town in the midwest.

That’s a LOT of things VERY quickly. Dumping too much info on trainees can cause more stress. Stress means you could have a more difficult time retaining that information. And what is the point of training” if you can’t remember any of it?

On-the-job training leaves little to no time to actually process the information being passed down.

Training is best administered in digestible modules (no pun intended): Sections that are well taught and teach the individual how to do the job correctly and regardless of context. Having time to digest the information you’re before starting on the next action plan is crucial to your well-rounded training.

It’s important to not just teach the trade but to follow up with the training, reinforce the key points, and implement the learning through actionable plans. There isn’t often time to dissect these problems and break down what went right or wrong when you have to move quickly and keep going.

3 - Repetition

Steve Harrington was not an impressive character in the 1st season, but after defeating the Upside Down time and time again, he ended up leading the charge into the Upside Down to defeat Vecna in season 4.

By being placed into dangerous situations time and time again, he became a major player in the Stranger Things franchise. Imagine if that’s where he had STARTED the series? He would’ve been able to kick Demogorgon's butt before graduating High School.

If he had a training course, with seasoned instructors who had faced the Upside Down, knew how to blast those Demogorgons into the ether, and offered guided, risk-free independent study, he would’ve had tools to face Vecna before Vecna even came to Hawkins. Instructors who use positive reinforcement that gives meaning to the work, and adding a community-based learning component — maybe Nancy, Dustin, and Robin join the class — can let those lessons sink in and give context to lessons. Hey, maybe it would even help them expand their crew and find more like-minded folks to help support Eleven in her portal-closing, nose-bleeding fight against the Upside Down.

Online learning is much more than a quick study program. It’s about finding a community that will help give you a safety net and support system and can save your butt when you’re struggling.

Networking, critical thinking, and practical application are essential pieces of the training puzzle. The characters from Stranger Things are all heroes, but if they would have talked to others and created a solid plan then things would have gone smoother. Face-to-face, bi-directional learning allows an employee to ask the hard questions and ask ‘why’ when there may be a better alternative, without burning any customers in the process.

Training employees on-the-job might be a way to give them real-life, hands-on experience. But it’s not the only way for them to get a full and entire sense of the job they applied for. Simulated training scenarios can also help employees learn how to work with other team members and supervisors. They can help employees feel less intimidated by their role in the company and also provide opportunities to show off new skills without any life-or-death demons invading their homes and minds.

If you want a chance to up your skill set, check out Uvaro’s Career Success Catalog and find out how you can make a change in your career today!