From Left: David Comstock, Daniel Carusi

Gold

David Comstock

Senior Manager of Learning Solutions, Edwards Lifesciences Corp.

Before Edwards Lifesciences Corp. launched Edwards University in 2013, training at the health care company mostly focused on compliance with a sprinkling of professional development for employees at the manager level and above. David Comstock of Edwards overhauled its learning and development team after projections showed significant growth was expected for the company by 2017. Since 2009, the company has addedabout 2,000 jobs globally, with more likely to be added in the next few years.

Starting in 2011, Edwards began to create a more formal learning team with resources centralized under a single leader. The company also sought state and federal grants to help. Finally, the corporate university website was launched and integrated with the company’s upgraded learning management system.

The corporate university contains three different colleges: the college of engineering, college of sales and marketing, and college of quality, regulatory and clinical. Each college’s curriculum is offered through e-learning and instructor-led courses.On average, the courses have received an 89 percent satisfaction rate from participants, and have yielded a 43 percent increase in material comprehension.

Edwards’ corporate office has agreed to fund construction for a new training center at its Irvine, California, headquarters.