TRENDS IN TRAINING

INTRODUCTION
The workplace is rapidly changing. In the past, workers went to their jobs to
perform a task. Now, the workplace is changing into a place where workers
both work and learn, as companies transform themselves into learning
organizations. Companies are joining high schools, trade and technical
schools, colleges, and universities in assuming responsibility for the
education of the workforce. As learning organizations, companies provide
ongoing work-related training to all levels of employees, offer a variety of
information and resources, encourage the exchange of ideas, and reward
employees who acquire new skills.
THE NEW ECONOMY
Technology, and the rapid pace at which it develops, is a major factor contributing to the
development of the new economy. Advances in the speed and memory of microprocessors have
opened up new worlds in technological development. Procedures that used to take hours or
weeks to complete can now be performed in minutes or even seconds on high-powered desktop
or notebook computers.
Technology has also improved telecommunications systems. It is now possible for companies all
across the globe to quickly communicate with one another. Such rapid communication has made
the international marketplace a reality. American companies are no longer just competing with
each other for business; they are now competing with companies worldwide.
In order to remain competitive in this rapidly changing environment, companies are rethinking
how they do business as a means to improve productivity and the quality of their products. There
are many ways that companies try to change the way they do business, including redefining
corporate structures and revising policy and procedures. In addition they can train their
employees to understand the most effective ways to interact with customers and to be aware of
the best practices of the most successful companies in the field. By doing this, corporations are
attempting to increase productivity by rethinking processes .
The Corporate View
Companies have found that investment in human capital in the form of
training and development yields high returns. The ones that recognize the
value of their employees and place a new emphasis on education and training
are becoming more competitive, successful, and profitable as a result.
According to a study conducted in 2002 by Knowledge Assessment
Management, companies in the top 20 percent of those who spend money on
training receive higher returns in the stock market. Is it possible that
knowledge is equal to profit?
Cross Training or "Multiskilling"
As companies looked for ways to respond quickly to changing markets and
personnel needs, the concept of cross training began to emerge. Whereas in
the past employees were trained to perform only one job, the companies of
today are recognizing the value of cross training employees to perform
multiple tasks. In this model, employees are trained in a wide range of skills.
If an employee's job becomes obsolete or if there is an overwhelming need
somewhere in the corporation, the employee can easily transfer to another
position and immediately begin to work productively.
For example, cross training is part of what makes the Japanese automaker
Toyota so successful. The company avoided the massive layoffs that U.S.
automakers were forced to make in the early twenty-first century
Just-in-Time Training
Another type of training within American corporations is known as just-in-
time training, or "just-what's-needed" training. As the name implies, this
short-term training fills a specific need or responds to a particular problem.
For example, the Human Resources Department at California State University
Fresno offers workshops to its employees on demand. These on-site training
sessions are between twenty minutes and two hours in length, and they
include programs related to contract issues, hiring guidelines, and diversity.
Just-in-time training is cost-effective and saves time. Additionally, since the
training ties in immediately with actual work and employees study only the
skills they need, the content is less likely to be forgotten
Corporate Education and Training Centers
Larger companies tend to do much of their training in house, and
some have designed and built elaborate employee education centers
known as corporate universities.. Many of these centers contain state-
of-the-art classrooms and laboratories with expensive equipment for
teleconferencing and video feedback.. In addition to the facilities and
equipment, companies will also provide all necessary training
materials including books, courseware, films, and video programs.
Many companies have found that the development and utilization of
their own corporate university is an effective way to pass valuable
skills on to their employees.
McDonald's Hamburger University is a good example of a successful corporate
university
Small and Mid-sized Businesses
In small and mid-sized businesses (those with fewer than five hundred
employees), the training department typically consists of one person.
Usually this person does not run training programs themselves. Instead,
this individual functions as a broker of training services. This means that
he or she is responsible for finding outside consultants who can provide
training to meet the company's needs at a time and place convenient to
employees, and at a reasonable cost. In order to maximize training efforts,
the company trainer may work with production line managers and
supervisors on developing and conducting their own on-the-job training
sessions. Small companies with limited funds may send their employees to
other companies for training, or they may ask their major suppliers to help
with the costs.
Private Vendors
A growing number of companies are in the business of training employees
of other corporations. These vendors offer services as diverse as public
speaking courses, writing classes, team development seminars, and
computer training

Delivery systems for training include traditional classroom instruction, on-

the-job instruction, and instruction via technology. Technology-based
instruction includes computer-based training (CBT), multimedia CBT,
televised distance learning, video training, and use of the Internet. Much of
this technology falls under the term e-learning, which also includes virtual
classrooms, Web-based courses, "Webinars(web confrence0," and digital
collaboration.
TraCorp is a company that develops specific e- technology-based
training programs for large corporations(softwares)
Advantages
As e-learning technology continues to grow and develop, more
corporations are finding that it is a cost-effective and efficient way to
provide training to their employees. Studies show that individuals who
participate in e-learning learn faster and retain more information than
those who learned in a traditional classroom setting

Limitation
Additionally, a study conducted by economy professors Carl
Liedholm and Byron Brown found that online courses can teach basic
concepts, but not complex analytical skills