Training the trainer – lessons from the new South Africa

The purpose of this paper is to consider some challenges involved in delivering a programme for the education of corporate trainers in the new South African economy.

The paper reviews the way in which training in organisations has changed in the modern economy; it asks whether “training” has any academic base with knowledge components or whether it is simply a craft discipline carried out in context by experienced practitioners. It examines the particular circumstances that arise in post-Apartheid South Africa and the challenges faced where participants are widespread geographically.

The paper looks at the issues involved in module design under these circumstances and describes a study to determine the impact and value of the programme. It draws some conclusions that may assist in the design of similar programmes elsewhere.

The study is based on one university – although it is the first and only course of its type in South Africa.

This paper provides an original perspective involving information from several countries.