More companies could make money from training programmes, says new report

Citation

(2000), "More companies could make money from training programmes, says new report", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 32 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2000.03732fab.011

More companies could make money from training programmes, says new report

More companies could make money from training programmes, says new report

Keywords Training, Benefits, Knowledge mining

Organisations that develop training or learning support programmes for their employees could be sitting on a goldmine, says a new report.

They could use the knowledge or skills developed in delivering the programmes to offer new services and generate extra revenues, says Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy.

Author Colin Coulson-Thomas, a consultant and visiting professor at Luton Business School, says: "Many forms of learning support represent business opportunities in their own right. As e-business develops, it's possible to offer a wide range of new services to third parties by electronic means."

Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy describes 25 specific examples of services that companies could offer. They include:

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  personal learning support for busy people such as research assistance or arranging courses;

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  providing customised information services for particular groups or individuals;

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  acting as an electronic tutor, coach or counsellor using a growing range of mobile technologies;

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  helping to integrate various learning technologies so that they interface with and complement one another;

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  providing an independent auditing and assessment service for learning activities and achievements;

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  managing and co-ordinating the learning of international work groups and project teams;

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  setting up a "virtual campus" shop selling learning-related products;

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  providing issue monitoring and management and competitive intelligence services.

Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy provides a detailed route-map to show human resources professionals how they can help their organisations gain more value from their know-how and "people capital". Coulson-Thomas spent two years researching the report. He conducted in-depth structured interviews with 69 senior executives, including HR directors, chief executives, heads of training and development, and personnel managers.

Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy: The Key Knowledge Management Challenge for the HR Function is published by Policy Publications in association with the University of Luton at £395.00. Further details from Policy Publications, 4 The Crescent, Bedford MK40 2RU, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1234 328448; Fax: +44 (0) 1234 357231; e-mail: policypubs@kbnet.co.uk