The Changing Face of Corporate Learning

Corporate Training and Development or TD, is once again in a period of transition. Of course, this function has been through many such transitions.

During the 1940s breakthroughs in programmed learning that were first implemented in the military found their way more forcibly into the civil world of work. This period was marked by a mission-oriented approach to training. Training objectives were closely related to critical measures of organizational success. Allied forces were able to quickly train and deploy mission capable soldiers while industry created and manufactured the arms and equipment making victory possible.

Later, corporate universities were created by firms like Motorola and GE. These organizations took what was learned earlier and expanded their reach and scope in order to have a role in strategy and innovation. They worked with the business in the creation of new processes and methodologies and the in the development of leaders.

Now, TD is in the midst of another transition. The ubiquity of information and knowledge sharing challenges the traditional TD organization as the fountain of knowledge. Not only is it not enough for the corporate learning function to provide learning materials, the Internet makes such provision only marginally important. Content is no longer king of corporate learning, context is now king.

It is context that builds the case for change, connects learning to strategy, identifies the character of a new environment, and helps students to identify WIFM (What’s In it For Me). Yes, content must always be connected to mission and outcomes, but in a world of endless information, TD must now focus more than ever on connecting the right information to the right people in the right circumstances. Information is not typically what’s missing – but making sense and USE of the information is in short supply.