Kinds of learning in Corporate

I roughly classify learning/training in corporates into three types:

1. Task Related Support
   During the daily operation, e.g. a bank teller, needs a procedural information in order to complete a task at hand. This is either delivered as a help desk (albeit internal) or some kind of dynamic FAQ or just-in-time training. For jobs which have high mobility of employees, a pre-job training package is usually developed to provide the needed training to the new employee.
   The nature of the problem is well defined and the user would like to have the answer as soon as possible.


2. Compliance Training
   Corporate at a certain is required in law to provide certain training to their employees in order to demonstrate compliance to certain law or regulations, such as safety in the workplace, cultural diversity, sexual harrassment and so on. In some way, this is an insurance premium the corporate paid. The trainees are reluntant participants and usually lack the motivation to really understand the subject matter. As an insurance policy, the corporate is also not keen to measure the effectiveness of the learning/training as long as it can demonstrate that it has met its legal obligations.


3. Corporate or Personal Development
   When a new product is to be launched, or a new procedure to be implemented, some sort of training is usually rolled out to provide training to the affected personel. This is far from development of a personal sense.
   Middle management sometimes gets training in team work or leadership development. Higher management may have retreat where they brain-storm and plan for strategies for the company. These are usually conducted under the leadership of an external consultant. Many trainees treat this kind of training as a holiday from work.

Most e-learning companies make their living by selling products or service to meet the first two categories and trainings are delivered by technology. The main selling points have always been the emphasis of Return of Investment (in other words, how to save more money).

The third category is usually delivered face to face by trainers and consultants.

The "digital divide" between the first two categories and the last one is great. I would be interested to find out why.  ¶ 5:01 pm