CORPORATE TRAINING PROGRAM

Corporate Training Program

Corporate Training Program

Introduction

Corporate training in distributed learning refers to the development, design, and delivery of training and education programs for employees who are dispersed geographically. Corporate training programs can be delivered in both in-person and online learning formats. Training and education programs range from technical courses to executive-level leadership development programs, depending upon the business needs, size, employee skills, and available resources in corporate organizations (Phillips, 1997).

Discussion

As a result of high growth, companies hired rapidly to meet expansion needs. They also had to quickly figure out ways to improve employee productivity and training internally in order to keep pace with new technologies, market growth, and customer demand. At the same time, some corporations felt that higher education had not kept up with the pace of change, lagged behind the curve in terms of offering the latest technology, and was focused on educational outcomes that were not necessarily in line with what corporations needed to remain competitive (Kirkpatrick, 1997). In response to this market growth and perceived lack of business-based outcomes, corporations began to form university-like programs internally in order to gain control over the training and learning needs of the business and, by extension, their employees. In times of economic downturn, corporate universities focus more on developing existing employees, preparing them to gain skills and knowledge that enable the business to move through difficult times and prepare for future growth and new market challenges.

E-Learning and Blended Learning

E-learning is defined as skills and/or knowledge transfer that occurs over the Internet or an electronic network. The mix of in-person and online program delivery is called blended learning. E-learning programs are becoming essential to meeting employee learning outcomes and goals because they solve real business problems. E-learning has proven its value in five key areas: 1) improving skill-or ...