It's surprising, but true - training is a real attraction to today's workforce. With technology moving the knowledge base to new heights, staying current is critical. Workers have placed a premium on learning as they see the value in training as a viable employee benefit. Appealing to younger and older alike, training opportunities are great incentives and often are considered a core element of a comprehensive benefits program.

From the employer's perspective, the skill shortage has impacted business and demonstrated to employers the real need to keep workers' skills current. Offering workers training opportunities makes good business sense. In terms of company productivity and overall employee satisfaction, investing in technological training can pay off.

People want to work for companies that invest in their minds. They don't want to discover that after a lengthy career, their skills have become obsolete. Determined to stay ahead, these new workers are building their knowledge base. Forward-thinking companies incorporate training into their strategic agenda and value its role as a corporate resource.

Training in the Staffing Industry
Workforce training is standard operating practice for the staffing industry. The industry endorsed employee training when the need for skilled labor was initially recognized. As skills in word processing, desktop publishing and computer support functions have increased, staffing services have provided opportunities for employee skills enhancements.

Whether it's tech training via self-paced tutorial modules, topical workshops and information on interviewing skills, or networks to community resources, staffing industry professionals can provide employees with the resources they need to acquire marketable skills.

Managing Company Information
Employee training has evolved over time. Ranging from simple training manuals to classroom settings, from video training to computer-based tutorials, training options are limitless. As the information age has flourished, the development of intellectual capital has become a real challenge.

Knowledge management is a chore for most companies today. It entails successfully directing the storage and usability of information, along with determining how to effectively share company information with people. Management of an organization's intellectual capital involves the combined efforts of various areas of expertise, including information technology, training, human resources, and the ongoing support of executive management.

Company intranets (internally accessible Web sites) have become the posting places for internal company information. During pre-Web days, this information was typically stored on paper in manuals. The manual content often became dated shortly after printing. Intranets provide organizations with an efficient means to publish company materials in a mutually accessible site for a large internal audience.

While intranets are an effective mechanism to publicize information such as training resources, the intranet is not a replacement for personalized communication or training programs. Training professionals realize the value of using resources such as the intranet to maximize access to training materials, but there is still no substitute for human interaction.

Distance Learning
Distance learning is an old concept updated with technology. The information age has moved training online, providing speed and accessibility. As a result, learning off campus at the desktop has been reinvented. When combined with other types of training such as classroom-based instruction, e-learning provides an opportunity for individually paced study and an effective method of easily acquiring new skills.

Online learning, or e-learning, is the training mode many have dreamed about. It's expedient and accessible at the employee's desktop. "E-learning offers the benefit of reaching a large audience cost-effectively," says Jill Gruber, Westaff's vice president, branch operations.

Product development is in the initial stages. At this point, some online training products are essentially digitized versions of comparable video and text-based products. The opportunities for product advancements are great, and many users are eagerly waiting as product enhancements develop.

In the meantime, training product developers are working to market their products and establish partnerships with end-user organizations. Training agreements provide for employee access to courses on the Web, including computer skills and key business skills such as communication, project management, leadership and more.

Reinventing Learning
Maintaining fresh, relevant training materials is the goal of any quality program. People learn new information best when it comes alive and they can interact with the learning process. Combining training programs and modules reinforces core concepts and meets the varying needs of end-users.

"It's best to use a training method such as e-learning in conjunction with workshops or other personal approaches," Gruber recommended. "You don't want to lose interaction. Learn the basics online, then use workshops to role play and share ideas."

The concept of e-learning is especially appealing to quick, independent thinkers - people who are accustomed to acquiring new skills and enjoy learning new things. E-learning appeals to all ages for different reasons. Especially for the Gen X'ers, computers have always been a part of their lives; it's natural to learn online. Essentially, no matter what the training program, seeking excellence in content and gearing delivery toward the end-users is vital to connecting with the learners.

For the latest industry training information, try the American Society for Training Development (ASTD) at www.astd.org.