Abstracts: December 3rd, 2008

This report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development uncovers the future focus for learning, training and development in UK organizations. It argues for a new definition of the trainer role to that of a facilitator of learning embedded specifically to the needs of employees and the organisation. 21st century trainers need a new mind-set as well as a new skill-set.

It argues that creating a new mind-set will in turn help to create a culture where learning is relevant to the needs of the learners, and more integrated in the day-to-day activities. You can make people sit in a training room, but you can’t make them learn. Still less can you make them apply what they have learned or share that learning with others. The challenge for trainers is to stop being trainer-centric and become business and learning-centric.

To embed learning, the line manager is crucial. The 2008 CIPD Learning and Development survey reported that there is a positive shift to line managers being involved in determining learning and development needs, with half predicting line managers will have greater responsibility in the next five years. The ’embedded approach’ also needs to be applied to coaching, which is now practised in the majority of organisations.

The report is available from the CIPD. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/general/_sadlrng.htm