While a main goal for corporate trainers traditionally has been to train employees to reach organizational goals, many trainers may find their roles expanding. With companies cutting back on staffing and consolidating multiple job roles into single positions, career development has taken on a much larger significance. At forward-thinking…

Offers three strategies that will make the job of training employees to use new software easier: (1) understand the business need that the software is addressing; (2) synchronize the development of training and support materials with the software development cycle; and (3) choose the appropriate training approach for the software application.…

The author developed an instructional-design model consisting of four simple steps. The model is in a circular format, rather than the usual linear series form, so it is named the training wheel. (SSH)

Presents results of a readers' poll concerning where trainers come from and where they want to go. Discusses trainers' educational background--bachelors degrees and postgraduate degrees, former positions, current positions, factors contributing to career development, long-term career objectives, and career opportunities for trainers, and best and…

Reviews areas of legal liability for employer-provided training: failure to comply with legally mandated training requirements, nontraditional training methods, and violations of individual rights resulting from discriminatory content or delivery of training. (SK)