Rethinking Training in the 1990s

Abstract

Training has become a growth industry during the 1980s and 1990s. A 1995 survey of U.S. industries with 100 or more employees reported that approximately $52 billion was spent annually on training employees, while total costs for all companies are estimated at $90 to $100 billion. As technology evolves, some experts in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries predict that training costs will grow five-fold from current levels. Who is receiving all of this training, and why? How is training being conducted; and are there better ways to do it? Are there cost-effective ways to conduct training? These issues are critical if the AEC industry is to remain responsive and competitive in rapidly changing national and global markets. This paper surveys recent training trends, and insights are offered about how and why the AEC industry trains employees. Considering recent technological innovations, new ideas are presented for how training could be conducted to exploit technology and deliver more relevant and economical training than is available using traditional training approaches.