Training can be defined as the process of teaching or learning a skill. That’s the textbook definition.
But in reality, the concept of training has many more aspects than just learning a skill. To many organisations, training is a means of meeting regulatory or legal requirements. Common to this purpose, for example, is training employees in the rules of sexual harassment in the workplace. There are other examples, as well: safety training for employees working with industrial equipment to meet insurance requirements or training in the organisation’s policy and procedures.
There is management training, too. One of the programmes we see quite frequently is training for new supervisors. Training can also become a means of altering behaviour, not in a punitive way, but so gaps in organisational performance can be closed. Common to this thread is the findings of an audit, financial or for certification. On occasion, findings require corrective action, and if that affects a relatively large number of employees, training is often the solution to meeting the requirements.
For the individual, training can be a way to earn professional certification. Although some certifications may involve learning new skills, it is not directly focused on them nor is it the primary motivating factor.
Likely, the motivation for gaining professional certification is to advance one’s career or become more employable. We consider this “professional development”.
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