A Road Map To High-Tech Training

SOURCE              ADVANTAGES                  DISADVANTAGES

National training   Trainers have broad         Can be very expensive
                    experience with a wide      and may not be tailored
                    audience and tend to be     enough to your business'
                    up-to-date.                 or employees' needs.

Local training      Cost will tend to be lower  Courses may not be
or trade schools    than for national training  sophisticated enough for
                    companies.                  your needs.

Community           A linchpin of the nation's  Courses may not be held at
colleges            training systems.           convenient times.
                    A wide variety of programs  Courses sometimes too
                    so you'll find what you     academic.
                    need.
Trade or            Training is usually         Not all groups offer
professional        specifically related        training sessions.
organization        to the business.

Local               Programs speak to local     Programs may be too
organizations,      concerns.                   general or may be
like the Chamber                                peripheral to your
of Commerce                                     business.

Unions              Programs are developed for  Usually available
                    specific groups of workers. only to union members.
                    Programs are usually
                    convenient to attend.

Mentors or          Allows a designated em-     Expensive to put someone
coaches             ployee to focus on          on your payroll or free
                                                them from worker train-
                                                ing. their normal duties.

Multimedia          Allows people to learn at   Technology isn't always the
                    their desks and at their    best teacher. Can be
                    own pace.                   expensive.

Vendors and         Immediate help with new     Trainers may not know your
suppliers           product. Often comes as     business and are limited
                    part of package.            in linking their products
                    to other systems.

Government-         Commerce Dept. sponsors     May not be located in your
sponsored economic  extension programs around   area. May be too focused on
development         the country. Many states    industrial production.
centers             run their own programs.


DATA: EDUCATION DEPT., LABOR DEPT., BUSINESS WEEK