The importance of lifelong learning cannot be seriously questioned. Not only within industrial careers but in all aspects of life, the rapid pace of technological change requires everyone to continue learning throughout life. As portrayed in Chapter 1, manufacturers and other businesses are faced not only with technological advance, but also with competitive needs to significantly change their organizational structures and the ways in which they work. Accordingly this discussion begins by taking the need for continuous employee learning as a given.

This chapter begins by looking carefully at several criteria important to the ongoing learning process in industry. Attention then turns to the various popular training methods and tools, paying special attention to their ability to address the criteria that have been identified. Several specific examples will then be provided to demonstrate how these various criteria impact the selection of training methods and tools. Two conclusions will emerge from this example. The first should not be surprising to most readers careful attention to the objectives of a given learning intervention goes a long way in selecting the most effective training methods and tools. The second, and more important conclusion for the emphasis of this book, is that none of the typical approaches to training in the workplace are at all well suited to some of the most important professional development needs. This chapter will conclude with a detailed look at the progression of learning how a person moves from rudimentary knowledge of the basic...