I?m curious about how companies? plans for training and certification have been affected by the lean economic times. Technology marches on ? XP is around the corner and Windows-NT 4 MCSE certifications expire in six months. Software publishers continue to release new versions, and training is often cited as a key retention issue.
Yet slashing budgets seems to be de rigueur for publicly traded companies who are forced by Wall Street to focus on next quarter?s results. At my company, travel for training has been suspended, with substantial impact when highly specialized courses are only offered in one or two locations in the country. Training budgets, while not specifically cut yet, are being heavily scrutinized.
I recall seeing an article some time ago about the number of training days per employee ranging from 10 ? 20 days per year across a broad range of industries (not just high tech). Are companies backing away from these policies? How are employees responding?Company required disclaimer: Any ideas or opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of my employer.
