Out of the Ivory Tower and into the Real World

Abstract

Colleges and universities are becoming more involved in providing training to companies in their regional service areas. Faculty who are proficient in a traditional classroom, however, do not always excel as corporate trainers. Instructional strategies that are inherently effective in academe seldom yield comparable results in an industrial setting. Employee training programmes generally demand a more applications-oriented approach and tend to focus succinctly on immediate outcomes. Furthermore, training initiatives often encounter considerable resistance from session participants. This can precipitate serious difficulties for professors who are accustomed to maintaining absolute control via the grading process. Corporate trainees want to know precisely how the information presented will assist them in the performance of their current job responsibilities or how it will help prepare them for future assignments. This paper explains how faculty members can adapt their academic teaching styles to meet the unique needs of company employees. Included in the discussion are explicit recommendations for preparing for a specific training assignment, developing a customized training plan, dealing with critical logistical considerations, and ultimately facilitating a successful training experience. Several problems that can occur are also described along with suggestions for resolving them as efficiently as possible. Finally, the importance of following-up after the training has been completed is addressed.