Trends in Commercial Training

Abstract

A joint Navy and Marine Corps study examined the possibility of achieving training cost reductions with no degradation to training effectiveness through utilization of commercial sponsored training. The study identified management trends, innovations in training technology and cost data of thirty corporations and over seventy-five non-federal post-secondary schools. The latter included area vocational schools and junior/community colleges. The study was limited to entry skills in the Navy and Marine Corps that are comparable to skills taught by civilian sources. An analysis was performed to determine the economic feasibility of utilizing commercial sources for military training. Potential alternatives were evaluated in terms of relatively long-term commitments vs short-term commitments. Short-term commitments focus on the utilization of existing excess capacity and often this capacity can be utilized for military training at relatively nominal cost. A great deal of capacity which is of a transitory nature was found in a number of facilities and the potential appears to exist for significant savings in a number of skill areas. The study found that in the past decade, large corporations' training trends include: (1) centralized management; (2) centralized course development; (3) centralized training facilities; (4) compression of training time to meet terminal objectives; (5) cost effective training programs; and (6) application of innovations in training technology. The study further found that non-federal post-secondary schools are: (1) designing programs to meet specific skills required by industry; (2) providing students modern facilities; (3) applying new training technology; and (4) responding to pipeline training requirements. Based on recommendations, the concept of using commercial sources for select entry skill training is now being implemented on a limited scale by various components of the Armed Forces.