Abstract
This article examines career opportunities in organizational training as an emerging professional path for communication graduates amid declining academic employment prospects. It contextualizes the rise of corporate training within broader shifts in higher education and labor markets, noting that employers increasingly provide internal instruction and invest substantial resources in employee development. A telephone survey of 109 trainers in Silicon Valley was conducted using both open and closed question formats, and the resulting data were analyzed through frequency counts and qualitative categorization. Findings indicate that most respondents work as in house trainers and hold college degrees, yet relatively few possess academic backgrounds in communication. Essential skills identified include presentation, writing, interpersonal communication, and leadership, and respondents emphasized communication related coursework and internship experiences as valuable preparation. Survey participants reported optimism regarding growth in the training field and described diverse responsibilities ranging from curriculum development to organizational communication functions. The analysis concludes that communication graduates are underrepresented in this expanding professional domain despite clear alignment between communication competencies and workplace training demands.
Recommended Citation
Kelly, Jan W.
(1986)
"Training in Organizations: Career Opportunities for Communication,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 55, Article 20.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol55/iss1/20
