This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-03-390 
entitled 'Information Technology Training: Practices of Leading 
Private-Sector Companies' which was released on March 04, 2003.



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Report to Congressional Requesters:



January 2003:



Information Technology Training:



Practices of Leading Private-Sector Companies:



GAO-03-390:



GAO Highlights: 



Highlights of GAO-03-390, a report to the Chairman, Tom Davis, 
Committee on 

Government Reform and Representative Jim Turner, House of 
Representatives:



January 2003:



Information Technology Training:



Practices of Leading Private-Sector Companies:



Why GAO Did This Study: 



The rapid pace of technological change, with its potential to transform 
the 

way the government delivers services, makes information technology (IT) 
human 

capital a critical issue for federal agencies. 



GAO has identified strategic human capital management as a high risk 
area for 

the federal government, and the demand for skilled IT workers is 
expected to 

increase over the long term. Given that competition for workers affects 
the 

federal government as it does any other employer, effective training of 
staff 

is essential to developing and retaining a qualified workforce. 



Some private-sector companies are recognized for their effective and 
innovative 

training programs for the IT workforce, which could provide models and 
examples 

for federal agencies. To help federal agencies better design and 
implement such 

training programs, GAO was asked to examine private-sector practices 
for 

training both IT and non-IT professionals (e.g., business managers and 
other 

staff needing training in IT) that could be used as a basis for 
addressing 

federal efforts.



What GAO Found: 



GAO identified 22 existing and emerging training practices used by 
leading 

companies to implement effective IT training. We organized these 
practices 

and accompanying case studies under five training management processes 
that 

we defined based on input from industry experts, published research, 
and 

previous GAO work (see table below). Although none of the companies was 

performing all the practices, the majority performed 10 or more.



Organizations and experts agree that these practices could result in 
more 

effective training management, but in applying the identified 
practices, we 

noted several critical issues (e.g., funding constraints and 
demonstrating 

return on investment) that should be considered. The practices may also 
suggest 

approaches to IT training for government agencies to consider.



GAO’s discussions with leading private sector companies indicate that 
training 

is not simply a support function, but a strategic element in achieving 

corporate objectives. Further, although companies are adopting new 
ideas about 

training, many initiatives are in their early stages, and private 
sector 

officials expressed interest in learning about innovative practices 
emerging 

from the public sector.



Table: IT Training Management Processes and Sample Practices: 



[See PDF for image]



Source: GAO:



Note: Analysis of company-provided information.



[End of table]



www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-390.



To view the full report, including the scope and methodology, click on 
the 

link above. For more information, contact Joel Willemssen at (202) 512-
6253 

or willemssenj@gao.gov.



Contents:



Letter:



Appendix:



Appendix I: Information Technology Training:



This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright 
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without further permission from GAO. It may contain copyrighted 
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products.



Letter:



January 31, 2003:



The Honorable Tom Davis

Chairman 

Committee on Government Reform 

House of Representatives:



The Honorable Jim Turner 

House of Representatives:



The rapid pace of technological change, with its potential to transform 

the way the government delivers services, makes information technology 

(IT) human capital a critical issue for federal agencies. We have 

identified strategic human capital management as a high risk area. In 

the long term, demand for highly skilled IT workers is expected to 

increase. According to a 2002 study of private-sector employers by the 

Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the demand for 

these highly skilled IT workers exceeds supply.[Footnote 1] Given that 

this reported shortage affects the federal government as it does any 

other employer, effective training of staff is essential to developing 

and retaining a qualified workforce.



Our objective was to examine private-sector workforce training 

practices for both IT and non-IT professionals (e.g., business managers 

and other staff needing training in IT). To achieve this objective, we 

reviewed existing research, held discussions with academic and 

professional authorities, and interviewed executives and managers at 

leading companies about their IT training management practices and 

activities. We also collaborated with the National Academy of Science 

to host a panel discussion with academic authorities. The experts on 

this panel discussed overall training issues, provided input on 

training management processes, and identified other effective training 

practices. We used this information, as well as the extensive research 

and trade literature available on IT training practices, to develop a 

view of what leading private-sector organizations are doing in the IT 

training area.



On October 18, 2002, we provided briefing slides on the results of our 

study to you in your capacities as Chairman and Ranking Minority Member 

of the Subcommittee on Technology and Procurement Policy. These 

results, along with additional information and new and expanded case 

studies, are included as an appendix to this letter. The purpose of 

this letter is to officially transmit the information in published form 

to you as Chairman and Member of the Committee on Government Reform.



In brief, we found 22 existing and emerging practices that are used by 

leading companies to implement effective IT training. The majority of 

the companies performed 10 or more of the identified practices, but 

none was performing all. The practices and case studies provided in the 

appendix suggest approaches to IT training that government agencies 

could consider.



In addition, we noted several critical issues (e.g., funding 

constraints and demonstrating return on investment) that should be 

considered in implementing these practices. GAO’s review of private-

sector practices indicates that training is not simply a support 

function, but a strategic element in achieving corporate objectives. 

Further, although companies are adopting new ideas about training, many 

initiatives are in their early stages, and private-sector officials 

expressed interest in learning about innovative practices emerging from 

the public sector.



Many organizations contributed to our study. American Telephone & 

Telegraph (AT&T), Cable & Wireless, Cisco, Delta Technology, Fannie 

Mae, FleetBoston, International Business Machines (IBM), International 

Truck and Engine, Raytheon, Science Applications International 

Corporation (SAIC), and United Services Automobile Association (USAA) 

all met with us to discuss their training programs. The federal Chief 

Information Officers (CIO) Council, the Information Technology 

Association of America (ITAA), the Private Sector Council, and the 

American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), as well as IT 

consulting firms Gartner and Giga, also provided assistance and 

information.



Unless you publicly announce the contents of this report earlier, we 

plan no further distribution until 30 days from the report date. At 

that time, we will send copies of this report to interested 

congressional committees. In addition, copies will be made available to 

others upon request. Copies of this report are also available at no 

charge on GAO’s Web site at www.gao.gov.



If you or your offices should have any questions concerning this 

report, please contact me at (202) 512-6253 or Megen Davis, Assistant 

Director, at (202) 512-6398. We can also be reached by E-mail at 

willemssenj@gao.gov and davism@gao.gov, respectively. Key contributors 

to this report were Barbara Collier, Vijay D’Souza, John Ortiz, Tomás 

Ramirez, Jr., and Glenn Spiegel.



Joel Willemssen

Managing Director, Information Technology:



Signed by Joel Willemssen: 



[End of section]



Appendixes:



Appendix I: Information Technology Training:



[See PDF for image]



[End of figure] 



[End of section]



FOOTNOTES



[1] Information Technology Association of America, Bouncing Back: Jobs, 

Skills, and the Continuing Demand for IT Workers (May 2002).



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