Several decades ago, much of that on-the-job training was acquired through work experience; today we are seeing greater emphasis on the value of formal education and training programs for workers. Developing human capital is perceived by many corporations as adding to shareholder value.
If idea creation is increasingly the factor that engenders value-added, then training and education are crucial to the growth of company value-added and profitability. In the private sector, a number of major corporations have invested in their own internal training centers -- so-called corporate universities. Some labor unions have done the same.