$156 Billion on Training

U.S. organizations spent $156.2 billion on employee learning and development in 2011, according to a report by the American Society for Training & Development (A.S.T.D.).

The report’s findings demonstrate that despite continuing economic challenges, senior executives understand that a highly skilled workforce is a strategic differentiator and they are making substantial investments in the development of their employees.

The survey of 461 organizations representing a diverse sample of industries, sizes, and locations reveals:

>$156.2 billion spent on learning and development in 2011 in the U.S.

>56 percent of expenditures were on internal expenses ($87.5 billion)

>Per-employee spending decreased 4 percent ($1,228 in 2010, $1,182 in 2011), but the amount of spending on employees correlates to company size. Smaller companies typically spend more per employee on learning & development (L&D) than their larger counterparts.

>14 percent of expenditures went to tuition reimbursement ($21.9 billion)

>Direct expenditure on learning as a percent of payroll increased from 2.7 to 3.2 percent.

>Employees averaged 31 hours of training in 2011. Employees in “Best” organizations used substantially higher amounts of training, averaging 49 hours each.

>Technology-based delivery of instruction rose to 37.3 percent of formal hours, up from 29.1 percent in 2010.

>The top three areas of L&D content in 2011 were: managerial and supervisory (12.6 percent); profession- or industry-specific (11.6 percent); and processes, procedures, and business practices (11.6 percent).

The report is sponsored by Skillsoft and Eagle’s Flight.

—More info: store.astd.org

 

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