Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider some challenges involved in delivering a
programme for the education of corporate trainers in the new South African economy.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the way in which training in organisations
has changed in the modern economy; it asks whether “training” has any academic base with
knowledge components or whether it is simply a craft discipline carried out in context by experienced
practitioners. It examines the particular circumstances that arise in post-Apartheid South Africa and
the challenges faced where participants are widespread geographically