I hope the recession will cause pointless training to wither and die

SPEAKING at two public sector conferences last week, I was struck by a palpable wave of incoming nostalgia. It was like being at an emigrant wake. All present had the sense of saying goodbye — to each other and to the possibility of a similar conference next year.

Speakers made repeated references to conferences and seminars being in the front line for cancellation when finance gets tight. Conferences, seminars — and training.

It is just amazing how quickly an economic meltdown kicks the lining out of all those warm and cuddly mission statements stressing that the company knows its people are its greatest asset. That line gets stressed a little less as half the people are shown the door and the other half are told no investment in their development can be made at the present time.