Challenges in Hrm

Studies in C ontinuing Education, V ol. 23, N o. 1, 2001

Challenges in Human Resource Development Practitioner Preparation
ROBYN JOHNSTON
University of Technology, Sydney

This article describes some of the challenges that confront designers of programs which prepare or upskill Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners. It surfaces varying perspectives of human resource development and some of the issues that confront organisations in the post-industrial economy which have implications for HRD practice. It also surfaces some tensions and areas of convergence that can be seen in recent studies which have investigated the role of HRD practitioners. The ® nal section recommends some substantive areas that should be addressed within HRD preparation programs which are designed to equip learners for practice in the current organisational context.
ABSTRACT

Introduction Organisational learning and skill formation initiatives are increasingly being seen as contributing to the achievement of organisational competitiveness in the contemporary economy. As a result, the development of employees has become a more prominent organisational practice. Since Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners are primarily responsible for employee development there is a need for them to become more highly skilled to ensure that their practice meets the changing needs of organisations. Formal educational programs in the practice of HRD provide a way of assisting practitioners to acquire the skills they now need for effective practice. The design of such programs, however, is problematic given the emergent and cross-disciplinary nature of the ® eld. This paper surfaces some of the challenges associated with program design for the development of HRD practitioners, drawing from discussions in, and pro® ling research from, the HRD literature. The ® nal section of the paper proposes several key areas that need to be addressed in preparatory programs for HRD practitioners. Some

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