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This article is the first in a three part series of articles on training and business strategy. The 1990s have seen major shifts in organisational structures, employee roles and employer expectations and training structures have also had to change, reshaped by a harsher economic climate and changing workplace requirements. The Institute for Professional Development (IPD) 1999 survey on training trends suggests that change and alternative ways of delivering training, such as interactive multi-media are key aspects of training into the future. This article outlines the changing function and form of training within organisations and addresses the importance of distinguishing between training, development, education and learning. It focuses on the development of job-related skills and new working practices and stresses the need for a more holistic approach to planning for development, rather than relying exclusively on training. Employees are increasingly required to work more flexibly, using a range of technologies and work across departmental and organisational boundaries and managers are required to develop relevant approaches for handling increasingly diverse work groups. This article emphasises that training strategies need to be flexible enough to address issues that are relevant to both the organisation and the individual.