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This article reports on 'The Management Training Needs Analysis Survey' (1997) commissioned by the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) and further interviews carried out by the authors of this article. This survey was built on information already gathered for 'The Management Competence Report' (SFEU, 1995). The 1997 survey explores three main questions: what are the training needs of Scotland's further education (FE) managers; how are these needs identified; and how are they being met? The survey and subsequent interviews identify a number of key issues including the ad hoc approach of colleges towards management training and development, a lack of support and reward for managers undertaking training, and ambivalence towards training generally. The diverse nature of college staff and the community they serve requires acknowledgement, as does the complex external environment in which colleges operate. Both factors require more in depth study to examine the nature and motivation of Scotland's further education managers to ensure that educational management policies reflect the current reality of the sector.