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In this chapter the author suggests that globalisation and technological development have created a context in which education and training are considered increasingly valued commodities in the workplace. Underlying this is the notion that the nation's economic performance is somehow linked to education and training, a notion embodied in Human Capital Theory (HCT). The chapter reviews the basic assumptions of HCT, which are: (1) human capital is an investment for the future; (2) more training leads to better work skills; (3) educational institutions play a central role in the development of human capital; (4) employees need to improve their skills; (5) training enhances employability; (6) training can compensate for skills shortages; and (7) employment and unemployment are economic concepts. The author looks at the function of the ideology of training, and suggests three roles of adult educators: (1) the humanistic roots of adult educators, that of self-actualisation of individual learners; (2) as agents of change in the workplace, playing a part in reconciling the sometimes divergent needs of individuals and organisations; and (3) as a powerful tool for shaping people's world view, having a social responsibility that entails a commitment to certain basic values such as equity, tolerance and cooperation.