Title: A Glossary of UK Training and Occupational Learning Terms
Author: Jeffrey Brooks
Publisher: ITOL (The Institute of Training and Occupational Learning)
Date: 2000
Format: A5 paperback, 48 pages
Price: £9.99 to non-members
ISBN: 0 9539790 0 8

This glossary, the result of extensive deliberations and virtual discussion by a working party formed from members of the Institute and expertly headed by Jeff Brooks, the Director of the Institute, is the worthy successor of a, now out of date and out of print glossary produced in several editions by the Department of Employment/Manpower Services Commission/Employment Service some years ago.

The glossary contains definitions for almost 400 terms. Excluded have been descriptions of the many government initiatives because of their frequently transient natures, and also excluded are terms that are used in training, but are ones that are used and understood by people outside the profession – for example, words in the ‘Concise English Dictionary’ that were used in the profession and were defined there in a way acceptable to training practitioners.

There can be no doubt that this is a memorable publications for the training and development profession which, I am sure will live on for many years in edition on edition. It is hoped that there will be extensive acceptance of the definitions outside ITOL because it can be a vehicle to produce a consistency of terms within the profession that has been missing for a number of years. Using the definitions in the glossary, we will all know to what we are referring when in communication with others.

Contact with ITOL, the Institute for people in the training and development profession, with three levels of membership – Fellow, Member, Associate to which there are three different routes (qualifications, portfolio and article, based on competence) can be made via www.traininginstitute.co.uk or by telephoning Jeff Brooks on 0161 483 4577.

Leslie Rae

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