It was just something that had to be invented. The number one need of U.S. manufacturing firms was, and continues to be, skilled and trained workers who can keep up with changing, technology-based processes. Yet, the companies need a cost-effective way to teach workers and upgrade their skills.

One answer is the Virtual University, born two years ago. The 14,000-member National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, D.C., created the Internet-based training university in a partnership with GP Strategies, a company with an online education division called GP e-Learning Technologies. Like a typical university, the NAM's Virtual University has hundreds of courses and thousands of students. The campus, though, is anywhere there is a computer with Internet service.

Improving productivity is the bottom line

Virtual University may not have a football team or a marching band, but it does have its cheerleaders, including the NAM Vice President David Walker, who oversees the Virtual University for the association.

"The Virtual University can help a company improve its productivity," said Walker. "It has more than 700 courses. Some courses have a management focus, others deal with human resources and legal subjects. There are skills training, subjects like blood product handling, light industrial ergonomics, ISO 9000 certification, and using hand tools. This is a benefit directly to the manufacturer."

Low cost and high variety cast a wide appeal

Another difference from traditional universities and training programs is that the courses cost much less.

"You or I could take a course for as low as $7.95, although $25 is the average," said Walker.

The real beauty of Virtual University for company-wide training programs is the built-in flexibility with individual courses, or sets of courses, divided in 10 colleges.

The college areas are:

 supply-chain management/lean manufacturing

 general manufacturing/technical training

 OSHA health and safety

 human resources/legal

 leadership/people skills

 information technology, quality

 basic core skills/personal development

 customer service/sales marketing

business/finance/accounting

The fee structure is affordable for both small manufacturers and large ones that can use economies of scale. A manufacturer with 1,000 employees can have access to all the courses for $390,000 a year. The same company can spend between $17,000 and $40,000 for access to the courses in one of the colleges for a full year, or, according to Walker, a set of courses for 10 employees can be only $50.

With Virtual University courses sometimes costing less than $10 per course per student, the savings can add up, especially when it typically can cost a company $3,000 to bring in a trainer for one day on a particular subject.

"We have had thousands of students annually, and thousands of companies or organizations are using Virtual University in whole or part, and many more are considering it," said Walker.

Enrollment occurs online, naturally, and complete course listings and other information are available at www.namvu.com.

Enrolling also is possible by calling, toll-free, (888) 843-4784.

"We get 150,000 hits on the Web site a month," said Walker.

Making the process easy

How does it work? A free course, "Negotiating: Closing the Deal," can be used as a preview for how the other courses are conducted. Walker describes the process as user-friendly, simple, and effective.

"An individual can go in and enroll in a credit course. When enrolled, the course is live for 12 months. It can be accessed seven days a week, 24 hours a day," he said.

Access to a Virtual University course is controlled through passwords issued at enrollment. While the course is live for the students, tests to assure the training has been accomplished may be taken at any time. Once the test is taken, it becomes part of the student's permanent record. If the test is failed, Walker explained, it cannot be taken again during the live period, which is usually a year.

Walker acknowledged that employees like using Virtual University because its flexibility gives the workers who are motivated a chance to expand their skills, seek promotions, get better pay, and advance their careers. Certainly, displaced workers and those who lost jobs in downsizing moves by companies can retrain themselves into qualified information technology professionals, electrical engineers, or repair technicians.

"The key benefits of Virtual University are that individuals can pace themselves. We all learn at different speeds," said Walker. "It is better than, say, a two-day classroom course on sexual harassment issues, where if your mind is not on the subject, then you have missed it. Virtual University keeps your attention."

Virtual learning here to stay

The outlook for Virtual University was uncertain when it started in 1999. The NAM inaugurated the service with eight courses that were available free for a month.

By the end of that year, acceptance was no longer an issue. The courses had grown to 30 and were being "attended" by about 10,000 students. As the number of courses grew, so did the technical ability of Virtual University to allow - even encourage - companies to add their own training manuals, orientation information, and video programs to the system, in addition to the existing texts.

Plenty of companies will take advantage of Virtual University as it grows. A recent survey,

conducted by the NAM's Center for Work Force Success, indicated that at least one-third of manufacturers said skill deficiencies among workers make the companies unable to improve

productivity. Moreover, ineffective skills among employees have prevented one in five manufacturers from expanding, the survey found. NAM leaders insist that Virtual University is a first-rate, world-class operation, and they have the awards to support

that assertion.